Prerequisites: QSTIS 223 and QSTXP 298; or QSTIS 223, QSTFE 323, QSTMK 323, QSTOM 323 and QSTQM 323. - The world's most valuable companies—Alibaba, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Uber—don't sell standalone products. They build platforms connecting multiple customer groups, harnessing network effects to create exponential value. This course teaches students how platforms work, why they're powerful yet hard to build, and how to design, launch, and scale them successfully. Through frameworks, economic models, and case studies spanning Airbnb to TikTok, students will tackle critical questions: How should platforms price when traditional models fail? When should they open versus close their architectures? How much responsibility should they take for harmful content? Can AI and blockchain reshape platform power? The centerpiece is a hands-on consulting project with a real sponsoring company. Past clients include Cisco, eBay, Haier, Mahindra, Pearson, SAP, Siemens, and the U.S. Postal Service. Students conduct stakeholder interviews and deliver strategic recommendations. Previous teams have been hired by clients and secured startup funding for their proposals.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.