Advanced Certificate in Venture Capital Module 4: Due Diligence Techniques and Methodologies
- Finance & Investment
2 days
Who Should Attend
Entrepreneurs and business professionals interested to understand how Venture Capitalists (VCs) operate to better prepare or differentiate their companies for investments by VCs.
Finance professionals interested to equip themselves with a comprehensive appreciation of the Venture Capital industry and its practices.
Pre-requisites:
Participants should have at least 2 years of working experience with interest in Venture Capital management/ practices; Tertiary qualifications.
Overview
Due diligence is an important process employed by Venture Capitalists (VCs) to formulate the right price for fund raising and pre-IPO decisions.
Due diligence performed well will enable the VCs to acquire insights into the real situation of the target company’s business, assets, capabilities, and financial performance, as well as the potential issues that may surface during the integration, strategy alignment/ portfolio management process.
This module focuses on the different due diligence techniques commonly employed by VCs and family offices.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the 2-day module, participants will be able to:
- Appreciate and apply key concepts in the due diligence process
- Implement a term sheet negotiation strategy
- Develop a comprehensive due diligence checklist comprising financial disclosures, regulatory issues and ethics and integrity of the founders’ teams
- Design and implement a term sheet framework that takes into consideration common challenges during the due diligence process
Topic/Structure
Day 1:
An overview to due diligence key guidelines principles in VC industry:
- Financial; Legal & Regulatory; Operation; Organization behaviors & Leadership; Strategic differences across different jurisdictions and cultures; Valuation principles; Deal Documentation; Related party transactions; Apply a basic checklist to execute a due diligence process for a start-up
- Do a self-exercise and class room discussion
Day 2:
Implement a Term Sheet Framework:
- Introduce the components and key concept of a Term Sheet.
- Appreciate the challenges and manage the negotiation process for term sheets
- Apply and implement a term sheet strategy
A Due Diligence Game:
- An interactive game with participants with a learning framework to master and apply key concepts in due diligence across multiple jurisdictions and cultures
- Apply the term sheet framework in a self-exercise to provide insights and reflection to improve in future negotiation with term sheets commonly used in global venture capital
- Assessment; Closing Debrief and Feedback
Assessment
There will be presentation or written assessments for each module.
Participants have to meet a minimum attendance rate of 75% and have to complete all assessment(s) required by the course. Only upon meeting the minimum attendance and passing the assessment will participants be issued a Certificate of Completion.
Participants who fail the assessment will be given a chance for re-assessment at a fee of SGD100.00 (excluding prevailing GST). Each participant is allowed 1 re-assessment. The re-assessment has to be taken within 7 calendar days from the end of the course date. It will be held on a weekday specified by SMU Academy and conducted during office hours. Please note that re-assessment fees are not supported by SSG Funding.
Participants who meet the minimum attendance rate but do not achieve a pass for the assessment will be issued a Certificate of Participation.
Participants are required to bring their laptop to access the course materials, class exercises and individual assessment(s).
In order to be awarded with Advanced Certificate in Venture Capital, participants are required to complete all 6 modules (ideally in sequence) within 2 years. Please note that as much as possible, Module 6 should only be attempted after the rest of the modules have been completed.
Calculate Programme Fee
Fee Table
COMPANY-SPONSORED | |||
PARTICIPANT PROFILE |
SELF-SPONSORED |
SME |
NON-SME |
Singapore Citizen < 40 years old Permanent Resident LTVP+
|
$654 (After SSG Funding 70%) |
$254 (After SSG Funding 70% |
$654 (After SSG Funding 70%) |
Singapore Citizen ≥ 40 years old |
$254 (After SSG Funding 70% |
$254 (After SSG Funding 70% |
$254 (After SSG Funding 70% |
International Participant |
$2,180 (No Funding) |
$2,180 (No Funding) |
$2,180 (No Funding) |
All prices include 9% GST
Post Secondary Education Account (PSEA)
PSEA can be utilised for subsidised programmes eligible for SkillsFuture Credit support. Click here to find out more.
Self Sponsored
- SkillsFuture Credit
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Singapore Citizens aged 25 and above may use their SkillsFuture Credits to pay for the course fees. The credits may be used on top of existing course fee funding.
This is only applicable to self-sponsored participants. Application to utilise SkillsFuture Credits can be submitted when making payment for the course via the SMU Academy TMS Portal, and can only be made within 60 days of course start date.
Please click here for more information on the SkillsFuture Credit. For help in submitting an SFC claim, you may wish to refer to our step-by-step guide on claiming SkillsFuture Credits (Individual). - Workfare Skills Support Scheme
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From 1 July 2023, the Workfare Skills Support (WSS) scheme has been enhanced. Please click here for more details.
Company Sponsored
Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS)
- Organisation must be registered or incorporated in Singapore
- Employment size of not more than 200 or with annual sales turnover of not more than $100 million
- Trainees must be hired in accordance with the Employment Act and fully sponsored by their employers for the course
- Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
- Trainees must not be a full-time national serviceman
- Trainees will be able to enjoy ETSS funding only if the company's SME's status has been approved. To verify your SME's status, please click here.
Please click here for more information on ETSS.
Absentee Payroll
Companies who sponsor their employees for the course may apply for Absentee Payroll here. For more information, please refer to:
AP Guide (Non-SME Companies)
Declaration Guide (SME Companies)
Intake Information
INTAKE 6 | 3 - 4 April 2025 (Day 1: 9:00am - 5:00pm; Day 2: 9:00am - 6:00pm) | Open for Registration |
Testimonials
Additional Details
Programme Registration
Applications will be reviewed by our Programme Admissions Committee. The decision made by the committee is final and no request to review the decision or reveal the considerations leading to the decision would be entertained.
Certified Professional Business Manager (CPBM)
This programme is part of Certified Professional Business Manager. Participants who successfully complete 6 courses/modules with a minimum of 15 training days, from a list of qualifying programmes (terms and conditions apply) within 5 years will receive the Certified Professional Business Manager (CPBM). For example:
Please click here for CPBM details and list of qualifying programmes.