Private Equity and Venture Capital

The course aims at providing students with theoretical knowledge and analytical tools to evaluate financing opportunities for prospective entrepreneurs and more mature companies. Specifically, students will be provided with knowledge of the most current theories of corporate finance. The course will focus on how the financial needs and financial opportunities of companies evolve with their life-cycle, with a particular attention to the case of start ups. Moreover, the functioning of the most established financial alternatives, such as bank finance, venture capital, private equity, secondary markets will be covered, together with the most recent trends in the provision of entrepreneurial finance, due to the fintech revolution, the rationale of government intervention in entrepreneurial finance, and the opportunities emerging from such intervention.

By the end of the course the students will gain knowledge of:
The most current theories of corporate finance,
How the financial needs and financial opportunities of companies evolve with their life-cycle, with a particular attention to the case of start ups,
The functioning of the most established financial alternatives, such as bank finance, venture capital, private equity, secondary markets
The recent trends in the provision of entrepreneurial finance, due to the fintech revolution
The rationale of government intervention in entrepreneurial finance, and the opportunities emerging from such intervention.
In terms of practical tools and skills, the students will be able to:
Develop a valuation report for a start up
Read a venture capital or private equity term sheet and contract
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of different financing opportunities