Building Financial Models for Entrepreneurs
Building Financial Models for Entrepreneurs
This course is part of Raising Impact Investment Capital Specialization
Instructor: Cathy Clark
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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
Skills you'll gain
Tools you'll learn
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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 videos•Total 45 minutes
- From Deficit to Deal: Defining and Justifying Your Funding Gap•6 minutes
- Build Smart, Not Sloppy: Three Essentials Before You Model•6 minutes
- Your Financial Model, Demystified: A Guided Introduction•4 minutes
- Mapping the Engine: Inputting Your Business Projections•13 minutes
- Reading the Signals: Making Sense of Your Financial Outputs•7 minutes
- The Offer on the Table: Modeling and Pressure-Testing Investment Terms•10 minutes
9 readings•Total 280 minutes
- General Course Information•10 minutes
- Raising Impact Investment Capital Specialization•5 minutes
- Report a Problem with this Course•10 minutes
- GUIDE: Building & Making Sense of Your Financial Model•120 minutes
- FOR DOWNLOAD: Integrated Financial Model Excel Templates•10 minutes
- GUIDE: Pressure-Testing Your Financial Model: Sensitivity and Scenario Analysis•45 minutes
- Additional resource: Advanced Financial Model Template•10 minutes
- GUIDE: Modeling & Pressure-Testing Investment Offers•60 minutes
- Sharing your Learning Experience•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Graded Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Feedback on this Course•10 minutes
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Reviewed on May 20, 2026
Great beginning course to build confidence through manipulating a Financial Modeling Tool. Thanks Duke and Coursera!
Reviewed on Dec 5, 2025
Very useful course. This really gave me the confidence to build a financial model from the scratch
Reviewed on Apr 18, 2026
Very clear and useful explanation of the financial model!
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