Attracting Venture Capital in a Buyer’s Market

Let’s say you’ve finally done it. You had an idea and you’ve built the beginnings of a business, turning your dream into a reality. You have invested heart and soul into your new start-up, which is still in an embryonic state, employing all of the knowledge and skills you developed in business school. But now’s the hard part: how do you get venture capital investments to choose your bright idea and help really get it off the ground, especially when there’s so much competition and only so much capital?

No matter how much you know or how shrewd of an entrepreneur you are, your ability to attract venture capital is what will make or break your career in business, particularly in the first years you’re working on your own, when you’re still building a reputation. That’s why it’s imperative to consider how your academic degree will help or hinder you market yourself to investors before you get your MBA.

Business school – knowledge is not enough

Not all business schools are created equal. That seemingly innocuous statement reflects some basic truths most people forget when choosing where to get their MBA. Obviously the quality of MBA programs differ from one university to the next. But even aside from the quality of the education itself, schools differ from one another qualitatively in two important ways.

Firstly, good business schools, beyond imparting to students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed also enable them to make the lasting connections in the business world that make the difference between success and failure. This is particularly important to the young entrepreneur looking to attract venture capital for her or his start-up. This isn’t just a matter of comparing levels of quality between schools; different programs offer different types of networks which may better suit different kinds of businesses or certain regions. Researching the backgrounds of the professors at different programs is a good way to see what kind of network connections you will get. Where did they go to school and what kind of business ventures were they involved in?

The other qualitative difference between MBA programs is field specialization. Many schools emphasize a particular field or have a reputation for excellence in certain areas. Investors and venture capitalists will pay close attention to your background and your school’s reputation when considering your start-up for investment. If you’re looking to build new start-ups or your own business, look for degrees that give you more than just what you need to be a cog in a large multinational.

International schools, international networks

Today’s economy is more globalized than ever before, and national markets are becoming more intertwined every day. That makes international schools, which offer international networks bridging countries and continents, particularly attractive to the budding young entrepreneur.

The Technion’s international Start-uP MBA in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Management in Israel is one such program, offering the next generation of business leaders the toolkit needed to build their dream company and get it off the ground with venture capital. The faculty offers a diverse global network of connections from the United States, Europe, and Israel, including the Wharton, Insead, and London Business School. The Technion itself lends graduates the prestige of one of the world’s leading universities and tech innovation centers and is ranked among the top 100 in the world.

Field study at successful start-ups and market leaders not only helps students forge ties with existing firms, it gives them real life experience. And of course, since it’s an international program and part of the Yale Global Network for Advanced Management, graduates forge a network with other entrepreneurs all over the globe.

For start-up and innovation-oriented business, the Technion has set the standard for international MBA programs. And best of all, it guarantees its grads a portfolio and reputation that will wow even venture capital firms.

Contact info@technionmba.com for more details