• Grenoble Ecole de Management

Raising Funds for Your Startup

Get to grips with the basics of funding a start up and understand the process of successful financing rounds.

6,202 enrolled on this course

A leader in front of a group, with icons indicating ideas, funding and progress.

Raising Funds for Your Startup

6,202 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Accreditation available

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

The CPD Certification Service

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies. Find out more.

Understand the process of funding a start up

Almost all startups need external financing, but new entrepreneurs rarely have training in fundraising.

On this course, you’ll learn the basics of financing a start-up. You’ll explore how important financial backing is for success and how to attract and negotiate with investors.

This course is also available in French. To join the French run of the course, visit the course page.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds Raising funds is a necessary step for most startups. It makes it possible to finance an entrepreneurial project and to get it up and running more quickly. But it makes for a long and complex process, especially when it is the first time.

Skip to 0 minutes and 24 seconds In addition, the world of fundraising is evolving. New actors, like accelerators and crowdfunding platforms, have appeared over the years.

Skip to 0 minutes and 37 seconds The objective of this four-week course is to help you acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to master the fundraising process.

Skip to 0 minutes and 46 seconds We will address four topics: - Who accompanies and finances startups, what their decision making process is, and how they select projects, - How to prepare a financial plan to estimate the financing needs, fundraising requirements, and value of your company this being necessary to determine the dilution in case you open the equity to new investors - How founders can negotiate agreements effectively with their investors over successive rounds of financing - and finally, how to succeed in the post-investment phase, since raising funds is not an end in itself, but a way to make your project succeed. Plus, taking on new investors will have a profound impact on the control and governance of the business.

Skip to 1 minute and 33 seconds Especially since some shareholders, like business angels and venture capital funds, will want to exit, or resell their holdings, after a few years. This course has been designed for entrepreneurs who are considering or already planning a financing round. It is also appropriate for students studying entrepreneurship and anyone who would like to learn more about the actors, processes, and consequences involved in raising funds. I have created this course, as Professor at Grenoble École de Management, and as Business Angel, in order to present you with practical, concrete information from my own experience as well as from the academic literature on entrepreneurial finance. The course includes case studies from entrepreneurs and startup investors as well as many examples and exercises.

Skip to 2 minutes and 12 seconds It’s time to take action: join me on FutureLearn and get ready to prepare your next financing round¦

What topics will you cover?

  • How to identify and convince potential investors?
  • How to estimate the financing need and the value of the venture?
  • How to negotiate with equity investors?
  • How to prepare and succeed in the post-investment phase?

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify the potential investors in startups and understand their decision process and their selection criteria
  • Design a sound financing plan in order to estimate the financing needs and the value of the startup, which determines the founders ‘dilution when raising equity
  • Reflect on the process and the main issues of the negotiation of agreements between founders and external investors along successive financing rounds
  • Identify the key points to watch in order to succeed the post-investment phase and prepare the exit.

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at entrepreneurs who are considering or preparing a financing round. It can also be useful for students of entrepreneurship or management, and to anyone wishing to get a better understanding of the actors, processes and consequences of a financing round.

A general knowledge in business will help, though it is not required.

This course is taught by a French team, but all course resources will be in English or subtitled in English.

Who will you learn with?

Professor at Grenoble Ecole de Management and angel investor. Teaching and research in entrepreneurial finance. Advisor for incubators. Previously worked in corporate finance and in private equity.

Who developed the course?

Grenoble Ecole de Management

For the past 30 years, Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) has established itself in France and abroad as a leading business school through expertise in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 26 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

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