from the syllabus- “15-20 Minute Presentation; 12-15 page paper with appropriate citations utilizing multiple sources. If focus is a company, paper/Presentation should include description of product/service, industry overview, company origins (founders, vision, location, initial funding), financing model by stage prior to any IPO, commercialization plan, culture, competitors, SWOT, future outlook; in appendix: financials and financial metrics (e.g. growth rates, P/E, Price/Sales, IRR, etc.). If focus is not a company, but a entre finance related topic (e.g. IPOs, Venture Capital, ESOPs, Intel. Property, Valuations, M&A, REITSs, Eminent Domani, specific industry, franchising, crowdsourcing, a small business), paper organization shall be discussed in class. Students select the company/topic with instructor approval. Potential appropriate topics will be discussed throughout the first half of the course.”
*****My project topic will focus on the importance/role of venture capital in scaling early-stage startups and focus on case studies, and will use Square Inc. as a case study. This class is about entrepreneurial finance the focus will specifically be about the start up phases of square. I’ll provide some materials from my class too.
Rough outline example:
Introduction:
Define venture capital and its importance to early-stage startups.
Briefly introduce Square Inc. as a case study to illustrate these points.
Company Overview (Square Inc.):
Description of product/service: Detailed exploration of Square’s offerings. Industry overview: Position of Square within the financial tech and payment processing industry.
Company origins: Discuss the founders, their vision, and initial funding strategies.
Location and significance in their success.
Venture Capital’s Role in Square’s Growth:
Financing model by stage prior to IPO: Detail how venture capital was pivotal at various stages of Square’s development.
Commercialization plan: How Square planned to bring their product to market.
Culture: Influence of corporate culture on growth and investor attraction.
Competitive Analysis:
Competitors: Identify major competitors and Square’s strategy against them.
SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Venture Capital Influence on Startup Success:
Discuss the broader impact of venture capital funding on startup scalability and success, referencing other startups as minor case studies if relevant.
Integration of venture capital funding strategies with startup growth needs.
Financials and Metrics:
Append an in-depth analysis of Square’s financial metrics pre-IPO: Growth rates, P/E ratios, Price/Sales, IRR, etc., as reflected in their public filings and financial reports.
Use financial principles from your course to discuss the impact of these metrics on investor decisions and company valuation.
Conclusion:
Summarize the key points.
Future outlook for Square and the role of venture capital in emerging tech startups.
