-Overview
Early-stage capital is a critical component of the development finance toolbox, providing financing for entrepreneurs, new technology ventures, and emerging small businesses. CDFA’s Intro Seed & Venture Capital Finance Course explores the growing seed, venture capital, and angel investment industry and provides an overview of capital formation models at the local, regional, and state levels that foster entrepreneurial environments. This course also focuses on programs that use public-sector connections, resources, and coordination to drive sustainable, long-term private-sector investment.
Industry expert panelists will highlight successful programs that are located in communities with varying levels of capacity, sophistication, and size. The Intro Seed & Venture Capital Finance Course will provide development finance professionals with an overview of seed and venture capital initiatives that support entrepreneurship, business investment, job creation, and 21st-century technology development.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Course Objectives
- Learn about the early-stage capital landscape
- Interact with seasoned practitioners in the seed and venture capital industry
- Determine when and how to leverage private and public sources of capital
- Discuss best practices for building successful entrepreneurial environments
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Topics Covered
- Key actors and providers in the early-stage capital environment
- Basic forms of early-stage capital
- How early-stage capital is deployed
- Leveraging publicly-sponsored early-stage capital
- Local efforts to foster entrepreneurs beyond capital
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Who Should Attend?
- Community & Economic Development Professionals
- Investors and Capital Providers
- Incubator and Accelerator Managers
- Government and Non-profit Finance Officers
- Entrepreneurs
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Course Advisor
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Angela Blatt
Council of Development Finance Agencies
Director, Research & Technical Assistance
As Director of Research & Technical Assistance with the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), Angela focuses on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded initiative “Defining the Food System Asset Class,” whereby CDFA explores opportunities for ... the advancement of local and regional food systems using development finance tools. Through this initiative, Angela collaborates with communities across the country providing technical assistance and producing strategic plans for development finance strategies that meet infrastructure, agriculture, and small business needs to support equitable, local food economies. Angela leads CDFA’s Food Systems Finance Advisory Council, joining both the food and finance industries, administers CDFA’s Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, connecting food-related businesses and projects with development finance agencies, and manages the Food and Agriculture Finance Update monthly newsletter. In 2021, she gained certification as a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) through the CDFA Training Institute.
A Navy Veteran, Angela holds two degrees from The Ohio State University: a Master of Public Administration with a focus on Food Policy from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. (More)
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-Agenda
Day 1
| 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Welcome & Overview
Welcome to the CDFA Intro Seed & Venture Capital Course. During this time, the course advisor will introduce CDFA and discuss the framework for the two-day course.
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| 12:15 PM - 2:00 PM |
What is Early-Stage Capital?
Early-stage capital is a valuable resource for fostering a flow of funding for new technologies, businesses, and industries in the early stages of innovation. This session will provide a basic overview of the early-stage capital landscape, including key actors and how to navigate the capital continuum from equity to debt.
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| 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM |
Break
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| 2:15 PM - 4:15 PM |
Basic Forms of Early-Stage Capital
Early-stage capital comes in many forms and these often work together while drawing upon different sources and approaches to financing. In this foundational session, speakers will examine the basic forms of early-stage capital and illustrate when, where, and how each can be deployed to meet the capital needs of a new or expanding business or product line.
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| 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM |
Accessing Private Early-Stage Capital
Key forms of early-stage capital include seed and venture capital as well as angel investments. These private sources of funding can be vital assets early in the business cycle. This session will explore how investment funds and individual investors collaborate to finance businesses and projects, and why entrepreneurs are interested in accessing this type of capital.
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| 5:00 PM |
Adjourn
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Day 2
| 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Revisiting Day 1
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| 12:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
Publicly-Sponsored Early-Stage Capital
In addition to private funding sources, the early-stage capital environment is increasingly built upon the efforts of public agencies through various federal, state, and local programs. This session will explore public sector involvement in promoting local entrepreneurs and quality jobs through resources invested in early-stage capital programs.
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| 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM |
Break
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| 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM |
Building Successful Early-Stage Capital Environments
As a new business or project advances from an idea to a startup and beyond, it requires various forms of capital and different partners along the way. So, what is the recipe for a successful entrepreneurial environment? This session will examine best practices to assess the industry fundamentals, skills, and funding needed to nurture a growing business ecosystem.
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| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
Fostering Early-Stage Capital Throughout Your Community
The world of early-stage capital has historically been insular and isolated. Less than 2% of the billions held by venture capital funds has been allocated to startups with women and minority leaders. The closing session of this course will discuss ways to catalyze early-stage capital and networks at the local level to create entrepreneurial environments best suited to the needs of overlooked and underserved borrowers.
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| 5:00 PM |
Adjourn
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-Location
The Intro Seed & Venture Capital Finance Course will take place on Zoom. The course will meet each day from 12:00-5:00 PM Eastern. Attendees must have access to a computer and the internet to attend the course.
-Registration
This training course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's
Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Scholarships are available to attend this event. Learn more about the
CDFA Scholarship Program,
and submit your application today.
CDFA permits only one person to log in and participate in the course. If multiple people are accessing the course without paying to attend, we will terminate the connection and access. CDFA offers group discounts for organizations that wish to register multiple people.
Register by ___ for Early-Bird Rates.
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CDFA Member: $375
Non-Member: $500
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