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  2. ENG-SCI 31

Startup Financing: From Bootstrapping to Venture Capital
ENG-SCI 31

Course Information

Description

Entrepreneurial businesses, particularly those involving advanced scientific and engineering elements, face daunting challenges while raising money. First, the financing structures used are frequently complex, with terminology that obscures rather than clarifies their basic features. Second, many founders do not understand the strategic tradeoffs associated with funding businesses through bootstrapping, customer financing, angels, and/or venture capital. Finally, financing markets change rapidly over time and vary across industries, frequently leading to inflated expectations and disappointments. This class will shed light on this challenging territory, highlighting how great startups are funded. While primarily intended for aspiring entrepreneurs, it should also be of interest to students who seek to be involved with funding entrepreneurial firms, whether in a role at a venture firm, investment bank, or incubator. 

School Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Course Component Lecture
Grading Basis FAS Letter Graded
General Education N/A
Quantitative Reasoning with Data N/A
Divisional Distribution None
Course Level Primarily for Undergraduate Students