Venture Capital Private Equity Program

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Understand the VC and PE Landscapes Holistically

The Venture Capital Private Equity Program from Columbia Business School Executive Education will prepare you to succeed in a dynamically transforming investment arena. In this comprehensive 9- to 12-month program, you will learn how to identify and evaluate what makes a good investment, develop valuation frameworks, structure term sheets, manage portfolios, and learn soft skills such as pitching deals, storytelling with data, and networking. In addition to the core modules and electives, you will engage in a specialized elective that delves into either venture capital (VC) or private equity (PE) as per your career goals.

Columbia Business School alumni have added valuable contributions to the venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) sectors, and the school’s location in New York City—the financial hub of the world—provides a close-up demonstrative understanding of the industry. Through this immersive program, taught by Columbia faculty, you will learn to leverage challenges and turn them into positive outcomes.

What You Will Learn

Venture Capital

  • Evaluate startups for VC investment and learn to manage a portfolio

  • Assess a startup's team, market potential, progress, and financial metrics for making informed investments

  • Learn the intricacies of term sheets, including equity rounds, convertible notes, and governance terms

  • Explore the various methods and metrics for valuing startups, including risk assessment and understanding capitalization tables

Private Equity

  • Evaluate what makes a good investment while considering the business environment, price determinants, and exit strategies

  • Put together a deal, taking into account seller motivations, financing options, regulatory issues, and public vs. private company considerations

  • Create value in a portfolio company using levers of value, synergies, and pricing

  • Recognize the contours of success in a leveraged buyout model and other exit alternatives

Program Highlights

Core Curriculum

Kick-start your program journey with 18 weeks of online learning

Weekly Live Sessions

Experience live online sessions with periodic guest lectures from faculty, industry leaders, and career advisors

World-Renowned Faculty

Learn from Columbia Business School faculty, thought leaders, and financial industry experts

Specialized Electives

Take a deep dive into understanding leveraged buyouts (LBOs) or VC decision making, depending on your industry or future goals

Capstone Project

Work on a capstone project where you apply program learnings to a real-world case

Peer Learning

Learn from high-achieving peers from around the globe and build your network

Live Online Series

Adapt to evolving industry trends with live online series led by faculty, a cohort success coach, and industry leaders

Success Coach

Craft your learning journey aligned with your career goals with a success coach assigned to your cohort

Practitioner Insights

Learn from faculty and industry experts during the program to gain actionable insights and implement learning into practice

Flexible Learning Journey

Customize your program experience by selecting from a range of topical electives and gain skill sets specific to your career goals

Networking Event

Meet your global peers at an optional two-day on-campus networking event

Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE) Benefits

Receive CIBE benefits upon completion and become part of a distinguished global community

Program Curriculum

A multimodal learning experience, the Venture Capital Private Equity Program is a must for investment professionals who aim to get a holistic understanding of the VC and PE sectors and become influential contributors to negotiations at their companies. The comprehensive curriculum provides asynchronous learning and live sessions conducted by a learning facilitator and faculty. Participants will also be exposed to a host of engaging online guest lectures and fireside chats with leading industry executives. The flexible format allows for peer-to-peer learning and exploration of “try it” activities as well as practical case studies. The immersive program culminates in a two-day optional on-campus networking event where you can connect with faculty and global peers.

Executive Peer Group and Networking Event

The enriching environment of the networking event provides participants with the invaluable opportunity to build a robust network with global executives who bring diverse experiences, cultures, and perspectives. Engaging in thoughtful discussions, they can exchange cutting-edge insights and knowledge that are integral in staying abreast of industry trends. The networking event showcases the vibrant community that participants of the Venture Capital Private Equity Program become an invaluable part of.

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Meet the Faculty

Profile picture of professor Donna M. Hitscherich
Donna M. Hitscherich

Senior Lecturer of Finance, Private Equity Program Co-Director, Columbia Business School

Profile picture of professor Angela Lee
Angela Lee

Professor of Professional Practice, Finance Division, Columbia Business School

Certificate in Business Excellence

Certificate in Business Excellence

Upon completion of the Venture Capital Private Equity Program, participants are awarded the Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia Business School Executive Education. The certificate is a recognition of their achievement and the investment they and their organization have made in their education and development.

As a Certificate in Business Excellence holder, you will receive a 25 percent tuition benefit for full-price Executive Education in-person programs lasting three and four days and all full-price online programs. Exclusions apply

Certificate holders will also be awarded select Columbia Business School Alumni benefits.

Your digitally verified certificate will be issued in your legal name and emailed to you, at no additional cost, upon completion of the program, including all modules of the program (online, in person, or live online, inter-module). All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Columbia Business School Executive Education.

CIBE Holder Benefits

  • Access to Columbia Business School Alumni Career Services resources, including unique career content, a job board, an online networking platform, the alumni directory, and more​

  • Invitations to alumni events and programs around the world​

  • Eligibility to join Columbia Business School alumni clubs​

  • Global networking opportunities​

  • Lifetime Columbia Business School forwarding email address​

  • Subscription to our alumni publication Columbia Business

Hear from Our Participants

Simon Yu

Venture Partner at Expert Dojo

"Finding an opportunity in VC is not easy with the current market conditions. As someone who came from an operator/founder background, the Venture Capital Private Equity Progr...

Firoz Jhaver

Angel Investor

"The two-day networking event covered a wide array of topics imparting insights from thought leaders on US and global economic conditions, learning to think bigger, innovation...

Renan Cortez

Founder and CEO of Syndicate Venture Group

"Participating in this program was a transformative experience for my career, providing me with crucial insights and in-depth knowledge that were instrumental in founding my o...

Jamal Mosallam

Venture Capital & Startup Advisor

"I liked the simplistic nature of how the content was introduced and explained, making it easy to understand and applicable to my career."

Michael Cheng

Startup CEO and Fund Manager

"The instructors were the best part because they effectively communicated the content, shared real-world insights, and juxtaposed theoretical concepts with industry trends."

Andrew Eil

Climate Change Policy Specialist

What I really liked about the program were the faculty, Angela Lee and Donna Hitscherich, the accessibility and user-friendliness of the Canvas platform, the well-designed mod...

Kerry Anakwenze

Attorney

"The sessions were delivered using extremely practical examples, life scenarios, and resources that made the experience immersive."

AJ Thomas

Global People & Talent Leader

"Donna Hitscherich is a very effective instructor. Her teaching was clear and engaging, and she kept building context from session to session."

Anahita Nakhjiri

Global People & Talent Leader

"I liked the PE capstone project. It was a great opportunity to apply concepts learned in the program and learn from the feedback provided by the success coach, Michael Hillme...

Who Is It For?

Ideal candidates for the Venture Capital Private Equity Program are professionals who have recently embarked on their journey in private investing and are eager to take significant strides in the VC and PE sectors. The program is beneficial for executives in investment banking, finance, private equity, venture capital, financial consulting, risk advisory, etc., who aim to gain a holistic understanding of sourcing, managing, and structuring deals. You will emerge with the knowledge and practical experience needed to elevate your career and accelerate your firm’s impact.

Participants should have:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English

  • International exposure (preferred)

Application Details

Round 1

Deadline: April 16, 2025

Application fee: US$200

Round 2

Deadline: May 07, 2025

Application fee: US$200

Round 3

Deadline: May 28, 2025

Application fee: US$200

Round 4

Deadline: June 18, 2025

Application fee: US$200

FAQs

Questions? Connect with a Program Advisor

Email: columbia_vcpe@emeritus.org

Phone: +1 567 587 1669 (U.S.) / +44 1156 471398 (U.K.) / +971 80 00321209 (U.A.E.) / +52 55930 20507 (LATAM)

Early registrations are encouraged. Seats fill up quickly!

Flexible payment options available.

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