NOTE: PRE-WORK IS REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE. Research Driven Inspiration (RDI) is a research-based framework for building a prepared mind. Instead of starting with a startup idea or preconceived solution, RDI begins with curiosity. Through disciplined research, expert conversations, structured synthesis, and AI, you learn to rapidly build deep understanding, develop unique perspectives, identify meaningful opportunities, and make better decisions. Whether your goal is to start a company, join one, invest, or simply understand an industry more deeply, RDI provides a repeatable framework for accelerating learning and recognizing opportunities others miss. The course is highly self-directed and project-based. You choose a domain you are genuinely curious about and spend the quarter exploring it through interviews and primary research. Along the way, you build credibility in a new field, expand your professional network, and develop evidence-based conviction. You are strongly encouraged to team up, either to pursue a shared research topic together or to form a small group for regular sharing and accountability. AI tools and approaches are integrated throughout the course, not as a replacement for curiosity or critical thinking, but as a force multiplier that helps you research more effectively, synthesize information more deeply, and move faster without sacrificing rigor. RDI has been used by hundreds of GSB students and has contributed to the creation of many companies, while also helping participants land jobs, make investment decisions, identify promising research directions, and develop strategic insights across a wide range of industries. This course is not about 'finishing' RDI in ten weeks. Instead, you will learn the mindset, tools, and habits needed to keep applying the framework throughout your time at the GSB and beyond. You will leave the course with meaningful momentum, a more prepared mind in your chosen domain, and the confidence to pursue opportunities grounded in evidence rather than intuition. REQUIRED PRE-WORK: You should expect approximately STRAMGT 10 hours of work before the first class, including assigned readings and completion of a written research proposal due the first day of class. This pre-work is essential: it grounds you in RDI and gets your thinking far enough along that class time can go straight to application rather than orientation. Details to be shared via email and on Canvas.
2 units · GSB Pass/Fail
NOTE: PRE-WORK IS REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE. Research Driven Inspiration (RDI) is a research-based framework for building a prepared mind. Instead of starting with a startup idea or preconceived solution, RDI begins with curiosity. Through disciplined research, expert conversations, structured synthesis, and AI, you learn to rapidly build deep understanding, develop unique perspectives, identify meaningful opportunities, and make better decisions. Whether your goal is to start a company, join one, invest, or simply understand an industry more deeply, RDI provides a repeatable framework for accelerating learning and recognizing opportunities others miss. The course is highly self-directed and project-based. You choose a domain you are genuinely curious about and spend the quarter exploring it through interviews and primary research. Along the way, you build credibility in a new field, expand your professional network, and develop evidence-based conviction. You are strongly encouraged to team up, either to pursue a shared research topic together or to form a small group for regular sharing and accountability. AI tools and approaches are integrated throughout the course, not as a replacement for curiosity or critical thinking, but as a force multiplier that helps you research more effectively, synthesize information more deeply, and move faster without sacrificing rigor. RDI has been used by hundreds of GSB students and has contributed to the creation of many companies, while also helping participants land jobs, make investment decisions, identify promising research directions, and develop strategic insights across a wide range of industries. This course is not about 'finishing' RDI in ten weeks. Instead, you will learn the mindset, tools, and habits needed to keep applying the framework throughout your time at the GSB and beyond. You will leave the course with meaningful momentum, a more prepared mind in your chosen domain, and the confidence to pursue opportunities grounded in evidence rather than intuition. REQUIRED PRE-WORK: You should expect approximately 10 hours of work before the first class, including assigned readings and completion of a written research proposal due the first day of class. This pre-work is essential: it grounds you in RDI and gets your thinking far enough along that class time can go straight to application rather than orientation. Details to be shared via email and on Canvas.
Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.