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List: $199

Introductory Price:

$33

The goal of this course is to teach you, the startup founder, the fundamentals of early-stage startup valuation. 

If raising money from either Angel investors or VCs is somewhere in your startup future, this is the course for you!

By the end of this course, you will have:

  • Reviewed the basics of early-stage startup valuation mechanics and startup funding rounds.
  • Learned the most critical Basic Valuation Equations
  • Learned how to talk with investors about your valuation targets.
  • Reviewed common pitfalls associated with startup fundraising and valuation.

And, you will have:

  • Walked through 5 different valuation methods used to estimate and validate the valuation for your startup.
  • Learned how to talk about and defend your valuation with investors.
  • Studied how to test your valuation and dilution targets in a Cap table
  • Ultimately, by the end of this course, you’ll be able to speak confidently with investors about the fundraising process, your target valuation, and dilution limits.

The course contains 17 detailed lessons, and each lesson contains several elements, including:

  • Animated and narrated video segments explaining the lesson topic in detail.
  • Narrated screencast walkthroughs showing how to use the spreadsheet templates included in the lesson.
  • Structured PDF Summaries of each lesson, available for downloading and print out for future reference.
  • And numerous 1-page PDF worksheets that serve as a quick reference to each valuation method taught in the course.

We’ve also included four valuable course extras to accelerate your startup journey:

  • The Startup Valuation Explorer spreadsheet, which includes formulas and templates for each of the valuation methods covered in the course.
  • The Raise Amount/Dilution Explorer spreadsheet, with templates for estimating your funding raise amounts and founder equity dilution targets.
  • The Ultimate Angel Funding Checklist to help you keep an eye on all the details of your startup fundraising efforts.
  • And lastly, a complete early-stage startup Cap Table spreadsheet, to test your funding round assumptions and valuation goals and milestones.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to this Startup Funding School Course!

  • 2

    Lesson 1: Introduction to Startup Valuation

  • 3

    Lesson 2: Startup Funding Round Overview

  • 4

    Lesson 3: The Basic Valuation Equation

  • 5

    Lesson 4: Determining Your Raise Amount

    • Determining Your Raise Amount

    • Screencast: Determining Your Raise Amount

    • Worksheet: Determining Your Raise Amount

    • PDF Summary: Determining Your Raise Amount
  • 6

    Lesson 5: Setting Your Dilution Limits

    • Setting Your Dilution Limits

    • Screencast: Setting Your Dilution Limits

    • Worksheet: Setting Your Dilution Limits

    • PDF Summary: Setting Your Dilution Limits
  • 7

    Lesson 6: Expressing Your Valuation to Investors

    • Expressing Your Valuation to Investors

    • Screencast: Implied Valuation Spreadsheet

    • Screencast: Implied Dilution Spreadsheet

    • Worksheet: Implied Valuation

    • Worksheet: Implied Dilution

    • PDF Summary: Expressing Your Valuation to Investors
  • 8

    Lesson 7: Valuation Pitfalls

    • Valuation Pitfalls

    • PDF Summary: Valuation Pitfalls
  • 9

    Lesson 8: Introduction to Valuation Methods

    • Introduction to Valuation Methods

    • PDF Summary: Introduction to Valuation Methods
  • 10

    Lesson 9: The Market Comp Method

    • The Market Comp Valuation Method

    • Screencast: The Market Comp Spreadsheet

    • Worksheet: The Market Comp Valuation Method

    • PDF Summary: The Market Comp Valuation Method
  • 11

    Lesson 10: The Step Up Method

    • The Step Up Valuation Method

    • Screencast: The Step Up Valuation Method

    • Worksheet: The Step Up Valuation Method

    • PDF Summary: The Step Up Valuation Method
  • 12

    Lesson 11: The Risk Mitigation Method

    • The Risk Mitigation Valuation Method

    • Screencast: The Risk Mitigation Spreadsheet

    • Worksheet: The Risk Mitigation Valuation Method

    • PDF Summary: The Risk Mitigation Valuation Method
  • 13

    Lesson 12: The Scorecard Valuation Method

    • The Scorecard Valuation Method

    • Screencast: The Scorecard Valuation Spreadsheet

    • Worksheet: The Scorecard Valuation Method

    • PDF Summary: The Scorecard Valuation Method
  • 14

    Lesson 13: The VC Valuation Method

    • The VC Valuation Method

    • Screencast: The VC Valuation Method Spreadsheet

    • PDF Summary: The VC Valuation Method

    • Worksheet: The VC Valuation Method Spreadsheet
  • 15

    Lesson 14: Testing Valuations in a Cap Table

    • Testing Valuations in a Cap Table

    • Spreadsheet: Funding Rounds Cap Table

    • PDF Summary: Testing Valuations in a Cap Table
  • 16

    Lesson 15: Option Pool Impact on Valuations

    • Option Pool Impact on Valuations

    • Screencast: Option Pool Impact on Valuations

    • PDF Summary: Option Pool Impact on Valuations
  • 17

    Lesson 16: Accounting Valuations Summary

    • Accounting Valuations Summary

    • PDF Summary: Accounting Valuations
  • 18

    Lesson 17: Understanding 409A Valuations

    • Understanding 409A Valuations

    • PDF Summary: Understanding 409A Valuations
  • 19

    Course Bonus Materials

    • The Startup Valuation Explorer Spreadsheet

    • The Ultimate Angel Funding Checklist

    • The Raise Amount/Dilution Explorer Spreadsheet

    • Spreadsheet: Funding Rounds Cap Table

About the instructor

Lead Instructor

Stephen Poland

This is the instructor section. You can use this space to tell and show your students who you are and why you're the perfect person to teach the course you're offering. You can talk about your work and education history, and really anything else that shows off who you are so your students get excited about learning from you. You're the expert after all, this is your chance to shine!

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