AIgility Presents at Haskayne School of Business eMBA Program
- Andrew
- Jul 20, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 19
Last Update: October 19, 2024
Editor: Andrew
Integrating Generative AI into Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: Insights from Haskayne School of Business
I had the privilege of joining Philip Davidson, Director of the Executive MBA Program at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, for a lecture on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). This lecture provided an opportunity to explore the intersection of ETA and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), illustrating how cutting-edge technologies can revolutionize traditional business acquisition and management strategies.
Understanding Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is a strategic business acquisition strategy where entrepreneurs acquire and manage existing businesses with the support of investors. This strategy leverages the stability and established operations of existing companies while empowering entrepreneurs to focus on growth through innovation and better management practices. This analogy, inspired by Brian O’Connor of Chicago Booth, captures the roles within ETA:
Horse: The acquired, profitable, established, stable business.
Jockey: The entrepreneur transforming and scaling the business with better technology and management practices.
Trainer: The investor, who provides mentorship, strategic guidance, and financing.
The Role of GenAI in Enhancing ETA Success
During the lecture, I shared insights on how GenAI can be applied to a typical business and then extended it to the three roles in ETA:
Identifying Optimal Acquisition Targets: GenAI can add additional analysis to assess potential business acquisitions more effectively. By evaluating how GenAI can impact services/products, operations, marketing, and moat defensibility, investors and entrepreneurs can make more informed decisions for better outcomes.
Scaling and Growing the Business: For entrepreneurs, GenAI offers numerous ways to scale a business faster. GenAI can help a business operate more efficiently by automating routine tasks, enhancing customer support, optimizing supply chains, and leveraging predictive analytics for better planning.
Improving ROI for Investors: Investors risk is potentially reduced because GenAI can improve the quality of acquisition targets so they can be scaled for growth faster. This not only boosts the return on investment but also reduces the time required to achieve financial milestones.
Conclusion
The integration of Generative AI into Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition can change how businesses are identified, acquired, and managed. By leveraging GenAI, entrepreneurs and investors can enhance decision-making, accelerate growth, and achieve higher returns on investment. I enjoyed my lively conversation with the eMBA students on this subject. Thank you to Philip for inviting me to participate in his lecture at The Haskayne Executive MBA program.