In my capstone class, I&E 499: Entrepreneurship Capstone, I learned how to analyze how different companies develop ideas, assemble a team of founders, investors, and employees, create an effective go-to-market strategy, and plan for a company's exit. My biggest takeaways from this course were how to transform an idea into a successful company by creating a business model canvas, assembling the most productive team by balancing skill sets and distributing equity, and running experiments to validate an idea. I thoroughly enjoyed the various cases and ensuing discussions throughout this course as they allowed me to apply these learnings and think critically about what a company's next steps should be.
   Through my capstone experience, I have gained a deeper understanding of how I think critically about a company's entrepreneurial decisions. This experience has allowed me to learn about myself and the I&E field simultaneously. I&E 499 has taught me the importance of gathering data to validate an idea and how to maximize the productivity of a team, specifically with cases such as Tiny Earth Toys and Supercell. By outlining the business plan for a startup I learned to think creatively and strategically, applying what I learned from class in a unique setting. Collaborating with my team during our final project and engaging in discussions in class I have enhanced my communication skills to make a choice and prepare myself to defend it. Overall, this experience has not only broadened my expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship but instilled greater confidence in myself to make critical business decisions in a startup or as a manager. 
    Participating in the undergraduate certificate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship significantly enriched my overall learning experience at Duke by providing first-hand insight into the entrepreneurial process. The combination of entrepreneurship courses, elective courses, and outside-the-classroom experiences allowed me to master the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, explore open-ended design problems, and have hands-on experience working at a tech startup. The program's emphasis on collaboration, interdisciplinary learning, and critical thinking has prepared me to tackle complex challenges outside the classroom, where there is not always a right or wrong answer. Additionally, I have gained many soft skills in communication and professionalism that will benefit me after graduation. Beyond Duke, I plan to leverage these skills to innovate and drive impactful projects in the space industry, whether launching my startup or becoming an effective program manager. The lessons learned in this program have equipped me with a robust hard and soft skill toolkit to successfully navigate the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship and business development.