Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What is a Venture Capital Course?

Venture capital is one field that's making waves for almost two decades now. What most of us don't know is that the system has been around for over 60 years. The promise of profit within a few years, not to mention the enticing ads and success stories posted in the internet, is something that lures aspiring entrepreneurs into it. While there may be resources readily available, others still opt to take a venture capital course.

There are many kinds of venture capital courses. Schools within the US and in far countries like the UK and India offer them. Course titles and subjects vary, although their outlines are similar and there are common subjects.

Aside from those offered in schools, there are some courses that may be taken online or through correspondence. With the invention of the internet, these online courses have evolved and developed into useful learning curriculums. Now you may reach your professor through email, and he may send his assignments and exams in the same manner. Or you can log in a specific website and see new postings from your instructor.

Most of these courses are short-termed ones, ranging from three days up to a week. Others may last for a few months, but these courses are coupled with other topics such as real estate and private equity investment.

Aside from the main subjects offered, some courses recommend and suggest electives that may be taken together with the course subjects. There are other courses which require you to take some subjects before you can enroll in the course. These pre-requisite subjects are usually related to math, statistics and corporate finance.

Fees and other expenses may vary depending on the school and extent of handouts and notes that they provide. In the same way, course requirements also differ among these schools. Others have a classroom course type, complete with lectures, case analysis and discussion, while others have a one-on-one approach. Some courses require submission of reports and write-ups, aside from the exams that you need to take.

The typical course starts with the introduction of venture capital, origin and development of the industry, and its types. It also includes the drafting of business plans and how to assess them. Aside from these topics, there shall also be discussions on risk analysis, returns, management team assessment and exit planning.

Some courses offer topics on private equity investment, a subject that is closely related to venture capital. From sourcing to realizing value during the exit stage, these lessons are helpful to better understand its relation to venture capital. Aside from these, they also include tips on analyzing deals, negotiating and pricing equity stocks, and creating value. Another topic that is offered together with venture capital is real estate.

Taking a venture capital course is an effective way of learning more about the subject. If you are keen on putting up your own company through venture capital, or if you want to become a capitalist yourself, then taking a course is the best way for you to go. Know what there is to know while taking the course.

But remember that learning does not stop as the course ends. As you apply what you've learned, you continue to enrich yourself with real-life lessons that the course does not provide.

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