The life of an entrepreneur is hectic, with nonstop demands and success often depending on learning and growing in changing conditions.

Wamda is an education advocate, whether it’s a thorough grounding in theory at the university level or the practical education that comes from nurturing a startup.

Although most of us don’t have the time or the money to invest in an MBA, there is no shortage of massive open online courses (MOOC) offering practical instruction, often by experts in their fields. We've curated seven startup relevant MOOCs from the thousands online.

1. Udacity - How to Build a Startup

Cost: free

Duration: one month

What you will learn:

• Business models and customer development

• How to develop and validate your business ideas before introducing them to the market

• Different types of revenue models

Perfect for: entrepreneurs who are still in the early idea phase.

Instructor: Steve Blank - a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur who was named the “Master of Innovation” by Harvard Business Review.

2. Coursera - New Venture Finance: Startup Funding for Entrepreneurs

Cost: starting at $49

Duration: one month

What you will learn:

• How to raise capital

• Basics of finance and valuations

• The different types of investors

• How to pitch to investors

Perfect for: entrepreneurs who want to secure funding for their company.

Instructor: Michael R. Pratt, lecturer in technology and entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland.

3. Udemy - Programming for Entrepreneurs - HTML & CCS

Cost: free

Duration: 28 hours

What you will learn:

• The basics of coding

• The basics of web development

Perfect for: entrepreneurs with little or no coding experience.

Instructor: Pablo Farias Navarro, founder of Zenva.com.

4. Open 2 Study - Innovation for Powerful Outcomes

Cost: free

Duration: one month

What you will learn:

• Key principles and tools of creativity

• How to bring your ideas to life

• How to build an innovative company

Perfect for: entrepreneurs interested innovation strategies.

Instructor:  Dr. Noordin Shehabuddeen, director of business engagement at Swinburne University of Technology’s Faculty of Business & Enterprise.

5. Coursera - Introduction to Public Speaking

Cost: free

Duration: 10 weeks

What you will learn:

• Designing and delivering impromptu speeches

• Designing and delivering informative speeches

• Designing and delivering persuasive speeches

Perfect for: entrepreneurs interested in improving their communication skills.

Instructor: Dr. Matt McGarrity, principal lecturer in the Communication Department at the University of Washington.

6. Coursera - Leading Teams

Cost: $95

Duration: one month

What you will learn:

• How to build a successful team

• How to establish roles and build structures

• Conflict resolution and decision making strategies

Perfect for: entrepreneurs interested in developing successful strategies for building, managing and empowering their teams. Can be taken as an individual course or as part of a five-course series on leading people and teams.

Instructors:

• Scott DeRue, Ph.D., associate dean and professor of management, Management and Organizations, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.

• Maxim Sytch, Ph.D., ssociate professor of management and organizations; Michael R. and Mary Kay Hallman Fellow, Management and Organizations; Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.

  
  

7. Udemy - Digital Social Media Marketing Strategy For Startup Business

Cost: $25

Duration: 28 Lectures

What you will learn:

• How to use social media to generate leads

• How to develop and optimize the best social media strategy for your business

• How to engage customers through social media platforms

Perfect for: entrepreneurs interested in learning the skills of managing successful social media platforms for their startup.

Instructor: Sachin Kumar, digital marketing expert.

Are there any MOOCs that you recommend? Please let us know in the comment section below.