‘Sell Risk, then Opportunity’ – Page 3

Michigan State Univ., Silicon Valley, Hungary & Emerging Markets

On 2 February I spoke to graduate and undergraduate students of Dr. Zsuzsanna Fluck at Michigan State University (MSU). Zsuzsanna teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in private equity and venture capital at the Eli Broad Graduate School of Business. Zsuzsanna is also the director of MSU’s Center for Venture Capital, Private Equity & Entrepreneurial Finance. A few weeks ago I delivered this same lecture to graduate students enrolled in the private equity class of Dr. David Brophy, Ross Graduate School…

The Valley of Death. Market Failure? Or Rational Behavior of Investors to Risk?

Governments, development banks and investors poured billions of dollars to finance entrepreneurs in the ‘Valley of Death.’ Add in the millions of hours of human energy and thought devoted to creating solutions too, and the investment is truly staggering. Yet the Valley of Death still exists. Conventional thought defines the ‘Valley of Death’ as a market failure. But is it? Or is the Valley simply the rational behavior of investors to risk? If the Valley is a reaction to risk,…

‘Path to Commercialization:’ An IVI Master Class in Mentoring

I created this program as Part II in my Master Class series of ‘Scaling Up’ at the request of John Hoxmeier, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies at Colorado State University (CSU). John is managing CSU’s executive MBA program in Kazan, Russia with students holding senior positions in state owned enterprises, Ministries of ICT, Industry, Trade & Development, the Tatarstan Presidential Administration and Tatarstan’s sovereign wealth fund. This Master Class was conducted 3-5 November 2011 in Kazan, Russia. CSU earned the personal attention and congratulations from the President…