You will be equipped with practical tools, methodologies, and best practices that you can immediately apply. This track is about empowering you to lead your start-up through its next phase of growth with confidence and clarity.
In Lab 1, we set the scene to navigate the critical transition from startup to scale-up from both strategic and personal perspectives. The day begins with an open discussion where you will connect with fellow founders and share your growth challenges, laying the foundation for a day filled with actionable strategies and expert guidance.
In Lab 2, we dive into the financial strategies and investor dynamics essential for scaling your startup. This lab equips you with the financial skills and strategic tools necessary to navigate the complexities of growth in a competitive market. Going beyond basic financial principles, we will focus on making critical decisions that will create and sustain value for your business.
With your financial growth plans in place and a clear understanding of the investor landscape, it’s time to learn how to connect with investors and negotiate deals that drive your business forward. Lab 3 focuses on how to persuade investors with the right financial data and a strong pitch. You will also dive into the legal aspects of these deals, ensuring you’re fully prepared to strike the best possible agreements. Finally, we will explore how to implement a financial management system that not only creates sustainable value but also positions your business for a successful exit.
Once your deal is up and running, new challenges arise. In Lab 4, you will learn how to form and manage a board of directors while gaining insights into best practices for board reporting. We will also cover the legal implications and responsibilities that come with having a board.
In Lab 5, we move from a legal to a relational perspective on board collaborations. Focus will be on the use of politics, power and influence in collaborating with your board. Using reflective and experiential exercises we will guide you in developing the key traits of a politically savvy founder/CEO. The day closes with a panel discussion in which practitioners and experts broaden the scope of board collaboration and share insights and experience on other common hurdles such as ‘delivering bad news’, ‘managing conflict with/within your board’.
In the final lab, all the insights and strategies you have gained throughout the track come together. After each previous lab, you have had the opportunity to apply your learnings to your own business case, with the guidance of experienced coaches through one-on-one sessions. These personalized coaching sessions help you tackle your specific growth challenges and fine-tune your approach. In this concluding session, you will present the results of your journey to a panel of experts. The panel will evaluate your progress and provide final feedback, helping you address any remaining challenges.
