Why you should invest in startups

5.0

(3 ratings)

·

3 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Understand the decision-making process and design your first investment strategy in 3 weeks.

Course overview

How to develop an angel investment strategy

Investing in startups is risky business, but it can be more financially rewarding than most other types of investment. Angel investing can also become a full time or part time profession.


This course is designed for investors who are considering early stage startup investing, but aren’t sure where to begin and for newbie angel investors who’ve made the first investments, but want to develop a more strategic approach and efficient process.


The primary takeaways from the course are a clearer sense of whether angel investing is right for you and a plan to invest at the level that feels right for you.

Who is this course for

01

You are a founder who needs to understand investor logic and criteria better for your next fundraise, and expand your investor network.

02

You are a corporate employee looking to explore angel investing for a part of your income, but are unsure of where to begin.

03

You are an aspiring investor, who wants to learn the fundamentals of venture asset class and structure your way forward.

Key outcomes

Materials
  • Workbook and presentations
  • Angel profile checklist
  • Startup evaluation checklist
  • Due diligence checklist
  • Investment strategy template
  • Personalized list of recommendations re investor & founder networks and platforms
Risk Profile

Understanding your reasons to invest in startups, your skills and talents, risk perception, passions and preferences, and networks to define a fitting investment strategy.

Startup Assessment

Learning the basic principles of startup assessment, practicing it repeatedly, gaining visibility and conducting your own research.


Due Diligence

Divide and conquer: find partners while understanding the mechanics of due diligence. Learn how to walk away from a risk that you personally are not willing to take.

Decision-Making

Creating a repeatable and coherent decision-making framework that works individually for you. Matching your skills, risk profile, financial capacity to an individual investment strategy that evolves over time.

Course schedule

4-8 hours per week
  • Tuesdays & Thursdays

    11am – 12:30pm EST / 17pm –18:30pm CET

    Plus we hold instructor office hours every Wednesday for 1 hour.

  • Cohort schedule

    11am – 12:30pm EST / 17pm –18:30pm CET

    • Cohort 1: 14 - 29 March 2023
    • Cohort 2: 4 - 19 April 2023


  • Weekly projects

    1-4 hours per week

    We will have pre-work items and in-session exercises, and instructor office hours, making the course as practical as possible.

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A few words from our alumni

        This course is dedicated to building a solid foundation for angel investments and bringing you right to the core of the startup ecosystem. It is suited for a fresh start as it guides you through the theory and gives valuable hands-on experience on startup evaluation, creating your risk profile, building your strategy.
Sarune Smalakyte

Sarune Smalakyte

Head at ROCKIT
        This course features all the key topics that are essential for the business angel to start successfully operate. I found it valuable since all the workshops are based on practical cases. And fireside chats with professionals help to gain a wider understanding of the startup and investment world.
Martynas Kandzeras

Martynas Kandzeras

Board Member at LitBAN
        Few weeks spent during this course were extremely productive because I opened the door to an unknown world of early-stage startups. I liked 
the systemic approach, learning by doing, networking, and especially - 
the high energy of lectors.
Tauras Pėstininkas

Tauras Pėstininkas

Angel Investor
        One of the best European trainings to understand what a startup is and how to nurture it! A unique opportunity to meet influential, motivated women and join multiple investment networks.
Marta Rautenschild

Marta Rautenschild

Startup Council at LCCI

Meet your instructor

Olga Duka

Olga Duka

GP @ Improve Ventures, Co-founder at BAS

Olga is a General Partner at Improve Ventures, an early stage VC, that invests in exceptional teams in Africa, Latam and SE/SEA.


She is an asset management professional and talent development specialist, working at the intersection of science, technology, culture and education for the last 15 years.


Previously, Olga was a co-founder and operator in multiple early-stage ventures in 10+ industries across 3 continents. She also worked extensively with accelerators, venture studios, angel networks, early-stage VCs, corporate investors and P/E.


She joined Business Angel School as a co-founder back in 2021 to expand the variety of programs and amplify the network effect.


Linkedin

Website

Sandra Golbreich

Sandra Golbreich

GP @ Baltic Sandbox Ventures, Co-founder at BAS

Sandra is a Founding Partner at Baltic Sandbox Accelerator and a GP at Baltic Sandbox Ventures – a VC that supports early-stage Deep Tech and Life Science startups in Northern Europe.


For the past several years, Sandra has been actively engaged in lecturing activities, working with students and business managers / corporate innovators in "Innovation and Investment Academy" by BMI, ISM University of Management and Economics, Vilnius University Business School, etc.


She also co-founded "Business Angel School" – a set of educational programs for the EU business angels. Over 150 angels graduated from the programs, alumni invested over €3M in startups and won "Angel of the Year" nominations in different countries.


Linkedin

Website

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Course syllabus

01

Introduction to Angel Investing

To play, you must understand the basic mechanics of the game.

Let`s walk through a venture ecosystem landscape, to understand the startup risks, typical win and failure stories, the role and profile of angels, as well as a required competence and a learning curve for novice angel investors.

02

Startup Evaluation Basics

First priority: reducing unnecessary risks. Startup assessment is science and art, which you will master over time. Don`t worry over not being able to understand something, or not knowing how to assess certain angles to the business – it does take time and experience, and you are just getting started.

03

Building Your Angel Profile

First rule of acquisition: the investment discipline. Take the risks you understand and cut down the risks that you do not. Defining your reasoning and profile with its natural limitations, will help build your strategy - and make it easier for startups and other investors to find you.

04

Due Diligence for Startups and Investors

Understanding due diligence is indeed important but you do not have to master it immediately – you can join forces with experts. Yet, learning the key principles is important, and will eventually cut down your risks - and save your sanity. Cool part: your existing business experience is applicable.

05

Decision-Making Frameworks

Assembling our jigsaw puzzle: how to create a personalized, repeatable, and coherent decision-making framework? We will match your risk profile, skills and experience, financial limits, liquidity expectations, networks to strategies that work individually for you and see where it lands you.

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Hands-on, interactive, systematic - and fun

Hands-on, interactive, systematic - and fun

Systematic Approach

Checklist, template and framework are our favourite key words.

Hand-on Training

Learning by doing, rinse, repeat.

Interactive workshops

Learn in a group, in small breakouts, peer-to-peer, and on your own.

Fun

We put fun in funding.

Free resource

Office Hours

Sign up for a 15 minute consultation over if this course is for you - or for any questions you may have.

Book a call

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I can’t make a live session?
I work full-time, what is the expected time commitment?

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