Raising Start-Up Capital // BUSINESS 241

Tuesday, June 26th from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Arie Abecassis, Co-Founder, AppStori; Venture Partner, DreamIt Ventures

One of the most critical issues facing entrepreneurs is deciding if and when it makes sense to raise outside capital. In today's entrepreneurial environment, there are many funding options and competitive pressures to grow rapidly. Access to capital cannot only help accelerate product development and sales, but in many cases, partnering with the right investors can influence the trajectory of a business. 

This course will cover key issues start-ups need to consider to make the decision that is best for their organization, including: 

• How to determine capital requirements and whether outside funding is appropriate
• Best practices in identifying and approaching potential investors
• The pros and cons of raising funds from angels vs funds
• What methodologies to use in determining valuation and terms 
• The value of accelerators as a source of capital and leverage
• The emerging role of online crowd-funding platforms

By the end of the class, each student will be better informed on how to think about the funding decision, become more aware of their options and be ready to develop a course of action.

Arie Abecassis is co-founder of AppStori and a Venture Partner at DreamIt Ventures. He’s been actively involved in the New York tech community as an entrepreneur and investor, and currently sits on the boards of SeatGeek, Adaptly and BiznessApps.