ENT4520 Startup funding Emneplan

This course provides students with skills and experience in how to attract investors to their entrepreneurial project and how to scale up and grow their project internationally.

The target group for this course is early-stage companies/projects with ambitions to grow and expand. It is designed for startups or innovation projects that want to grow through fundraising and will help them become fundraising ready. After interest is generated among investors, it is essential to ensure that the pitched message have been correctly received. This process is called due diligence and is the foundation of this course. It includes testing and validating the scalability of your business model, building a financial model and selecting the best funding source for your company. 

Language of instruction is English.

None.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student has

• in- depth knowledge about different investment terms and deal making 

• specialised knowledge about different planning and growth matrices 

• a high level of knowledge about risk assessment and due diligence 

• a broad understanding of and knowledge about what resources must be in place to be investor ready 

• specialised knowledge about how to use entrepreneurial tools to assess funding opportunities

• specialised knowledge about scalable business models and different financial models 

Skills 

The student has

• a high level of skills in identifying and understanding different funding possibilities

• a high level of skills in setting future growth goals and measuring progress 

• specialised skills in managing a due diligence process 

• in-depth skills networking with investors nationally and internationally

• a high level of skills in building a financial model and identifying funding needs 

General competence 

The student has

• a high degree of competence in applying knowledge and skills when deciding the most appropriate funding strategy

• specialised competencies in communicating and mastering theoretical concepts, language and forms of expression that are relevant within the funding community

• a high level of competencies in ethical challenges related to funding and growth

The course includes lectures, readings, problem solving, oral and written presentations, workshops, guest speakers and cases. Students are expected to actively contribute and participate in discussions and exercises.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework 1: Financial understanding and vocabulary. The students must take part in a workshop about the topic. The students must prepare a 10 minute presentation and hand-in a revised pitch deck presentation of 15-20 slides.
• Coursework 2: Investor Communication and Self-Awareness. The students must take part in a workshop about the topic. 
• Coursework 3: Financial Modeling and Analysis. The students must take part in a workshop about the topic. The students must prepare a 5 minute presentation and hand-in a spreadsheet with their financial model.
• Coursework 4: Documentation and Compliance. The students must take part in a workshop about the topic. The students must hand-in a portfolio of documentation of a 10-15 pages to support their claims.

The purpose of the coursework is to produce the necessary financial models and documentation for an investor pitch, with a data room sufficient to conduct a Due Dilligence.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline for the student to take the exam. If one or more coursework requirements have not been approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit an improved version by the given deadline.

The students can hand in their proposal in Norwegian or English.

The exam in the course consists of two parts: 

•  Term paper

The term paper is a pitch deck presentation of 15-20 slides that communicate an entrepreneurial project to potential external investors. The term paper is written in groups of 2-5 students. This deck should include: problem, solution, value propositions, trends, market size, business model, value chain, traction, sustainability, financial planning, IP documentation and team and operation evaluation. 

•  Portfolio

The portfolio is a digital "Data Room" of both actual and drafts documents, which would fulfill the requirement of a Due Diligence. The portfolio is written in groups of 2-5 students. The students should demonstrate that they are able to document their pitched claims through financial models and statements, relevant documentation, contracts, and property rights. Where these do not yet exist, they need to demonstrate the ability to draft these documents.

Both exams must be passed in order to pass the course.

If a student has to resit the exam, the student can retake each part separately. It is not necessary to take both parts. 

Students awarded a fail grade are given one opportunity to submit an improved version of the term paper and portfolio for assessment.

All aids are permitted as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Pass/Fail

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. 

At least 25 per cent of the exam paper is assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.