Venture Capital Initiative

Venture Capital Initiative - Courses - Experiential Courses

Experiential Courses

Darden offers a collection of courses designed to help students prepare for their venture capital journeys. During the first year, students engage with the core curriculum and learn the fundamentals of business through rich case study discussions. After completing the core curriculum, students have the opportunity to take core electives, experiential learning courses, and other related courses in venture capital. The Fall Venture Capital Learning Series is open to all students, regardless of where they are in their MBA journey. The Venture Capital Learning series is highly recommended for first-years interested in building their venture capital skillset and knowledge base prior to their summer internship interviews.

Experiential Courses

  • DUE DILIGENCE IN SEED FUNDS

    Faculty

    bob Robert (Bob) J. Creeden, Managing Director of UVA Seed Fund & New Ventures
    elena Elena Loutskina, Professor of Business Administration, Peter M. Grant II Bicentennial Foundation Chair in Business Administration and Academic Director of Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management

    Course Description

    The core objective of the Due Diligence in Seed Funds Directed Study is to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity in the venture capital industry by participating in a proven venture capital process and leveraging a new University wide initiative - the UVA Seed Fund. The mission of the UVA Seed Fund is to launch new ventures by building on prior investments in innovation, translational research and commercialization by investing in start-up companies to help them grow at the seed stage of financing. To achieve this objective, a $10 million Seed Fund was created in 2016 with funding from the UVA Health System and the UVA endowment. A second Fund, $10M, was added in 2022 for a total of $20M AUM. Students actively participate in the diligence process attending company calls, meetings with CEOs while also attending the Seed Fund Investment Committee meetings.

    Course Objectives

    • Learn about venture capital from experienced experts in the field.
    • Gain familiarity with an industry approved due diligence process
    • Introduce students to a set of diligence criteria they need to evaluate to determine if an investment is worth pursing (e.g. understanding market opportunity, intellectual property position and regulatory strategy, management team).

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  • VENTURE VELOCITY

    Faculty

    jim Jim Zuffoletti, Adjunct Faculty

    Course Description

    Creating a venture can be a lonely undertaking, leaving the Entrepreneur asking, “What to do Next?” We’re going to turn venturing into a team sport and support each other as each student team builds their ventures towards viability as a side gig or a full time work. We will use the class to further develop entrepreneurial fundamentals like partnering, customer sales, and managing your affordable loss. The cadence is two-week sprints alternating customized milestones and work on deliverables common to the class which will contribute directly to your venture. We draw extensively on Saras Sarasvathy’ s Effectuation theory methodology to guide action and ensure that progress doesn’t stall even if the end point is a decision to move on from the venture at the end of the class.

    No guest speakers or lectures. Guest mentors commonly join to give feedback. These will largely include founders and investors. Classes are Full semester, 3 credits, taught Fall and Spring. Substantial work outside class expected.

    This class was originally created by Damon DeVito who was both an adjunct faculty and a long-time entrepreneur. Most importantly, he believed in founders and that emphasis will continue.

    Course Objectives

    Our mission is to work together to fight through the start-up jungle, navigating around trouble where possible, and fighting through it when foresight fails so you gain applied mastery over skills that will drive your future success as a founder or investor in other ventures regardless how this one fares. If you are putting in the time and effort you can accomplish great things:

    • Breakthrough a difficult go to market challenge
    • Find go to market fit
    • Get to the customer as a partner
    • Secure funding
    • Make a decision that changes the course of your venture and your life