Requirements

• Recommended but not required: Basic Excel skills and financial statement knowledge.

Description

This course is designed to equip learners with the skills to perform Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) valuation, specifically tailored for startups and high-growth companies. Unlike traditional DCF models, valuing startups requires addressing unique challenges such as high uncertainty, limited historical data, and rapid growth potential. Through hands-on exercises, real-world case studies, and step-by-step guidance, you’ll learn how to build, analyze, and interpret DCF models for startups.

The course begins with the fundamentals of DCF valuation, covering core concepts like the time value of money, cash flow projections, and discount rates. You’ll then explore how to adapt these principles for startups, incorporating risk adjustments, stage-specific discount rates, and scenario analysis to account for the unique challenges of early-stage businesses. A key focus will be on forecasting cash flows for high-growth companies, where you’ll learn to project revenue, expenses, and free cash flows even with limited historical data.

One of the highlights of the course is a real-world case study where you’ll calculate the DCF valuation for Duolingo, a high-growth startup. You’ll analyze its financials, forecast future cash flows, and determine its intrinsic value, gaining practical experience in applying DCF to a real-life scenario. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to confidently build and interpret DCF models for startups, making informed decisions about valuation, fundraising, and investment opportunities.

This course is ideal for aspiring investors, venture capitalists, startup founders, and finance professionals who want to specialize in startup valuation. Whether you’re looking to value your own business, assess investment opportunities, or deepen your financial analysis skills, this course will provide you with the tools and knowledge to navigate the complex world of startup valuation. With a mix of theory, practical exercises, and real-world applications, you’ll gain the confidence to tackle valuation challenges in the dynamic startup ecosystem.

Who this course is for:

• DCF valuation