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⇱ Building Financial Models for Entrepreneurs | Coursera


Building Financial Models for Entrepreneurs

Building Financial Models for Entrepreneurs

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
5.0

13 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
5.0

13 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Build a complete financial model using a structured Excel template

  • Calculate a venture’s funding gap and determine the capital needed to reach financial break-even

  • Model and compare different investment scenarios, such as equity or debt financing

  • Analyze and refine financial projections to withstand investor scrutiny and support fundraising efforts

Details to know

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Assessments

1 assignment

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Raising Impact Investment Capital Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There is 1 module in this course

How much capital does an impact enterprise really need – and how do you figure that out? This self-paced, mini-MBA-style course walks any entrepreneur step-by-step through building a financial model using our Excel template. You will undertake a process to define your funding gap, test investment scenarios, and plan your future financing needs with confidence. You’ll learn how to input financial data, generate investor-ready projections, and calculate the funding gap—how much capital is needed to reach financial break-even.

You’ll also learn how to pressure-test your projections to withstand investor scrutiny and model different types of investment offers, such as equity and debt. By experimenting with various scenarios, you’ll gain the skills to assess how new capital affects your financial outlook and how to negotiate terms that support your enterprise’s success. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to confidently interpret and explain financial projections, evaluate investment offers, and make informed decisions about raising capital. This course is ideal for anyone looking to understand entrepreneurial finance, financial projections, and modeling investment offers, regardless of background. No prior experience is required, as we break down complex concepts into clear, accessible language and provide practical tools and templates to support your learning.

How much capital does an impact enterprise really need, and how do you figure that out? This module walks any entrepreneur step-by-step through building a financial model using our Excel template. You will undertake a process to define your funding gap, test investment scenarios, and plan your future financing needs with confidence. By experimenting with various scenarios, you’ll gain the skills to assess how new capital affects your financial outlook and how to negotiate terms that support your enterprise’s success. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to confidently interpret and explain financial projections, evaluate investment offers, and make informed decisions about raising capital.

What's included

6 videos9 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 45 minutes
  • From Deficit to Deal: Defining and Justifying Your Funding Gap6 minutes
  • Build Smart, Not Sloppy: Three Essentials Before You Model6 minutes
  • Your Financial Model, Demystified: A Guided Introduction4 minutes
  • Mapping the Engine: Inputting Your Business Projections13 minutes
  • Reading the Signals: Making Sense of Your Financial Outputs7 minutes
  • The Offer on the Table: Modeling and Pressure-Testing Investment Terms10 minutes
9 readingsTotal 280 minutes
  • General Course Information10 minutes
  • Raising Impact Investment Capital Specialization5 minutes
  • Report a Problem with this Course10 minutes
  • GUIDE: Building & Making Sense of Your Financial Model120 minutes
  • FOR DOWNLOAD: Integrated Financial Model Excel Templates10 minutes
  • GUIDE: Pressure-Testing Your Financial Model: Sensitivity and Scenario Analysis45 minutes
  • Additional resource: Advanced Financial Model Template10 minutes
  • GUIDE: Modeling & Pressure-Testing Investment Offers60 minutes
  • Sharing your Learning Experience10 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes
  • Graded Quiz30 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Feedback on this Course10 minutes

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Instructor

Duke University
6 Courses44,634 learners

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Showing 3 of 13

TK
·

Reviewed on May 20, 2026

Great beginning course to build confidence through manipulating a Financial Modeling Tool. Thanks Duke and Coursera!

KS
·

Reviewed on Dec 5, 2025

Very useful course. This really gave me the confidence to build a financial model from the scratch

MP
·

Reviewed on Apr 18, 2026

Very clear and useful explanation of the financial model!

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Financial aid available,