Autumn Session 2021, Lausanne
Program
Day 1
Back to the basics
- What’s so special about startups?
- Roles and duties
- Company bodies (General Assembly, BOD, Auditors)
- Swiss legal framework
- Responsibilities of a BOD member
- Being a BOD member in a start-up
- Principles of good governance
- Best practices for startups
- Role of the BOD at key stages in the life of a startup (future rounds, merger, exit, key person resignation)
- Start-up environment
- Classical risks and pitfalls for BOD members in startup
- What questions to ask before joining a BOD?
- Improving relations between shareholders, BOD and management
- Building a successful BOD
- BOD remuneration, what model to apply in startups?
- Compliance
- BOD members liabilities
- Conflict of interests
- Insurances
Day 2
Finance for BOD Members
- Understanding the Business Model
- How solid is it?
- What are the key success factors?
- Case studies of successful and failed business models in startups
- Financial checklist
- Key reminders
- How to monitor the finances of a startup ?
- Financial tools
- Case studies of startups financials in good and bad shape
- Overindebtedness (art. 725 CO)
- Duty of the BOD
- Risks for the BOD
- Case studies
- Role & Responsibilities of BOD members in financial management
- Relation with auditors
- Startup financing and BOD involvement
Day 3
Crisis Management
- Crisis Management in a startup
- What are the common causes of startup crises?
- How to identify the early signs of a crisis?
- Crisis response recommendations
- What actions to take as a BOD member?
- Communication in the crisis
- Groups role play
- Insolvency
- Type of enforcement proceedings
- Role and responsibility of the BOD
- When to call the judge?
- What actions to take ?
- How to present the case to the judge ?
- BOD liability in a bankruptcy procedure
- Groups role play
Day 4
BOD Members meet Startups
Real life exercise
- 4 startups, which have already incorporated, are invited to present to participants, acting as potential BOD members
- At the end of the presentation, each startup describes its ideal board (skills & personality)
- 4 groups are created among the participants with the closest match with each of the startup requirements
- Each group, with the support of a trainer, conducts its due diligence as future BOD member, interacting with the startup management team
- Each group gives the results of its due diligence to the startup with a list of recommendations
- Startups give their feedbacks to the due diligence team (how they feel about this experience, lessons learned, communication process, etc..)
Start date
November 2, 2021
Course dates
Day 1 - November 2, 2021
Day 2 - November 9, 2021
Day 3 - November 16, 2021
Day 4 - November 23, 2021
Time and location
Training starts from: 14:00-18:00
Location: Lausanne
BoardHub and EPFL Innovation Park reserve the right to change this cohort to an online session under certain circumstances or unforeseen events (for example the Covid-19 pandemic), in which case participants not willing to do an online session shall be offered the option of a full refund of the participation fees or the option to join any other future training cohort.”
Language
English
Costs
Total fee for each participant is CHF 950.-
Admission is subjected to a selection process.
A special price applies to a limited number of new start-up founders.
Course Lead
Virginie Verdon
Virginie has a strong background in energy, clean-tech, telecommunication and IT sectors. Often called in during transition periods, she helps companies in their fast growing and restructuring phases. She brings her hands-on expertise in C-level management, finance, marketing & communication, and international business development.
Fascinated by organizations in transition, she took part in two IPOs, led a full privatization process and restructured various SMEs as well as MNCs departments in multicultural environments. She is chairman of the board of a government-owned company and serves on the board of directors of several SMEs and start-up companies.
Trainers
Brigitte Baumann
Brigitte Baumann is the Founder and ex-CEO of Go Beyond Early Stage Investing. In May 2015 EBAN (the European trade association for Business Angels and Seed Funds) named her European Investor of the Year. She is President Emeritus of EBAN and Chairs the Young Presidents Organization’s global Angel Investing group.
Brigitte has 20+ years experience in bringing new technologies to market in the US and Europe. She was the CEO and Director of iWORLD Group, a VC backed, global developer of mobile content. She was Senior Vice President and General Manager Internet at American Express (Amex) Corporate Services. Prior to that, Brigitte spent three years as President for US/Canada of Gemalto, a world leader in smart card technology. She also worked at McKinsey & Company as Senior Engagement Manager.
Brigitte has a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University, Boston and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, Philadelphia.
Jean de Wolff
Jean spent over 20 years in technology oriented companies. His domains of expertise range from international sales to management of large telecom projects. While an executive in large multinational companies, he experienced many of the domestic and international development stages of a corporation. Jean is also an entrepreneur and started several ventures which have been successfully sold. Jean is currently a partner and board member of several small and medium-sized companies and start-ups. He also works as a consultant, advising entrepreneurs and SMEs.
Benedict Stalder
Benedict has spent over 30 years in sales and sales management, starting with his first company at age 21.
He has also held a variety of senior positions in large corporations in information technology and manufacturing sectors before returning to the start-up world. Broad experience in building up and managing strong and large sales teams, covering several thousands small and medium customers and hundreds of large accounts.
Benedict is a consultant, coach and investor and brings sales expertise, senior management, and a trained eye to today’s entrepreneurial world.
Autumn Session 2021, Lausanne
Register nowContact us
For more information please contact directly: Björn Ignell