Subject Matter Expert – Oxford Venture Finance Programme
Nov 2019 - Sept 2020
I contributed to the University of Oxford’s Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme, providing my insights on venture capital, financing structures, and entrepreneurial strategy. I worked with the course professor and help shape course content.
Course Development
During my time working with Oxford's Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance Programme, I played an active role in shaping how entrepreneurs learn about venture capital fundraising. I drew from my experience to help structure comprehensive modules on financing strategies, sharing real-world case studies that illustrated both successful and challenging fundraising journeys.
Working closely with the course leaders, I contributed insights on critical topics like company valuation, term sheet negotiation, and building strong investor relationships. I particularly enjoyed leading discussions about venture capital's evolving role in the broader funding ecosystem, helping ensure the program stayed current with the latest industry trends and practices.
One of the most rewarding aspects was seeing how my practical knowledge could help bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world fundraising challenges. By incorporating actual examples and scenarios I'd encountered, we created content that gave entrepreneurs concrete strategies they could apply to their own fundraising efforts.
Technical Input
I developed a hands-on approach to teaching exit modeling, creating interactive worksheets that helped break down complex venture financing concepts. My focus was on making equity structures tangible and understandable through practical Excel models.
I found that visual modeling was particularly effective in demonstrating how different equity types – from common shares to various preference share structures – can dramatically impact exit valuations. By walking through real scenarios, I helped students grasp these crucial differences and understand their implications for startup financing.
One of my key contributions was highlighting common pitfalls I'd seen in equity financing deals. Drawing from experience, I guided students through the intricacies of deal structuring and investment agreements, helping them develop a practical understanding they could apply in real-world situations.