This course addresses the fundamentals of venture capital, which includes the venture capital industry, the structure of venture capital firms and venture capital investments. It addresses in some detail the relationship between venture risk and return, the cost of venture capital and the valuation of high growth companies. The course covers a variety of valuation methods as well as analysis of company capital structure or “cap tables.”Students use software tools to determine the value of stocks, options and special features of preferred stock. Topics related to the finance of innovation and the relationship between strategy and venture finance are also covered. Lessons learned are reinforced through case analyses and real examples from the industry.