Course outcomes:
- Develop a plan to identify and approach investors appropriate for your business and stage.
- Understand how to value your business, build a cap table and develop a financial model in line with market expectations.
- Build a credible pitch appropriate for your target investor group.
- Practice your pitch and become confident in presenting one on one and to a group.
- Understand the terms your target group of investors are likely to ask for and why. Comprehend the long term implications of each provision and be positioned to negotiate with confidence.
- Develop the ability to create deal momentum to strengthen your negotiating position and successfully close your investment.
- Get ongoing support and feedback throughout the twelve week program as you refine your investor proposition and take your business to market.
This course is suitable for:
Entrepreneurs looking to raise Seed to Series A capital rounds ($200K - $5M). Join this program as a newbie or with a developed pitch and experience. We will support you to develop your capital raising plan, reach out to investors, pitch
Course logistics:
This course is approximately 3 hours of engagement per week for 12 weeks. You will have 12 months of access to your course notes, course content and downloadable resources.
- Watching and engaging with weekly course content including videos and written resources (1 hour per week)
- Attending and participating in weekly live Zoom discussions (Tuesdays from 6.30 - 7.30pm). These will be recorded for those who miss a session.
- Homework assignments to develop and strengthen your investor proposition (1 hour per week)
About the instructor
Rebekah Campbell has 16 years of experience as an entrepreneur and has started four businesses: two sold, and the other she is still associated with - ‘Hey You’. Rebekah has raised more than $17M in venture capital and grants from almost every type of investor. Her first company launched a joint venture with Warner Music in 2008. Two subsequent technology businesses have attracted investment from high profile Angel investors in Australia, Silicon Valley, New York and Europe as well as large venture funds and the corporate investment arm of Westpac.
Course curriculum
Week 1: Define your objectives
- Why are you looking for capital?
- A short discussion about other sources of funds.
- Define the long-term objective for your business
- Define your ask
- Set your business goals for the period of this program
Week 2: Target and approach the right investors
- Benefits and objectives of Angel groups, high- net-worth investors, corporate investors and venture funds.
- Learn to target and approach the right investors for your business.
- How to value your company.
- Build a cap table.
- Exercise to target and reach out to investors as appropriate.
Week 3: Key agreements (the legal component of this program is taught in partnership with Metis Law)
- The benefits and costs of equity investment versus convertible and ‘safe’ notes.
- Key terms of a Shareholders Agreement and Company Constitution to protect founders.
- Founder vesting agreements. How they work and why investors will often insist you put them in place.
- Why and how to carve out equity for an employee share plan.
- You will receive a template founder agreement, shareholders agreement, convertible note and investment term sheet
- Individual 30 minute consultations with Metis Law to discuss your questions and business context
Week 4: Negotiating terms
- How to recruit and remunerate directors/ advisors when it makes sense to do so.
- Board representation and special voting rights requested by investors.
- Classes of shares including preference shares and special voting/veto rights.
- Anti-dilution and milestone adjustment provisions.
- Pre-emptive investor rights.
- Provisions to restrict founders and other shareholders from selling their shares.
- Provisions to restrict/control an exit.
- Provisions investors use to force an exit.
- How to ensure corporate investors deliver on ‘special benefit’ promises.
- ‘Equity earn-in’ and other special provisions often requested by corporate investors.
- You will receive a template employee share plan
- Q&A session with Metis Law
Week 5: Negotiation skills
- Exercise to develop your negotiation skills and learn how to structure a deal that works for you, your company and the investors.
- Negotiation case studies
- Negotiation practise
Week 6: Update and discussion
- Updates and support for every founder in the program
- You you on track to meet your goals? How can we support you to achieve your business objectives?
Week 7: Pitching your business
- What makes a great pitch
- We analyse a number of pitch decks and discuss how to develop the right pitch for your target investors.
- Perspective from top VCs and Angel Investors
- You will develop a new pitch deck during these two sessions to anchor your business presentation or use to enhance an existing pitch.
Week 8: Developing your pitch part 2
- The key slides that matter.
- How to engage your audience one one one or in front of an investor group
- What do investors look for in founders and their pitch presentations?
- How investors expect you to present your management accounts and financial projections.
Week 9: Pitch practice and feedback
- Live practise in groups with feedback from Rebekah (Note that there are 2X live one hour sessions this week)
Week 10: How to run an investment process
- Strategies to reach investors in person or on mass. Get meetings with the decision makers.
- Set up meetings, ensuring that they are looking forward to your pitch.
- We provide you with an extensive contact list of investors in Australia, the US, Europe and Asia.
- When a corporate advisor could help or hinder your process and on what terms should you engage them.
- The effective use of PR to build deal momentum.
Week 11: Closing the deal
- How to run an effective due diligence process.
- How to avoid investors that waste time.
- Binding versus non-binding term sheets.
- The closing process including the appointment of a ‘lead investor’, negotiating with multiple parties and the use of escrow accounts.
- After the investment (shareholder communication, general meetings, running a board of directors).
Week 12: Update and discussion
- Updates and support for every founder in the program
- You you on track to meet your goals? How can we support you to achieve your business objectives?
- Live Q&A discussion to complete the course
