Business + Tech Innovation Accelerator

Taught By

Charlene Chu

A graduate of Cornell University, Charlene Chu brings over 20 years of experience at the forefront of technology and innovation in global finance. She has held leadership roles at top-tier institutions including Bank of America, Nasdaq, Morgan Stanley, Citi, and HSBC, where she has successfully led major digital transformation, data governance, and cloud migration initiatives.

Charlene has overseen multi-million-dollar programs that span regulatory compliance, enterprise software deployment, and fintech product development—often bridging the gap between business strategy and cutting-edge technology. Her expertise includes managing cross-functional teams, streamlining global operations, and driving change across capital markets, risk management, and IT infrastructure.

Week by Week Curriculum

Week 1: Discover — What Makes a Great Digital Product?

What is a product? What is a tech business?
Role of product manager & strategist
Product vs. project vs. business
Program overview + Final project intro

Week 2: Define the Problem & Audience

User personas
Problem definition & customer interviews
Basics of market sizing and validation

Week 3: MVP & Agile Thinking

Agile vs. waterfall
MVP vs. full product
Building lean roadmaps

Week 4: Financial Modeling for Tech Products

Pricing models (freemium, SaaS, one-time)
Unit economics
Break-even analysis

Week 5: Prototyping with No-Code Tools

Intro to Figma, Glide, or Canva (based on team skills)
How to turn an idea into a digital mockup or working prototype

Week 6: Storytelling with Strategy

Product strategy 101 (vision, roadmap, metrics)
Competitive analysis
Pitch structure: problem > solution > business > ask

Week 7: Final Touches – Rehearsals & Feedback

Pitch deck reviews
Financial and prototype reviews
Peer feedback sessions
Rehearse elevator pitch

Week 8: Final Showcase – Techpreneur Demo Day

Final Deliverables:
Pitch deck
MVP or clickable prototype
Strategy & financial one-pager