Qualified Early-Stage Investor Course

Early-stage investment is a critical part of the commercialisation and a powerful source of financing for high growth companies. 

There is a growing need in Australia for a robust education framework to provide early-stage investors with the tools they need to make sound investment decisions and build a purposeful and profitable investment portfolio.

UQ Ventures, in partnership with Angel Loop, is presenting potential investors with case studies, expert presentations and facilitated discussions designed to help you learn how to successfully identify, evaluate and manage your own personal early-stage investment portfolio.

"UQ's Financial Literacy certificate has provided me with the angel investment tools to start my startup investment portfolio. I now feel confident and my decision making process has been significantly strengthened. Therefore, I would like to strongly recommend this course to every potential investor. Simon's delivery was 10 out 10." – Luis Arroyo

 


Upcoming Workshop:

Brisbane

Date: Thursday 4 April - Friday 5 April 2024
Location: 308 Queen Street, Brisbane City
Cost: $1750 (including GST)

Register to attend

This course provides the necessary financial literacy pathways to enable attendees to be recognised as sophisticated investors under Section 761GA of the Corporations Act, 2001. According to The Treasury Financial Advisor Standards Code of Ethics, wealth is not the sole determinate of whether an investor is a sophisticated/wholesale investor with respect to early-stage investments. 

Overview

Who the course is for?

Any member of the public who is interested in investing in Australian innovations.

Objective of course

Participants will learn how to:

  • assess the merits of an investment
  • understand the value proposition of that investment
  • understand the risks associated with holding that investment
  • can make independent decisions based on the adequacy of the information provided about that investment

Topics covered in the course

  • Culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Australia
  • Startup ecosystem – where do Angels fit
  • The risk involved – investment thesis and startup economics
    • Portfolio theory and construction
  • How to identify opportunities
    • How can you help a startup
  • Negotiation, term sheets and deal economics
  • Assessment and due diligence
  • Role of Angel Groups
  • Deal syndication

Concepts

Introduction to Angel Investing

  • Culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Australia
  • Current funding landscape
  • Role of Angel Investor Groups
  • Understanding your motivation and risk tolerance
  • What does success look like?

Evaluating Opportunities 

  • Risks and returns of a broad portfolio
  • How to build a portfolio
  • Where to source opportunities
  • Personal investment roles and responsibilities
  • Tax incentives

Negotiating

  • Understanding the term sheet
  • Negotiating deal terms
  • Types of investments: shares or convertible loan
  • Deal economics, management & control, protection, exits & liquidity
  • Valuations and methodologies and negotiations
  • Cap Table, Employee Share schemes and capital return to investors
  • Thinking about later follow-on rounds

Portfolio Management

  • Being Non-Executive Director (mentoring and coaching)
  • Challenges in startups (e.g. early sales traction, growth and employment)
  • Managing your portfolio (gaps / overlaps / themes / balance)

Disclaimer

This course is designed to provide financial literacy educational content only. A Financial Services Licensee is required to assess the attendee’s experience to be recognised as a Sophisticated Investor under Sect 761GA of the Corporations Act. That decision is wholly at the discretion of the Licensee and is in accordance with the Act.

Angel Loop is a Registered Charity (QLD) that promotes a culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship through the promotion of a culture of Investment where financial returns may not be the primary consideration in choosing to invest to bringing public utility innovations to commercial fruition.

Course:

Cost: $1750 - including GST

Included: two-day workshop (one theory / one practical) plus a year free membership to an Angel Loop supported Angel Group.

Please note: if you are unable to join due to feeling unwell, a full refund will be offered upon presentation of supporting documents.

Simon Horne
Simon Horne, 
CEO of Angel Loop

Simon Horne is an Angel Investor and currently CEO of Australia's largest Angel Investor network Angel Loop which has grown to 17 groups across Queensland and New South Wales. Previously he had 15 years of international entrepreneurial experience having started a number of businesses in Asia and more recently in the US.

The most successful was the Silicon Valley startup BlueJeans where he joined as employee #1 and helped formulate the idea, assisted getting the initial funding and was part the foundation team in 2009/10. The cloud-based Video Conferencing platform has gone on to raise USD175 million from valley VC firms including Accel Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Battery Ventures & Norwest Venture partners. It employs over 600 people and exited to Verizon for USD500 million in June 2020.

Course registration

Cost: $1750 - including GST

Included: 2 day workshop (1 theory / 1 practical) + 1 year free membership to an Angel Loop supported Angel Group.

Contact us

If you have any questions please contact

ventures@uq.edu.au

Location