We’ve heard from many folks who use our book in the classroom. We are delighted and honored that this is the case and wanted to create an online community of those who use our materials. Below you’ll find a current list of others using Venture Deals in the classroom. Below, you will find folks who have graciously donated their syllabi and a forum where folks can ask questions.

In the coming months, we’ll be creating a teachers manual to accompany the book. Until then, thank you for the support.

University Colorado Law School – VC 360 – Syllabus
Professors J. Brad Bernthal and Jason Mendelson.

This class (which draws cross campus from MBA and Engineering schools as well) discusses the complete life cycle of venture capital: from VCs raising funds, to entrepreneurs meetings VCs and doing the same. Particular attention is paid to negotiating term sheets, creating fundraising materials and policy infrastructure issues that focus on why the VC “industry” is seen in some locations but not others.
Years taught: 4

 

Bentley University – Emerging Leaders – Syllabus
Professors Woody Benson and Phillip Lowe

Corporate Immersion classes focus on solving current business problems for startup companies. Emphasizes the use of multidisciplinary skills to identify, define, and solve complex issues. Covers multiple topics including finance, accounting, management, marketing, technology, and the law. Involves significant group work and the ability to meet tight deadlines. Deliverables may be sequential, but often unrelated and with frequent changes throughout the semester. Students need curiosity, ability to research, search capability, and experience investigating multiple industries. Emphasizes the ability to use both written and verbal skills in formal business presentations to top management. Requires the ability to defend analyses and recommendations under pressure and strict time constraints. Mirrors working conditions and expectations of corporate partner’s employees.

 

University of Louisville – Entrepreneurial Finance – Syllabus
Professor: John M. Mueller

This course will focus on financing issues facing new, young, and small business ventures. The course is intended for both entrepreneurs and employees in these types of ventures. We will go in depth on how to analyze financial statements, create financial forecasts, and valuate these types of ventures. We will study the tools and methods used in determining how much money a venture actually needs in order to be viable. Further, we will explore tools and approaches used when selling an idea to potential investors. Attention will be devoted to the different types of financing alternatives available to new, young, and small ventures. The venture capital market will be investigated in detail, including self financing, debt financing, angel financing, and financing from venture capital firms. In addition, we will explore issues involved in negotiating deals and in formulating deal structures. Students will be encouraged to understand financing issues and options from the vantage points of the entrepreneur, the lender, and the investor.

 

Carnegie Mellon – Tepper School of Business – Funding Early State Ventures – Syllabus
Professor: Frank Demmler

Funding Early Stage Ventures is a course intended for students interested in the area of high-risk finance from the entrepreneurial and venture capital perspectives. The class is open to second-year Tepper students and first-year students with the instructor’s permission. It is highly recommended that students have taken Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (#45881). Enrollment is limited to 45 students.

 

Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley – New Venture Finance – Syllabus
Professor: Randy Haykin

New Venture Finance is an elective offered through at Haas through our Center for Entrepreneurship. The class generally has 35-40 students and is taught in both the regular MBA curriculum and the Evening/Weekend MBA program (very popular among working entrepreneurs in S.Valley). The class is aimed at students who are already in start-ups or plan to be a senior leader in a start-up in the future. The class uses a combination of lectures from Randy Haykin (serial entrepreneur, angel investors, VC partner) as well as up to 15 visiting speakers per semester. The “twist” to the course is that students are dividing into teams and work closely with a local CEO/founder throughout the semester, to apply what they are learning in class to this “real-time” company. At the end of the semester, the students are invited to Sand Hill Road where they are “flys on the walls” the entrepreneur they helped during the semester presents live to a real VC partnership.

 

Judge School of Business, University of Cambridge – Entrepreneurial Finance – Syllabus
Professor: Randy Haykin

Entrepreneurial Finance is an elective offered through the MBA program at U. Cambridge. The class generally has 25-30 students and is offered in late May during an intense 1 1/2 weeks. The class uses a combination of lectures from Randy Haykin (serial entrepreneur, angel investors, VC partner) and the case study method including several cases on video created by Professor Haykin. Students who are working currently on a start-up, get time to share their start-up and give feedback to each other in this class. A unique aspect of this class is that students truly represent an international cross-section: typical class has students from all 5 continents and many from Africa, Latin America, Europe, US, Russia and Asia.

 

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