Course overview

This course explores the relationship between those who require early-stage investment, and the potential providers of that investment, addressing the development of an idea, and the transformation of that idea into a bankable proposition. In addition to providing real life examples of how not to proceed, the course will also demonstrate how to assemble a plausible and cogent equity narrative, so that potential investors are persuaded to take the early-stage idea, project or firm seriously.

Learning outcomes:

• Explore the mindsets of typical founders, owners and investors.
• Understand product and company life cycles.
• Match early-stage strategy with embedded intangibles.
• Identify value and value drivers in early-stage firms.
• Carry out investment valuations of early-stage ideas, projects and firms.
• Assemble early-stage cash flows.
• Analyse start-up and early-stage risks.
• Assess exit possibilities.
• Introduce analysis techniques such as decision analysis, scenario analysis, real options, Scurve construction and Monte Carlo.

Who should attend?

This course is targeted at advisers of entrepreneurs, founders and owners of early-stage opportunities, who may be pitching their ideas, projects or firms to providers of early-stage finance (eg. business angels or early-stage venture capitalists).