Oxford Entrepreneurship:
Venture Finance Programme

Navigate the venture finance process as an entrepreneur or investor

Duration

8 weeks entirely online,
excluding orientation

Effort

Self-paced weekly modules,
7–10 hours per week

Learning Format

Learn alongside a global cohort
of like-minded professionals

On completion of this programme, you’ll walk away with:

1

A comprehensive understanding of how new ventures, or businesses, are financed, the types of investments available, and what the venture finance process entails.

2

Practical skills to navigate the funding process from the perspective of both an entrepreneur and investor.

3

The ability to prepare and present a fundraising pitch deck for potential venture financing, and the skills to evaluate investment opportunities.

4

An opportunity to network with global entrepreneurs, investors, and venture capitalists while learning online from leading industry experts and faculty from Oxford Saïd.

Accreditation Logo

This Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The programme has an estimated 80 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. Oxford Saïd and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Programme curriculum

Over the duration of this programme, you’ll work your way through the following modules:

Module 1 The Investment cycle
Reflect on the nature of venture financing and the role it plays for entrepreneurs and investors.

Module 2 Investor types
Explore the types of investors in venture financing.

Module 3 Fundraising
Learn about fundraising, financial projections, and ‘financial ask’.

Module 4 Valuation: Art or science?
Discover how valuation occurs and why it is important.

Module 5 Venture capitalists
Explore the role of venture capitalists, venture capital funding, and venture capital firms.

Module 6 Negotiating deals
Discover how to negotiate a deal to reach agreement.

Module 7 Scaling up and scaling down
Learn about staged financing and how ventures deal with financial difficulties.

Module 8 Cashing in on success
Explore the process of 'exit' from the perspective of the entrepreneur and the investor.

Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during programme development.

“This course is instrumental in giving the practitioner a perspective of how entrepreneurs and investors navigate their relationship in the venture-building process. Professor Hellmann enables a deep understanding of this process in a lively and enjoyable manner, while the homework is designed to give a sense of the real-world challenges. I strongly recommend this course.”

– Dimitrios Psarrakis,

Innovation and Technology Policy Specialist, European Parliament

Your Programme Director

Professor Thomas Hellmann

DP World Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Dr Thomas Hellmann engages across Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, teaching the popular elective on entrepreneurial finance on the Oxford MBA, as well as undergraduate, doctoral, and executive programmes. His research focuses on entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship, innovation, and public policy. He is the academic director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Oxford Saïd, and leads the Oxford site of the Creative Destruction Lab, an international acceleration programme for start-ups.

A pioneer of academic literature on entrepreneurial finance, Thomas has been published in leading journals, including the American Economic Review and the Journal of Finance and Management Science. He has advised a range of international clients, such as the World Economic Forum and the Government of British Columbia.

Guest Experts

You’ll also hear from a diverse group of world-leading industry experts and thought-leaders from around the globe.

 

Adam Hale
Chairman, ScaleUp Institute
Agne Milukaite
CEO, Cycle.land
Caroline Hicks
CFO and Co-Founder, Brill Power

 

Charles Conn
CEO, Oxford Sciences Innovation
Charlotte Clune
Investment Associate
Husayn Kassai
CEO and Co-Founder, Onfido

 

Irina Haivas
VC, Atomico
Jeff Lynn
Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, Seedrs
Jenny Tooth
OBE Chief Executive, UK Business Angels Association

 

Katherine Murray
Partner, Avantia Law and Associate Fellow,
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Michael Tefula
Investor, Downing Ventures
Mohammed Tayeb
Co-Founder and COO, Medicalchain

 

Patrick Pichette
General Partner, Inovia Capital
Saul Klein
Partner, LocalGlobe
Shai Gilat
Founder and COO, ESSE Tech LTD

 

Srin Madipalli
Founder, Accomable and Product Manager, AirBnb
Shefali Roy
COO at TrueLayer and Fintech Industry Advisor, University of Oxford
William Tunstall-Pedoe
Artificial Intelligence Entrepreneur

 

An online education that sets you apart

This Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme is delivered in collaboration with online education provider GetSmarter, part of edX. Join a growing community of global professionals, and benefit from the opportunity to:

usp-slot-one

Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.

usp-slot-two

Enjoy a personalised, people-mediated online learning experience created to make you feel supported at every step.

usp-slot-three

Earn a certificate of attendance recognising your online programme from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Get More Information

Want to know more?
Enter your information below to learn more about the Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme, including receiving the course prospectus, from GetSmarter.

Please enter your first name