TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
Venture Capital is a driving force behind entrepreneurship and innovation.
In 2016, there were 3,260 acquisitions of technology companies and only 98 tech IPOs, according to CB Insights. If that ratio holds, a startup is 30 times as likely to be acquired as to go public.
On an annual basis, the number of funding rounds at all stages grew by a projected 8.8 percent from Q2 2016, which means roughly 500 more rounds, driven by robust growth in deals struck with earlier-stage companies.
As you see from the numbers, technology investors fuel the economy, create growth opportunities for companies large and small, and funds the business development strategies of major corporations. But when you think of venture capitalists, you might think of large VC funds like Sequoia or Andreessen-Horowitz. If you've worked in finance, perhaps you think of private equity, acquisitions, and mezzanine funds. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. As a corporate executive, manager, or business owner, you too can become involved in the hottest new technology trends.
COURSE CONTENT
Without knowledge, investing in early-stage technology startups can seem like a fun and profitable process, but in reality it is risky and can be opaque without proper training and clarification on how all processes within the ecosystem work.
After the three days of this program, however, you will come away with the basic skills and insights needed to move forward.
You will be taught by Silicon Valley and New York VCs, lawyers and other players in the venture scene.
This class will also help you understand whether you want to explore Angel Investing as a full- or part-time job or whether you simply wish to integrate your current corporate processes into the venture system.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This course is attended for:
- Entrepreneurs considering venture funding
- Executives
- International economic development officials
- Angel/Private investors and Potential Angel/Private investors
- Executives of family-owned businesses
- Service providers: attorneys, accountants, consultants
Day 1:
Fundamentals: The Startup Ecosystem
- Program outlook: "Why you should care about VCs and Startups."
- The history of VCs: back to Silicon Valley in the early days.
- Intro to the "holy trinity" of the startup ecosystem: VCs, Accelerators, Angels
- What is the difference between VCs and Angels?
- Financing stages: Pre-seed/ Seed/ Series A, B, C…
- VCs in numbers: Ponies, Unicorns, and other animals on the market.
- How can I, as an institution or individual, benefit from this ecosystem in the modern world?
Day 2:
Practical early-stage investing
- Where do I start as an accredited or non-accredited investor?
- Guest Speaker, Angel Investor: Full time job or a hobby? Hedge hocks and foxes theory.
- How to become more involved in your local technology scene?
- How to identify a great startup with a high probability of success: Deal Selection, 360-degree assessment and valuation - Your Turn.
- Common mistakes every "Angel Investor" makes.
- Guest speaker: Where is the money? The VC model and what motivates the investor.
- Fundamentals: Deal Structure, Terms, Valuation & Due Diligence.
- Where is the exit, sir? What kind of returns to expect. How to deal with dilution in follow-on rounds, how to deal with founder conflict and other pitfalls.
- How big corporations work with startups "Innovation through new venture creation".
- "The Founder's Dilemma, To be rich or be the king"?
- How to manage your portfolio.
Day 3:
Global trends and how to keep up with them
- What are ICOs and why are VCs losing their deal flow pipeline?
- Investment Trends, and the future of Hybrid Investing.
- Keeping an eye on cross-border deal flow. How can I properly vet companies outside my home market?
- Learn how to join the Starta Ventures deal flow, and write a diligence memo on a real startup.