When looking at a new business idea, there are two big questions to answer: 1. does the customer really want this and 2. could it actually be a sustainable business? In other words, do the numbers add up?

While there are lot of tools you can access to help you understand how to validate your idea and get a sense of whether the world needs what you’ve got to offer, it’s very difficult to navigate the former question. Especially if you’re starting up for the first time.

Agenda:

In this 90-minute session, we will go over the fundamentals of how you can assess your idea’s potential to become a viable business. It doesn’t have to be about becoming a billion dollar unicorn, but you have to understand how you will sustain your operation – where will the money come from, what do you need and, ultimately, will you make more than you need to spend?

Financial modelling for startups is more of an art than a science so don’t expect to go away from this session with all the answers. Instead, we will cover is the logic behind the process of assessing your idea’s financial potential.

Startup finance is also quite different from corporate finance, so whether you’ve got some experience with finance or not, if you’re not sure how to quantify the business case for a new idea then this one’s for you.

Plus, you will get a template you can use after the session to build up your own business case/ financial forecast.

Who is this for?

Anyone who wants to gain or sharpen up startup financial modelling skills. Even if you’re just starting out and having initial conversations with potential customers to understand the scope of the problem you’re trying to solve, it’s never too early to start thinking about the numbers behind your idea.

Location

This event will be held virtually on Zoom. Meeting details will be sent with your confirmation email when you book your ticket.

This activity will support your progress towards the Imperial Award.

About the speaker

These sessions will be led by Lisa Portz. Lisa has successfully raised capital and helped other founders succeed through her venture – ZebraFarm, a startup skills platform. She is also a coach and guest lecturer at Imperial and the Royal College of Art, and has helped many founders create a winning pitch by putting story-telling at the heart of their bids.

Privacy and security

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (the “College” or “Imperial”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal information about you during and after your relationship with us, in accordance with the applicable data protection legislation and the College’s Data Protection Policy.

Please find the Imperial College London - Enterprise Division Privacy Notice here.

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