Decoding Venture Capital
Understand how venture capital works from the inside
From fund structures and key metrics to sourcing deals and building conviction as an investor.
Over five sessions with real investors from HPVC, Cathay Innovation, V14, identity.vc, and AENU, you'll get a hands-on, investor-side view of the startup funding ecosystem, ending with your own investment call in front of a live jury.
⚡️ Spots are limited, so apply early ⚡️
What You'll Learn
How is a VC fund structured and how does money flow between GPs and LPs?
How do VCs source, screen, and evaluate startups?
What key metrics and financials do investors look at before writing a check?
How do term sheets, cap tables, and deal negotiations actually work?
What does it take to build a fund around a specific thesis?
How do you make an investment call when uncertainty can't be fully resolved?
Sessions
📅 Session 1: Foundations · Oct 22
GP/LP structures, fund economics (the famous 2/20), the investment process end-to-end, funding stages from pre-seed to IPO, key metrics, and the roles inside a fund with Michael Mansfeld (HPI Ventures) and Katharina Schild (Cathay Innovation).
📅 Session 2: Navigating Uncertainty · Oct 29
A hands-on workshop putting you in the investor's seat: as a VC, how do you push founders to reduce uncertainty and how do you make the call when they can't?
📅 Session 3: Building a Thesis-Driven Fund · Nov 5
What it takes to build conviction around a fund thesis, including the realities of raising and investing as a diversity-focused fund, with Jaren Schipper (identity.vc) and Melusine Bliessener (AENU).
📅 Session 4: VC Law Essentials · Nov 12
Cap tables, term sheets, valuations, and deal structuring. The things that actually decide if a deal gets done, explained by real lawyers from V14.
📅 Session 5: Live Jury · Nov 19
Present your own investment case and defend it in front of a live jury of guest investors, with direct feedback on your reasoning.
What You Get
🎓 HPI-branded Certificate of Completion (awarded for attending at least half the sessions)
🤝 Direct access to guest investors from HPI Ventures, Cathay Innovation, V14, identity.vc, and AENU
🎯 Real practice making investment decisions, under uncertainty, and in front of a live jury
Who It's For
Students from any university: bachelor, master, or PhD.
No prior finance or VC knowledge required, just curiosity about how startup funding really works.
Format
5 weekly sessions · 2 hours each · In-person at HPI Griebnitzsee · Free