FM417E      Half Unit
Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance

This information is for the 2024/25 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Juanita Gonzalez-Uribe

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Finance (part-time). This course is not available as an outside option.

This course is not capped, any eligible student that requests a place will be given one.

This course does not permit auditing students.

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed FM422E Corporate Finance and FM423E Asset Markets.

This course cannot be combined with FM476.

Course content

Throughout the course, we will seek to answer the fundamental set of questions all entrepreneurs should ask themselves: When do we raise money? How much? From whom? Under what terms? What are the longer‐term implications of the chosen financing strategy? Although the course focuses on the entrepreneur’s perspective when considering these questions, we often consider the investor’s viewpoint as well, since understanding the motivations and incentives faced by one’s counterpart is critical to avoiding financing pitfalls and successfully negotiating the best financing outcome for one’s venture. Among the topics we will cover are: Business Plans, Cash Flows, Unit Economics, Multi-Stage Financing, Deal Structure, Seed financing, VC Method, Negotiation and Pitching.

Teaching

30 hours of seminars in the AT.

This course is taught in the interactive lecturing format. There is no distinction between lectures and classes/seminars; there are “sessions” only, and the pedagogical approach in each session is interactive.

Formative coursework

Each week there will typically be a formative or summative case study assignment.

Indicative reading

Marco Da Rin and Thomas Hellman, Fundamentals of Entrepreneurial Finance, Oxford University Press, 2020

Assessment

Continuous assessment (100%) in the AT.

Key facts

Department: Finance

Total students 2023/24: Unavailable

Average class size 2023/24: Unavailable

Controlled access 2023/24: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Team working
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Commercial awareness