Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme

Is this programme for you?

The coursework of this online programme is aimed at those who are planning, or currently involved in, a new business and would like to gain a comprehensive understanding of venture capital financing. It’s also ideal for current or aspiring investors wanting to break into the industry. Investors will learn to analyse different funding opportunities, while entrepreneurs will learn how to effectively present and prepare their venture as they go about the fundraising process. Basic financial knowledge or business acumen is recommended.

You'll walk away with:

• A comprehensive understanding of how new ventures, or businesses, are financed, the types of investments available, and what the venture finance process entails.
• Practical skills to navigate the funding process from the perspective of both an entrepreneur and investor.
• The ability to prepare and present a fundraising pitch deck for potential venture financing, and the skills to evaluate investment opportunities.
• An opportunity to network with global entrepreneurs, investors, and venture capitalists while learning online from leading industry experts and faculty from Oxford Saïd.

• Module 1: The Investment cycle
  Reflect on the nature of venture financing and the role it plays for entrepreneurs and investors.
• Module 2: Investor types
  Explore the types of investors in venture financing.
• Module 3: Fundraising
  Learn about fundraising, financial projections, and ‘financial ask’.
• Module 4: Valuation: Art or science?
  Discover how valuation occurs and why it is important.
• Module 5: Venture capitalists
  Explore the role of venture capitalists, venture capital funding, and venture capital firms.
• Module 6: Negotiating deals
  Discover how to negotiate a deal to reach an agreement.
• Module 7: Scaling up and scaling down
  Learn about staged financing and how ventures deal with financial difficulties.
• Module 8: Cashing in on the success
  Explore the process of 'exit' from the perspective of the entrepreneur and the investor.

Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during programme development.

Will I have the time?

GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The programme work is broken up into weekly, manageable modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the programme, and allow you the flexibility to work when it suits you best.

At the beginning of each week, you'll be presented with all the lectures, notes, and assignments necessary for completion. Once registered you’ll be assigned a personal Success Manager. You will have access to your Success Manager, who will help you set goals and track key milestones, manage your time, and field any administrative requests you might have.

What is the online campus?

The Online Campus (OLC) will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your programme. Through its easy-to-use interface, you'll have access to a diverse variety of programme content formats, including interactive video lectures, module notes, practice quizzes, Prezis, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.

On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and Head Tutor through the OLC discussion forums. If you're experiencing tech issues or need advice from your personal Success Manager, you can use the OLC to get in touch.