Austin Entrepreneur Network

Startup & Funding Course

The Austin Entrepreneur Network provides professional and comprehensive training, mentoring, coaching and leadership for start-ups in a classroom setting. The entrepreneur will learn the key elements on how to start a high-growth business through classroom instruction, case studies, exercises, expert speakers, and other training materials.  The course emphasizes validating the market, identifying the business model, and building the team.

Attendees will receive:

• Eight two-hour classroom sessions over an eight-week period covering
• critical topics on starting and launching a company.
• Two one-on-one working sessions to provide feedback on your one-page
• Executive Summary and Fast pitch.
• Course book with presentation slides, work assignments, and reference
• material

Who Should Apply:  Those who have a business concept under development as
well as those who are starting a business or have an established business.
Date/Time: Tuesdays, from 4pm to 6pm starting March 30th, 2010
Cost: $495/company (up to 3 people/company may attend)

How to Apply:  Submit, by email, a one-page summary of your business
concept to     director@austinentrepreneurnetwork.org or call
512-656-9487.  Seating is limited.

Course Agenda:
Week 1—Opportunity Assessment
Opportunity Assessment
Essentials of the Commercialization Process
Essential Components of a Successful Venture

Week 2 – Validating the Market
Researching the Market
Techniques for Validating the Market
The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit

Week 3 — Business Model & Competitive Analysis
Identifying and Developing the Business Model
Identifying Competition & Understanding Competitive Analysis

Week 4– Marketing & Networking
Marketing & PR for your Product
How to Apply Networking Skills to your Startup

Week 5– Product Development
How to Perform Product Development
How to Setup Product Development Initiatives including Outsourcing and
Offshoring

Week 6—People Model, Legal Structure and Financial Issues
How to build Management Team & Board of Advisors/Directors
Which Legal Structure is Right for Your Company
How to Understand and Develop Financial Statements

Week 7 — Presentation Skills & and Intellectual Property
How to Present Your Company to Others
Key Elements of Intellectual Property
How to Handle Crisis Management

Week 8—Raising Funding & the Fastpitch
The Funding Process for Angels & VCs and other Funding Sources
Understanding Equity Funding Arithmetic
Giving The Fastpitch