Venture Capital and Startup Finance – Executive Training Program

In today’s dynamic global economy, venture capital and startup finance have emerged as the lifeblood of innovation, entrepreneurship, and high-growth industries. Unlike traditional finance, which emphasizes collateral and historical performance, venture capital looks to the future potential of disruptive ideas and visionary founders. This unique form of finance fuels industries such as technology, healthcare, fintech, clean energy, and consumer innovation.

The world’s most transformative companies—Google, Amazon, Facebook, Uber, and Airbnb—were once small startups sustained through seed funding, equity financing, and venture capital investment. Their journeys illustrate how angel investors, Series A, B, and C funding rounds, and carefully structured term sheets can transform small enterprises into global market leaders.

This course, Venture Capital and Startup Finance, provides executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and finance professionals with a deep understanding of the venture financing ecosystem. By combining theoretical frameworks, practical tools, and case studies, participants will gain the ability to analyze startup valuations, negotiate term sheets, manage equity financing, and design exit strategies such as IPOs or acquisitions.

Ultimately, the program bridges boardroom finance with strategic financial planning, enabling decision-makers to evaluate opportunities, mitigate risks, and maximize returns within the startup ecosystem.

Objective

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Understand venture capital fundamentals – differentiate between venture capital, private equity, and traditional financing.
2. Analyze startup finance stages – from seed funding to Series A/B/C rounds and beyond.
3. Evaluate valuations – apply methods such as discounted cash flow, comparables, and venture capital methods.
4. Negotiate and interpret term sheets – understand liquidation preferences, control rights, equity dilution, and board composition.
5. Explore financing instruments – convertible notes, equity financing, preferred shares, and hybrid structures.
6. Develop exit strategies – IPOs, mergers, acquisitions, and secondary sales.
7. Assess global venture ecosystems – learn regional trends, investor behavior, and regulatory contexts.
8. Apply practical tools – pitch preparation, cap table modeling, and due diligence checklists.

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

1. Entrepreneurs and startup founders seeking funding knowledge to grow their ventures.
2. Angel investors and venture capitalists looking to sharpen valuation and deal structuring skills.
3. Corporate executives and board members involved in strategic growth and innovation investments.
4. Finance professionals, accountants, and consultants engaged in fundraising, due diligence, and startup advisory.
5. Policy makers and regulators aiming to understand startup ecosystems and venture financing structures.
6. Students and researchers in finance and entrepreneurship disciplines exploring practical applications.

Course Content

Module 1: Foundations of Venture Capital and Startup Finance

• Historical evolution of venture capital.
• Distinction between venture capital, private equity, and angel investment.
• Role of seed funding and early-stage finance.

Module 2: Funding Stages and Sources

• Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C funding.
• Equity financing vs. debt financing.
• Role of angel investors, incubators, and accelerators.

Module 3: Valuation of Startups

• Pre-money vs. post-money valuation.
• Methods: DCF, comparable, venture capital method.
• Case study: Valuation of a tech startup.

Module 4: Deal Structuring and Term Sheets

• Components of a term sheet: valuation, liquidation preference, investor rights.
• Cap tables and dilution analysis.
• Negotiation strategies for founders vs. investors.

Module 5: Exit Strategies

• IPO process and requirements.
• Mergers and acquisitions as exit routes.
• Secondary sales and buybacks.
• Case study: WhatsApp’s acquisition by Facebook.

Module 6: Global Venture Capital Ecosystems

• Silicon Valley vs. emerging markets.
• Regulatory environments and compliance.
• Trends in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Module 7: Practical Applications

• Drafting a pitch deck.
• Conducting due diligence.
• Role-play: investor-founder negotiations.
• Building a financial model for Series A fundraising.