Finance for Start-Ups

Course Director: Paola Hellmalm

Please note that the number of participants in this course is limited to 20 students.

Background
How to finance start-ups is a main concern for entrepreneurs. Finance for Start-ups helps you understand and use the most common tools and techniques used in entrepreneurial finance.

This course addresses key questions which challenge all entrepreneurs: how much money can and should be raised; when should it be raised; from whom; what is a reasonable valuation of the company; and how should funding be structured.

However, not only the entrepreneur's perspective will be addressed in the course, but also the perspective of the the investor. During the course, challenges in a variety of industry settings and stages of venture development will be examined both from the capital seeker, i.e. the entrepreneur, and the capital provider/investor standpoints.

Finally, by analysing controlling equity stake investments, the course will examine how entrepreneurial finance can play an important role in entrepreneurial entry strategies.

Content
The course will provide participants with practical insights on a number of issues related to entrepreneurial financing, including:

• Evaluation of business plans
• Financial analysis and evaluation of key measurements
• Sources of funding
• Valuation
• Structuring deals
• Exit options
• Teaching and learning activities**
  **

Additional information

The course language is English.
The course is offered within the framework of the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.

Responsible institution: Stockholm University (SU)

Please note that this course will use the SSES Canvas instead of SSE Canvas. All registered students will receive an email with login information to the SSES Canvas approximately 1,5 weeks before their course starts.

Course administrator: marianne.castren@sses.se

After the course the participants are expected to have a broad understanding about:

• Concepts and terminology related to entrepreneurial financing
• Various financial sources available to different types of entrepreneurial businesses
• How to conduct basic analysing of financial statements and projections
• How to conduct a basic financial valuation of a startup firm
• How terms and conditions between entrepreneurs and external investors may be structured
• Exit possibilities for start-up companies
• Also students initially having a limited knowledge about finance and financial statements are welcome to participate in the course.

Students must have a minimum of 120 ECTS credits.

Will be announced in connection to the start of the course and communicated to enrolled participants.

Grades and form of assessment
The students grade will depend on several factors, including:

• Active participation, individual
• Homework assignments, group
• Written test, individual
• Course assignment, group

Attendance
Attendance is compulsory.

Grading for courses offered within the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES)
Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES) is a collaboration of six schools in the Stockholm area. In order to harmonize the SSE grading scale with that of the other participating schools and to adapt to the pedagogical design of the courses, SSE has decided to use the following grading scale:

90-100 Excellent
75-89 Very good
60-74 Good
50-59 Pass
0-49 Fail

Find the course schedule in TimeEdit

Have you been granted educational support because of a documented disability? If so, please contact the course director as soon as possible so that adequate accommodations can be made.

Contact specialneeds@hhs.se if you have questions about being granted educational support or need a copy of your educational support certificate.

For more information, visit the Specific Educational Needs page on the Student Hub (login required).