CIEN E4136: Entrepreneurship in Engineering and Construction

Course Overview

This course offers a deep dive into the startup ecosystem within the built environment. It will train you to identify real-world challenges and develop business solutions grounded in the realities of this industry. Through a practical capstone project, you will work in teams to develop and present a full business model tailored to the unique constraints and opportunities of the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. From customer segmentation to market-fit and value proposition design, the course will develop your understanding of both the entrepreneurial process and the particular nuances of starting a venture in a field shaped by complex stakeholders, long project timelines, and increasing digitization.

The curriculum blends theory and practice through lectures, business case discussions, guest talks from leading entrepreneurs, and group projects. Guest lecturers include a variety of startup founders, investors, intrapreneurs, and enterprise customers.Their firsthand accounts offer expert insight into both the broader trends and the complex realities that define the business.

This course fosters a multidisciplinary skill set vital for future leaders in the AEC sector. You will learn how to effectively pitch ideas, conduct stakeholder interviews, analyze competitors, and forecast go-to-market strategies—all within a collaborative, feedback-rich environment. The course responds to urgent societal needs such as improving infrastructure, boosting productivity in construction, and fostering inclusive innovation. As a graduate, you will have the strategic mindset and tools to launch impactful ventures that respond to the pressing challenges facing the built environment today. 

Course Instructor

Pierce Reynoldson, AIA

Adjunct Professor

Pierce Reynoldson, AIA is a leading force in digital innovation across the AEC industry, with over 20 years of experience. He’s helped drive the adoption of BIM, cloud, data, and reality capture technologies across major projects like the Microsoft Campus and LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal. As VP of Technology and Innovation at EnTech Engineering, Pierce leads one of the largest digital AEC consulting teams in the country. He’s a regular speaker at industry events and universities, and a member of the ConTech Alliance NY and BuiltWorld’s Top 50 Technology Leaders. His past experience includes, leading full-lifecycle project delivery at WeWork, leading Skanska NY’s first Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) department, and providing digital transformation consulting for Harvard, Tufts, and Alexandria Real Estate. 

Pierce is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, where he teaches entrepreneurship for engineering and construction. Prior to that , he taught for nine years at Yale University, where he developed their first BIM course. Pierce has been published in The Routledge Companion to Smart Design Thinking, CLOG, and the Office US Guide to Practice.