Advanced Finance: Venture Capital, M&A and Strategic Value Creation for Executives

In a business environment, senior executives are expected to make strategic decisions that require a deep understanding of finance, not merely as a technical discipline, but as a language of value creation and corporate transformation.

Advanced Finance is an executive-level programme designed for experienced managers, entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders who want to strengthen their ability to evaluate investment opportunities, financing alternatives, acquisitions, growth strategies, and risk exposure. Drawing on real-world private equity, venture capital, and M&A transactions, the course combines strategic thinking with practical financial decision-making.

Participants will explore how successful organizations finance growth, execute acquisitions, manage corporate risk, navigate crisis situations, and create value through ownership and capital structure decisions. Particular attention is devoted to venture capital and private equity investments, valuation of privately held companies, M&A transactions, turnaround management, and modern risk management approaches.

The programme forms part of the Executive MBA curriculum at the Faculty of Business Administration, Prague University of Economics and Business, and is now also available as a standalone executive education course for professionals seeking advanced financial insight without committing to a full degree programme.

---

Key benefits

By the end of the programme, you will be able to:

• Understand how financing decisions influence company value and strategic flexibility.
• Evaluate various sources of capital, including venture capital, private equity, and debt financing.
• Assess investment opportunities using frameworks employed by investors and corporate finance professionals.
• Understand the full lifecycle of venture capital and private equity transactions.
• Analyze mergers and acquisitions, including valuation, due diligence, deal structuring, and post-acquisition value creation.
• Identify warning signs of business distress and understand key principles of turnaround management.
• Apply practical risk management approaches to strategic and financial decision-making.
• Engage more effectively with investors, banks, board members, advisors, and shareholders.
• Gain exposure to real Central European transactions and executive-level case discussions.

---

Who should attend??

This course is designed for experienced professionals who regularly participate in strategic, investment, or financially significant decisions.

Typical participants include:

• Senior managers and executives
• Business unit leaders
• Entrepreneurs and founders
• Family business successors
• Corporate development and strategy managers
• Investment and finance professionals
• Consultants working on corporate growth and transformation projects

Entry Requirements

To ensure a high-quality executive learning environment, participants should meet the following criteria:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience
• Advanced English proficiency
• A basic understanding of finance and financial statements is recommended
• Experience with managerial decision-making or business leadership is highly desirable

---

Course content

Module 1: Financing & Venture Capital

18–19 September 2026 (Friday–Saturday, 2 days)

Key topics include:

• Finance as a driver of business value creation
• Capital allocation and financial decision-making
• Capital structure and financing strategies
• Angel investing and venture capital
• Private equity fundamentals
• Leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, and management buy-ins
• Valuation of privately held companies
• Due diligence and deal structuring
• Managing investments after acquisition
• Entrepreneur and founder perspectives on financing
• Real venture capital and private equity cases

Module 2: M&A, Risk & Turnaround Management

2–3 October 2026 (Friday–Saturday, 2 days)

Key topics include:

• Business crisis and turnaround management
• Bankruptcy and restructuring situations
• Strategic rationale for mergers and acquisitions
• M&A process and transaction lifecycle
• Valuation in acquisition transactions
• Legal, accounting, regulatory, and political aspects of deals
• Critical success factors in M&A integrations
• Risk, uncertainty, and portfolio thinking
• Financial risk measurement and mitigation
• Derivatives and insurance as risk management tools
• Lessons from major failures in corporate risk management

The course combines:

• Executive lectures
• Interactive discussions
• Real business cases
• Practical transaction examples
• Peer learning and networking with experienced professionals
• Participants are expected to actively contribute insights from their own organizations and professional experiences, creating a highly valuable exchange among senior-level peers.

---

Course lecturers

---

Course supervisor

---

What is included in the price?

4 classroom days

• 18–19 September 2026 (Friday–Saturday)
• 2–3 October 2026 (Friday–Saturday)

The programme is delivered in two intensive executive weekends.

Do you need help?