BUS 40 — Breaking into the Venture Industry
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Lu Zhang
Date(s): Feb 2—Mar 16
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Mondays
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Please Note: No class on February 16
Tuition: $540
Refund Deadline: Feb 4
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 60
Status: Open
Quarter: Winter
Day: Mondays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Feb 2—Mar 16
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $540
Refund Deadline: Feb 4
Instructor(s): Lu Zhang
Enrollment Limit: 60
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Open
Please Note: No class on February 16
Venture capital occupies a unique and critical role in the global economy. To many, the VC industry is alluring for its potential to uncover the next unicorn startup, offer substantial returns, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology, health, and other sectors. However, the industry is notoriously difficult to access. Silicon Valley investor and Stanford alum Lu Zhang created this course to decode the mysteries of the venture industry. The course consists of two main sections, beginning with an introduction to fundamental components, including deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio construction. In the second section, students learn a comprehensive framework for evaluating risk, including market, founder, and competitive risks. These sections help students develop their investment thesis and provide a perspective on business plan creation. By the end, students will understand the typical VC investment process, have strategies for developing their deal-sourcing pipeline and network, and have a framework for conducting due diligence.
LU ZHANG
Founder and Managing Partner, Fusion Fund
Lu Zhang is a Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience bringing technologies to market, specializing in materials science, AI in healthcare, enterprise networks, edge computing, and data privacy. She has advised on multiple IPOs and M&A for portfolio companies. In 2015, Zhang founded Fusion Fund, which supports early-stage entrepreneurs building disruptive technologies in healthcare, enterprise AI, and industrial automation. She received an MS in materials science and engineering from Stanford. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.