Learning Curve Archive > 2006 Women entrepreneurs: A growing and promising phenomenon 06/12/2006. Women entrepreneurs have become increasingly common in the business world. This IVCJ article examines women's relative advantages as well as some of the obstacles that persist in today’s business environment. Using leverage to stimulate investment in small businesses 22/11/2006. The use of leverage by investors and technology companies can provide substantial benefits. In this IVCJ article, Sarit Soccary Ben-Yochanan of L Capital Partners explains ways in which leverage works to boost investor incentives and enhance company growth and innovation Willful Infringement = Punitive Damages! 25/10/2006. The threat of punitive damages in a patent infringement suit can be removed by evidence of good faith, notes the Israel Venture Capital Journal. F. Jason Far-hadian, Esq., Principal of Century IP Group, discusses how to counter allegations of willful infringement. European venture capital: the path to maturity 11/10/2006. This article outlines the dynamics within the European venture capital market in terms of sourcing deal flow, investing and exits, highlighting key emerging trends and challenges since 2000. This is a sample chapter from the book Structuring European Private Equity. Investing in private equity through a fund of funds 11/10/2006. Important considerations in portfolio allocation to private equity are examined by Fort Washington in this introductory paper on the subject. The nature of private equity - The stages and types of private equity financing 27/09/2006. Companies that do not qualify to issue securities to raise capital on the public, organised securities markets, or that choose not to do so, often turn to the private equity market for their financing requirements. This is a sample chapter from the book Adding Value in Private Equity - Lessons from Mature and Emerging Markets. Getting the message across 20/09/2006. In this Israel Venture Capital Journal article, Noga Fisher offers a six-step coaching curriculum for venture capital firms to teach their portfolio companies' CEOs how to improve their presentations. Resolving disputes in China through arbitration 13/09/2006. Arbitration is usually the preferred method of dispute resolution for investors in China and this guide from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer aims to describe the most significant features of the arbitral process and the requirements for an arbitration clause. Transatlantic merger control: The same destination but by different routes 06/09/2006. The convergence of EU and US merger enforcement policy in recent years has given rise to a new set of strategic considerations for parties embarking on transatlantic transactions, says Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. It is now clearly imperative that merging parties co-ordinate their legal strategy across jurisdictions very carefully indeed, taking into account the greater legal accord and increased communication between competition agencies in the US and EU. Managing risk in venture capital investing 30/08/2006. Risk is part of the landscape when investing in start-up firms, and venture capitalists need to approach this peril across a range of dimensions, including geography, industry and the timing of investments in the product development cycle, says Knowledge Wharton. Case study in operations 09/08/2006. Suppose you receive an investment memorandum proposing the rollup of a franchisor and two of its franchises in the building products industry, says Knowledge Wharton in this private equity case study. The combined company will not have a management team, infrastructure or information systems, and you have no previous experience in the niche. Upon further research, you learn that analysts are forecasting a near-term peak in the housing cycle and interest rates are expected to rise further. Sound like a good deal? While it's not for the faint of heart, this is just the kind of situation in which operationally-oriented private equity firms thrive. Country Q&A: UK (England and Wales) 02/08/2006. This Practical Law Company article describes the private equity market in the UK jurisdiction and looks at issues such as the opportunities for investment available to institutional investors such as pension funds, insurance companies and banks. Using recapitalisation to unlock value in privately owned companies 12/07/2006. Franz von Bradsky of Green Tree Capital examines transitions in ownership through the use of leveraged recapitalisations, typically referred to in industry parlance as a recap. Private equity glossary 28/06/2006. For those new to the discipline, the Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth have provided their private equity glossary for download. The arts of communication 14/06/2006. In this part two of a two-part series in the Israel Venture Capital Journal, high-tech entrepreneur Isabel Maxwell continues to discuss the principles of good communications. The best things come to those who wait … 14/06/2006. Carried interest - the management team’s share of fund profits - is a critical factor in motivating private equity executives, says SJ Berwin, and suggests that carried interest arrangements for European funds may be shifting a little in favour of managers Death, taxes, and Series A Cap tables 18/04/2006. At the start of the year Niel Robertson was invited to give a keynote address at the monthly Rockies Venture Club meeting. His keynote subject was 'New Years Resolutions for Entrepreneurs'. One of his favorites was 'I resolve to give away 50 per cent of my company in a Series A round, and smile while I am doing it'. Behind the curtain: VC due diligence is no mystery 04/04/2006. If you ask ten funded entrepreneurs what happened during the VC due diligence process, you will get ten different answers, according to Vince Occhipinti of Woodside Fund. Some will say they lost valuable months answering endless questions for VCs that never produced a term sheet. Others may admit they gained valuable insights to their business. Venture capital myths and realities 29/03/2006. Venture capital requires some very special skills and competences says, Dr. Benoit Leleux, the Stephan Schmidheiny Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at IMD. It is not about portfolio allocation, diversification, picking projects, managing risk exposure, etc. It is about managing growth, technology and people, one project at a time. The need for speed 15/03/2006. Venture capitalists may find potential portfolio firms asking for their funding yesterday, says Jeffrey P. Blanchard of First Capital Group, but VCs often prefer to point to the sign behind their desk that reads: 'The lack of proper planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on our part.' When is a hedge fund not a hedge fund? 08/03/2006. Hedge funds have long played a role in financing private equity deals, says SJ Berwin, but their continuing move into the space more typically occupied by buy-out funds has generated considerable interest recently. The due diligence process: how venture capital firms choose their investments 08/02/2006. First Capital Group examines what you can expect a venture capital firm to examine while the VC is reaching a determination regarding funding an enterprise. The arts of communication 08/02/2006. Internet entrepreneur Isabel Maxwell is well-experienced in dealing with communication issues between Israelis and their Silicon Valley counterparts. In this Israel Venture Capital Journal article, she presents her insights and offers concrete suggestions on how to close the communications gap. Early exits: the triggers for venture firms to sell their portfolio investments 09/01/2006. Entrepreneurs often swap stories of venture capital firms who attempt or succeed in forcing the sale of a portfolio company against the management team's wishes. Yet there is much that can be done on both sides to prevent disagreements regarding a portfolio company's sale. The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers 01/01/2006. The main principles and rules governing the planning and day-to-day conduct of a takeover offer for a UK public company are covered by a non-statutory set of general principles and rules, says Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, as set out in The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.