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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Private Equity and Venture Capital by Università Bocconi

4.8
stars
7,937 ratings

About the Course

The course deals with the analysis of the private equity and venture capital business. Over the course, students will be provided with a deep understanding of the mechanism underpinning the creation and/or development of a firm and the financial support it can get from the financial system through venture capital investment. The course tries to discover how special financial intermediaries (called private equity investors) finance through equity companies belonging to different stages of their life-cycle, starting from the very beginning (startup and early stage) to a more mature phase (i.e. expansion, mature age, etc.) or also staying into crises and decline. Private equity (named venture capital when the company is in the first phases of its life cycle) deals with very different activities, such as scouting, advisory, deal-making, valuation, and financing as financial intermediaries see it. COURSE SYLLABUS The course is made up of four different modules: WEEK 1 - Introduction to Private Equity and Venture Capital WEEK 2 - Discovering Private Equity Investors: Legal Issues and Taxation WEEK 3 - Management of Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds WEEK 4 - Company Valuation And Deal Making In Private Equity Settings WEEK 5 - Final Test Throughout the course, guest speakers and practitioners will be interviewed to provide some examples of concrete applications of the contents presented. RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND An understanding of the basic concepts of corporate financing accounting principles is required, while prior knowledge of private equity and venture capital is not required however it is recommended, as this is a course designed to introduce you to the fundamental concepts in private equity and venture capital....

Top reviews

TP

Oct 26, 2019

Excellent content, and superb slides.

Please check the quality of the English in the slides, and also in the quiz questions. Many quiz questions were difficult to understand because of the English.

WO

Jul 14, 2019

The content of the course is really helpful and touches on the very important subjects in Private Equity and Venture Capital. The delivery by the Professor Stefano Caseli is also fantastic. Thank you!

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26 - 50 of 1,784 Reviews for Private Equity and Venture Capital

By David H

Apr 14, 2020

You can learn a lot here but more case studies would be better instead of quite a lot legal and tax stuff. Some questions in the quizz are misleading.

By Enrique B P

Apr 27, 2018

Was a great course in the teory, but for me was a need of more practice with numbers and real cases

By Damien D

Nov 15, 2019

Very general course, would have loved more detailed, real case example

By Himawan W

Sep 15, 2021

The explanations provided in this course are clear, even to me who is neither an economics nor a business graduate. The most helpful part of this course is the provision of study material which can be read before watching the video lecture. With this study material, I can first imagine what the course will be like and what I will learn on the day I take the course. The excel file provided also makes it easier for me to understand calculations more quickly, which for me is very common considering I am a graduate who works in the public sector (not the business sector). Thank you for the explanation that has been given. If 1 to 10 for my knowledge of private equity and venture capital, I tend to be more daring to say that I am number 6 or 7. This course also makes me want to further deepen my knowledge of private equity and venture capital by making this as my future career.

By Adnan A K N

Nov 19, 2023

The course "Private Equity and Venture Capital" offers a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic and evolving landscape of private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC). It covers essential concepts such as fundraising, deal structuring, valuation, and the strategic considerations involved in the world of private investments. Tutor has demonstrated exceptional expertise in the field, providing valuable insights into the intricacies of private equity and venture capital. Their teaching style was engaging, and they effectively bridged the gap between theoretical frameworks and real-world applications. The instructor's industry experience and dedication to student understanding greatly enriched the learning experience.

By Leonardo A H

Apr 15, 2020

The course clearly explains and analyze how private equity and venture capital functions as a whole. Over the course, i was provided with a deep understanding of the mechanism underpinning the creation and development of a firm and the financial support it can get from the financial system through venture capital investment. In addition, i learned how the different vehicles behave in markets such as Europe, US and UK. Moreover, i had the chance to discover the legal issues and taxation, and what are the tasks that managers have in a whole cycle of the PE investment, from fundraising to exit. Finally, i learned about company valuation methods depending on the situation of the venture backed company.

By tanya z

Jan 1, 2016

The course is interesting and definitely worth learning! Well structured material introducing the mechanism underpinning the creation and development of a firm and the financial support it can get from the financial system through venture capital investment. What's more insightful, Prof. Castlli invited different guest speakers from the PE industry to deliver a better understanding of European market outlook, aside from the "textbook". Looking forward to more intermediate or advanced courses from Università Bocconi, it is a great pleasure to take this course. Thank you, Prof.Castlli !!

By Silas A

Oct 4, 2021

Professor Caselli's classes were nothing but exceptional. The course delivers an extraordinary introduction to the PE&VC industry, allowing professionals and entrepreneurs that are interest in learn more about the investment environment a chance to better understand the legal and financial aspects of private equity. Among the expansion of liquidity and investments in different areas of the globe, Coursera should provide other business courses like that, spreading the access of entrepreneurs to essential tools, as it is the financial knowledge.

By Shweta S

Aug 29, 2020

Such a detailed and useful course on all aspects of Private Equity and Venture Capital! It was great to learn about types of financing throughout the life cycle of a startup, about the Close End Funds, and understanding the details of the DCF method and Multiples method. I also enjoyed the global perspective and the interviews by subject matter experts in M&A, IPO, Turnaround and Restructuring. Thank you Universita Bocconi, Professor Stefano Caselli and Coursera for designing this comprehensive course.

By Ziyan W

Mar 16, 2018

This course is well-organized and you can learn a lot of times by watching videos and slides. It's a good way to self-study the sides to get a whole picture firstly then watch the videos, through which you can gain much knowledge and the professor will explain more. It's a good start for the PE&VC world and will inspire more. I really enjoy learning here and would like to know more about PE&VC in the future. Thanks for Professor Stefano Caselli! It's really a good experience to study together with you!

By Jieyu Z

Mar 22, 2019

This course provides a holistic view of how a private equity is organized and works. Anyone who wants to work at, with or for a private equity should take a look at this course as it provides in a nutshell the fundamentals: the stages of the PE, the set-up (US vs EU format), the legal framework, the taxation, the fee structure as well as the valuations (DCF, Multiples and VCM). Not to mention the very interesting interviews with the leading experts in private equity, M&A, investment banking etc.

By Rishabh S

May 7, 2020

This course was very helpful in making me understand the working and practical implications of the Private Equity world. I also got to know more about the basics of legal and taxation issues in different countries regarding the PE and startup sectors, thanks to Professor Stefano.

I would like to recommend this course to anyone interested in finance, especially those who don't have a lot of experience in this sector. I also recommend this course to those looking to start their own ventures.

By Rahmah R

May 3, 2020

It was truly an amazing experience for me. Thanks to Professor Stefano Caselli and the whole Bocconi Team for conducting this exceptional course. I learnt a lot about Private Equity Market and how does it function with the help of this course. I am looking forward to apply the knowledge I gained practically in my future.

Last but not the least, I would also like to thank Mentor Guenter H. Leonhardt for showcasing exceptional mentoring skills throughout the journey. Thank You once again!

By Gonçalo M B

Jun 8, 2019

Well structured course with clear and compelling material that is complemented with Excel spreadsheets mock practical examples, Q&As, interviews with experts. The approach is quite straight to the point, guided by prof. Caselli who does not waste unnecessary time with bland theories like other MOOCs and engages the students from the first video. Nonetheless, an intermediary knowledge of corporate is required to understand concepts, formulas and ratios. Great work, Università Bocconi!

By Jules S

Feb 23, 2020

Very good course. I learned a lot. I loved the progressive approach, the visual animations, the exhaustive materials (videos+texts+slides+quizzes) to learn and the additional content (interviews to go further). The curse is well balanced between theory (the concepts and their examples) and mathematical application. Applause both to Coursera and to the Universita Bocconi ! Only the quite many spelling mistakes on the slides could be corrected. But this does not hamper comprehension.

By Ankit S

Apr 21, 2020

A pretty interesting and enriching course for deep diving into the world of Private Equity and Venture Capital. Professor Stefano explains the concepts and illustrations in a simple, lucid way. The only limitation I found with the course was less examples and practice work given to learners. If that is added, the course would be one of the best courses in Private Equity and Venture Capital. Nonetheless, a must attend course for every aspirant of Private Equity and Venture Capital.

By Nikki C

Jun 29, 2023

This was a Harvard Business School level course. It was very, very challenging and the exams are not easy to pass. However, you will learn a lot about Finance and Private Equity and Investing for Individuals and Corporations. You will also learn about International Investment Laws. This is definitely a course someone interested in Finance, Investment Banking will benefit from. I took as an elective and really learned a lot . And believe it has increased my Financial Literacy.

By Hala A

Oct 22, 2016

I really liked this course, it's quite comprehensive for an online course and you learn quite a lot about how Private Equity works, the difference between European and Anglo Saxon Private Equity investment vehicles. The most important part for me was the company valuation skills that I gained from the course. It was my weakness and now I feel like I can approach PE jobs with more confidence. Thank you Bocconi and Professor Stefano Caselli for the great learnings

By Subham D

Dec 23, 2015

An awesome course for the students who want to pursue a career as Private Equity Analyst. This course is an excellent overview of Private Equity and Venture Capital business model used in the field of the finance. Everything is explained very well. The presentation is kept short and informative with good slides. The exercises are interesting and fun to do. They help a lot to learn the course material. I highly recommend this course. Thank You!

By Angela J

Nov 24, 2015

Excellent introductory course in global issues, with great real interviews. I connected and spoke with the experts from the interviews online (LinkedIn) and got even more. This course is one of the few I have seen that treats equity investment in a global sense, including EU, US, and a brief overview & consideration of other regions. I strongly suggest this course for someone looking for a global overview and to make connections in this area.

By Anthony T

Oct 30, 2021

The course was great and very informative. My only criticism is that when you get a question wrong in the end of week tests, that an explanation of where you went wrong would be great. Because I was never told what my mistake was, I had to keep re-doing equations repeatedly until I found what I did wrong. This wasted a lot of time that did not need to be wasted. Other than that I highly recommend this for finance/corporate finance students.

By Matteo B

Apr 25, 2020

This course is absolutely fantastic, and my only criticism is that it is not longer. Stefano goes through many topics with incredibly helpful explanations, he motivates to participate in discussions, and he provides many more resources for further learning.

The course has a great mix of expert interviews, practical examples, and theory. I highly recommend the course and hope that Stefano will be back with another course in the near future.

By Luke L

Dec 19, 2021

The course is deeper than it might appear on the first glance. Thorough explanation of PE business model and business process. A few examples. To do the job, you would also need a lot of other staff learned, e.g. financial modelling (e.g. pass CFA certification), accounting, etc, but after this course you can at least understand your friends working in the PE (their vocabularly) or understand the meaning of questions in the interview.

By Mirza D

Dec 13, 2020

The course is very interesting and Professor Caselli in engaging and very knowledgeable of the topic of private equity and venture capital.

The course is more descriptive and theoretical than quantitative, however a very good starting point for everyone who wants to understand this niche of the financial industry, and who wants to learn about similarities and differences between PE practice and transactions across USA, Europe, and UK.

By Benedikt

Nov 27, 2015

It was a great primer if you are not familiar with this area. Especially topics like the DCF and different PE vehicles from a legal perspective can be hard to summarize into something tangible and short. The only recommendation I would make is a bit of brushing up on the wording, as it is sometimes hard in the quizzes to understand what exactly the question is (does the question relate to the previous question vs overall, etc)