Handbook

This course covers alternative asset classes, which can be understood as non-conventional asset classes not previously examined in mainstream finance courses. The course focuses on venture capital and private equity investments, as these are the most prominent types of alternative assets. Topics to be discussed include, but are not limited to, i) the venture capital industry in Australia (and other countries), and other sources of funds for financing new ventures (including angel investors, banks and other institutions), ii) venture fundraising and characteristics of venture capital firms, iii) characteristics of entrepreneurial ventures at different stages of development including: (a) Seed, Start-up, (b) Expansion, Mezzanine,(c) Buyout, Turnaround, iv) the characteristics of financial contracts in venture capital including the staging and syndication of deals, forms of finance (debt, convertible debt, preferred equity, convertible preferred equity, common equity, warrants, and combinations of these instruments), board representation, restrictive covenants and confidentiality agreements, v) exiting an investment through (a) initial public offerings,(b) mergers and strategic acquisitions and (c) secondary sales, buybacks, write-offs, vi) various entrepreneurial firm valuation techniques, vii) buyouts and going-private transactions including (a) buyout industry in Australia, (b) special features of buyout transactions and  (c) Valuation of buyout deals.