Entrepreneurial finance is the discipline of securing, managing, and allocating financial resources throughout the lifecycle of a new venture. Unlike traditional corporate finance, entrepreneurial finance addresses the unique financial challenges faced by startups and growth-oriented businesses, including operating with limited resources, managing uncertainty, attracting investors, valuing early-stage companies, balancing growth with cash flow, and making financial decisions that maximize long-term enterprise value. Sound financial management enables entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses.
This course provides a practical, executive-oriented study of entrepreneurial finance. Rather than emphasizing complex financial theory, students will learn how founders, investors, and executives make financial decisions from venture creation through expansion, maturity, and exit. Students will examine startup financial planning, capital structure, fundraising strategies, financial forecasting, valuation methods, investor relations, cash flow management, financial performance measurement, and capital allocation. The course also explores the financial perspectives of angel investors, venture capital firms, commercial lenders, and strategic investors.
Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on practical decision-making used by startup founders, venture-backed companies, family businesses, corporate entrepreneurs, small business owners, accelerators, incubators, and investment professionals. Students will develop the financial judgment required to build financially resilient ventures while supporting innovation, sustainable growth, and long-term organizational success.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Understand the financial lifecycle of entrepreneurial ventures.
• Develop practical financial plans for startups and growth-stage businesses.
• Evaluate alternative sources of entrepreneurial financing.
• Prepare financial forecasts that support strategic decision-making.
• Analyze startup cash flow, profitability, and capital requirements.
• Understand venture valuation principles used in entrepreneurial finance.
• Evaluate investment opportunities from both founder and investor perspectives.
• Manage financial risks associated with early-stage ventures.
• Apply ethical and governance principles to entrepreneurial financial management.
• Integrate financial strategy with long-term business growth objectives.
