Venture capital and private equity have transformed the global business landscape by financing innovation, accelerating growth, restructuring companies, and creating many of the world’s most valuable enterprises. From startup founders seeking their first institutional investor to mature corporations undergoing strategic acquisitions, understanding how private capital works has become an essential competency for modern business leaders.
Venture Capital & Private Equity Basics is a practical, executive-oriented course designed to introduce Junior MBA students to the world of private investing from the perspectives of investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives. Rather than focusing on complex financial engineering or legal structures, the course emphasizes how investment professionals identify opportunities, evaluate businesses, structure transactions, create value, manage portfolio companies, and ultimately generate returns.
Students will explore the complete investment life cycle, including fundraising, due diligence, valuation, deal structuring, portfolio management, operational improvement, exit strategies, and investment psychology. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on practical business judgment, strategic thinking, and long-term value creation, providing future leaders with the ability to understand and participate effectively in private capital markets.
Course Objectives
By the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
• Understand the roles of venture capital and private equity in business growth and economic development.
• Distinguish between venture capital, private equity, angel investing, and public market investing.
• Analyze how investment firms evaluate companies and management teams.
• Understand the relationship between business valuation and investment decisions.
• Evaluate growth opportunities from both investor and entrepreneur perspectives.
• Understand the operational strategies used to increase enterprise value.
• Recognize the importance of due diligence, governance, and risk management.
• Analyze exit strategies and investment return objectives.
• Develop long-term investment thinking based on value creation rather than speculation.
• Apply private investment principles to executive leadership and strategic decision-making.
