Venture Capital Private Equity Program

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 three-day optional on-campus networking event where you can connect with faculty and global peers.

• Core Modules

  Foundations of Venture Capital

  What Is Venture Capital?

  • Understand the VC Deal Flow Process
  • Recognize the Risks and Rewards for Venture Investors
  • Identify Startup Ecosystem Stakeholders
  • Learn How to Source Quality Deal Flow

  What Makes a Good VC Investment?

  • Assess a Founding Team
  • Pressure-Test Founder Assumptions
  • Quantify the Size of a Market
  • Identify Which Metrics Matter Most When Evaluating Startups

  What Matters in a Term Sheet?

  • Understand Financial and Governance Negotiations
  • Differentiate between Priced Equity, Convertible Note, and SAFE Round
  • Calculate Ownership Dilution across the Life of a Startup
  • Understand Market Norms in Term Sheet Negotiations

  How Do You Value a Startup?

  • Understand Different Valuation Methods and Their Purpose in Assessing Startups
  • Create a Valuation Scorecard
  • Quantify and Mitigate Risk
  • Understand the VC Method
  • Learn Market Norms around Valuation

  How Do You Manage a Portfolio?

  • Recognize the Role of Investors Post-Investment
  • Understand Portfolio Construction and Diversification
  • Calculate the Return of a VC Portfolio

  Lessons Learned from 15,000 Pitches

  • Hear from Investors about Lessons Learned
  • Identifying Non-Negotiables and Red Flags When Evaluating Startups
  • Develop a Personal Networking Plan
  • Launch Your VC Career

  Private Equity Investment Cycle

  Private Equity Foundations

  • Define and Discuss PE and Its History
  • Examine Net Income and Cash Flow in Relation to PE
  • Identify PE Stages, Challenges, and Perspectives
  • Study Related Accounting and Calculations Used in PE Valuations
  • Research the Business Case for PE

  What Makes a Good PE Investment?

  • Identify Key Elements and Measures That Make a Good PE Investment
  • Examine the Impact of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) in PE
  • Analyze the Elements and Measures of PE Returns
  • Review PE Research and Evaluate Findings
  • Calculate Potential Return Using Standard Deviation

  How Do You Put the Deal Together?

  • Identify and Define the Main Components of a PE Deal
  • Review the Components of PE Deal Sourcing, Time Management, and Relationships
  • Examine the PE Sales Process
  • List the Differences between Public and Private PE Companies
  • Study the PE Valuation Process and Perform Related Calculations

  How Do You Create Value in PE?

  • Review the Role of Price and Value in a Portfolio Company
  • Define Levers of Value in the PE Cycle
  • Identify Purchase Price Requirements
  • Define Synergies and Their Relationship to PE
  • Perform Calculations to Create Positive PE Investment Decisions

  What Does Success Look Like?

  • Rigorous Investment Thesis: Public and Private Investment
  • Exit Strategies: IPO Sale to Strategic Buyer, Sale PE Buyer
  • Pricing Exiting — Elements of Return
  • Due Diligence Inquiry: Financial, Legal, and Operational
  • Leveraged Buyout

  What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

  • Benefit of Bargain Protections
  • Risk Management Scenarios
  • Deal Documentation
  • Common Merger Agreements
• Online Electives

  A relevant choice of online electives will enhance your learning journey and assist in gaining knowledge and skills essential for your career growth. In these three six-week electives, you will dive deep into content that will expand your horizon, provide a global perspective, and sharpen your investment skills. These electives will help channel new growth areas for you to rise up the ladder or pivot your career. The choice of electives includes:

  • Venture Capital Decision Making
  • VC Due Diligence
  • Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
  • Leveraged Buyouts
  • ESG Investing
  • Blockchain in Business: Beyond the Hype

  Note: Electives are subject to change.

• Open-Enrollment Electives

  A choice of one in-person or live online open-enrollment elective will enable you to focus on a specialization of your interest and help unravel the intricacies of your selected topic. Designed to enhance your understanding of the VC and PE sectors, it will help position you as a serious investment strategist aiming to take your organization to newer heights. A list of select current availabilities is below:

  • Corporate Governance Program
  • Driving Strategic Impact
  • Financial Analysis and Valuation
  • Quantitative Intuition™
  • Real Estate Investing
  • Value Investing

  Note: Electives are subject to change.

• On-Campus Networking Event | Three Days*

  *Meet your cohort peers and faculty in person on the Columbia Business School campus in New York City during an optional three-day recognition ceremony and networking event. This event provides you an opportunity to network with your peers as well as professionals from other cohorts to create a lifelong community of global executives.

  
  

Note: Session topics are subject to change.