What You'll Learn

Whether you are an emerging VC and just beginning to build your network, or you are on your 2nd or 3rd fund, your investment thesis should form the foundation of your portfolio strategy. Your thesis will help you attract LPs and founders that align with your values, and sets you up for harmonious long-term partnerships. Your thesis is the north star vision that guides you through difficult decisions, and the roadmap that turns your abstract ideas into a functional investment strategy.

  • Assess your capabilities and determine what companies should be included in your thesis

  • Create & refine an investment thesis pitch deck that outlines your investment strategy

  • Build a research and marketing plan for attracting quality deal flow

  • Evaluate startups based on a 3-tier selection process

Course curriculum

  • 1

    INTRODUCTION

  • 2

    INVESTMENT THESIS BASICS

    • Welcome to Investment Thesis Basics

    • What's Your Investment Thesis?

    • Write Your High-Level Investment Thesis
  • 3

    HONING YOUR INVESTMENT THESIS PITCH

    • Welcome to Honing Your Investment Thesis Pitch

    • Investment Thesis Framework

    • Hone Your Investment Thesis

    • Your Target Customers: Founders vs. LPs

    • What Founders & LPs Want

    • Building Your Thesis Pitch

    • Thesis Pitch Toolkit

    • Thesis Evaluation Toolkit
  • 4

    DEAL FLOW

    • Welcome to Deal Flow

    • Deal Flow Generation

    • Marketing Plan Tips & Best Practices

    • Write Out Your Marketing Plan
  • 5

    SELECTING STARTUPS

    • Welcome to 'Selecting Startups'

    • Thesis Match

    • What Goes In Your 5-Minute Assessment?

    • The Founder Meeting

    • Interview Questions Review

    • Conducting a Successful Founder Interview

    • Creating a Deal Memo

    • Validation & Due Diligence

    • Create Your Due Diligence Checklist
  • 6

    WRAP UP

    • Course Summary

    • End of Course Reflection

    • Take the Course Post-Assessment to Pass the Course!

    • Post-Assessment

    • Closing Survey

How It Works

Estimated Time Commitment: 4 hours

  • E-Learning

    Learn at your own pace. This multimedia course includes value-packed lessons with exercises, assessments, and instructional video with 500 Global experts.

  • Develop Your Skills

    Apply your learning. Each lesson has its own downloadable workbook full of exercises, toolkits, and real 500 Global templates, so you can apply what you learn to your work right away.

  • Certificate of Completion

    You've earned it. At the end of the course, you’ll have earned a skills-based online certificate and badge from 500 Global that you can proudly display online.

FAQ

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  • Include questions a potential student may have before purchase.

    Address common questions ahead of time to save yourself an email.

  • Will I obtain a certificate?

    Yes, a certificate of completion and badge will be awarded upon completion of the online course content and feedback survey.

  • Important: Course enrollment fees are non-refundable. By purchasing a VC Unlocked Online Certificate Course, I certify that I understand no portion of the course enrollment fees I pay to participate in the course will be refunded at any time and for any reason.