Master startup finance with industry experts and real case studies
The Startup Academy - Startup Finance course
Limited spots available, apply now! Next edition: October 16th, 2025
Join a community of +550 startup finance professionals
Our community brings together founders, CFOs, and operators from leading startups, VC funds, corporates, and public institutions. By joining The Startup Academy, you’re not just learning, you’re building long-term relationships with key players in the ecosystem
Financial management in startups requires a precise and strategic approach to ensure sustainability and scalability. Through case studies, a validated methodology, and over ten editions, this course provides entrepreneurs and professionals with the necessary tools to facilitate informed financial decisions
We want to bring the startup world all the knowledge our team has on startup finance, gained from working with +400 projects in 20+ countries, with a highly practical, real case-based approach
Dedication
3 hours/week (1h theory + 1h case study + 1h live class every Thursday)
Format
Online, with content applicable from day one
Language
Theory and pre-recorded classes: English
Live classes: Spanish
Price
€1.450 (payable in up to 3 installments)
Start date
First live class: Thursday, October 16th
10 editions
Since we started in 2021, we have successfully conducted ten editions of our courses, including eight editions of our iconic Startup Finance program and one edition of our Venture Capital course
550+ students
Our main goal is to share our team's knowledge with everyone interested in learning with us. Since we started, we have trained +550 students
+15 countries
We have trained students from over 15 different nationalities. Our goal is to create a space where people from diverse backgrounds can connect, share experiences, and exchange knowledge
Why enroll in our Startup Finance course?
Joining our Startup Finance course means much more than just learning the theory. You’ll gain access to real-world cases that will help you truly master startup finance, from fundraising and cap tables to financial modeling and investor reporting
But that’s just the beginning...
As a member of The Startup Academy, you'll also become part of a growing community of founders, finance professionals, and startup operators. Enjoy exclusive meetups, member-only webinars, and live sessions with top industry experts — designed to keep you sharp, connected, and inspired long after the course ends
1 - Master startup finance
It’s not just about managing numbers; it’s about understanding their impact on every key business decision. In our Startup Finance course, you’ll learn to structure, analyze, and project your company’s financial health using practical tools and real case studies. We’ll teach you exactly what you need to make strategic decisions and grow with confidence
Model and understand different business models
Understand the various financing alternatives for startups
Dive deep into funding rounds and their long-term impact
2 - Join a high-level community
Learning about startup finance at The Startup Academy is more than just an academic experience; it is a gateway to new opportunities. We connect our students with founders, CFOs, and venture capital funds, providing access to career opportunities. Our community continues to grow, fostering valuable connections long after the course ends
Share synergies, challenges, and opportunities within our community
Expand your network through events, webinars, and coffee chats with experts
Access our job board and connect with startups and venture capital funds
3 - Learn from top-tier experts
Accessing top content is great, but learning directly from the people shaping the startup world takes it to the next level
As part of The Startup Academy, you’ll gain exclusive entry to a series of live webinars, Q&A sessions, and in-depth talks led by founders, CFOs, investors, and finance professionals who know the startup ecosystem inside and out. These sessions are not open to the public, they’re for members only.
Share insights and ask questions in real time during our live expert sessions
Join webinars and masterclasses that deep-dive into real challenges faced by startups
Stay ahead of the curve with content that evolves, just like the startup landscape
Profiles that you will find in the community
CEOs, COOs, and senior executives of startups who want to take control of their company’s finances and gain real visibility for decision making
Early stage finance professionals looking to learn or strengthen key financial concepts in detail to apply them in their daily work
Business Angels and Venture Capital investors who analyze startups from an investor’s perspective, focusing on metrics and business models
Corporate professionals seeking to pivot their careers toward startups or venture capital
Block 1 - Introduction to finance and startups
An introduction to the key concepts needed to understand what a startup is and the different stages of its growth. This module also covers general finance and accounting principles and how they apply to startups
Topic 0 - Introduction to Excel Modeling
Topic 1 - Introduction to Startup Finance
Block 2 - Business models
Study of the main business models such as SaaS, marketplaces, platforms, ecommerce, data, R&D. In-depth study of financial modeling, main business metrics and key concepts of each of these models
Topic 2 - SaaS
Topic 3 - Platforms, marketplaces, ecommerce
Topic 4 - Other business models
Topic 5 - Reporting startups
Block 3 - Startup finance
Study of the different financing alternatives for startups including public funding, bank funding, venture debt, and revenue-based financing. Deep dive into private investment rounds and the key clauses involved. This module also covers governance structures and analyzes possible exit strategies for a startup
Topic 6 - Financing alternatives
Tema 7 - Funding Rounds I
Tema 8 - Funding Rounds II
Tema 9 - Startup Governance
Block 4 - Introduction to Venture Capital
Introduction to how a Venture Capital firm works. An overview of the key concepts in the VC industry, including GPs vs. LPs, fee structure, and investment period. You will also learn how to model a fund’s return projections
Pre-registration and enrollment: until October 8th
The pre-registration period will remain open until October 8th. Pre-registered participants will have until this date to ask questions about the course and finalize their enrollment in the upcoming edition
Course presentation: October 9th
On October 9th, there will be a live information session about the course structure, and all course materials will be available to students
First live session: October 16th
After completing your enrollment and reviewing the course materials, you can mark your calendar for the first live session, where you will engage with our instructors and fellow Startup Finance course participants!
Limited spots available! Remember that you must pre-register first to enroll in the course
Leave us your details, and we will send you more information about the course and how to complete the enrollment process
Managing Partner at The Startup CFO
Private Investor at BackFund
Consultant at McKinsey & Company
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Global Head Strategic Finance at IVI RMA
Director of Strategic Finance at Gelato
Manager at McKinsey & Company
"The Startup Finance course at The Startup Academy is the perfect program to dive deep into financial concepts applied to the latest market trends. For anyone unfamiliar with how a startup’s finance department operates, it is almost essential, as it covers all the key aspects from a highly practical perspective."
Curro Moreno Vidal
Head of Product - Zinkee
"Great dedication from the team, detailed and up-to-date course content, and classmates with outstanding professional backgrounds in the industry. The Startup Finance course at The Startup Academy will not only train future startup CFOs but also future entrepreneurs!"
Denis Ciccale
CTO & Co-Founder - Zenfulfillment
Frequently asked questions from our students
Content
Do I need prior knowledge of finance?
No, it's not necessary. You will learn everything you need during the course, and the introductory topics will provide you with the essential foundations for the rest of the program
How in-depth is the course?
Although it is a 10-week program, it covers each topic in enough depth to ensure you master startup finance
Will the content be available if I cannot attend the live classes or events?
Yes, we record and share all materials, which will be uploaded to the platform so you can access them as many times as you need
How long will I have access to the materials after the course ends?
You will have unlimited access to the materials, allowing you to consult them indefinetely
Payment and financing
Can my company pay for the course?
No problem at all. The contract includes an annex for billing details, where you can enter either your personal infomration or your company's details
Can the payment be split?
Yes, the payment for any of our courses can be divided into up to three monthly installments with no additional interest
What payment methods are available?
We accept credit and debit card payments, direct debit, bank transfers, Google Pay and Apple Pay
10 key metrics to measure your startup's efficiency
"The business world is evolving faster than ever, and many startups blame a lack of time for not tracking their performance.
However, in the startup ecosystem, metrics are especially crucial since changes happen within very short time frames. Sometimes in months or even weeks..."
Can I afford to have an external CFO if my turnover is still low?
"Many early-stage founders think a CFO is out of reach — especially with low revenue. But the truth is, early financial guidance can prevent costly mistakes. Sometimes, not having a CFO costs more than having one…"
How to structure a funding round and raise the capital your company needs
"Before launching your round, you need more than traction — you need structure, clarity, and a compelling story. An external CFO brings that strategic edge: designing the right capital stack, defining how much to raise, choosing instruments like equity
Proven strategies to improve cash flow management in your startup
“Many startups focus on growth while neglecting cash flow — but in a resource-constrained environment, maintaining real-time control of liquidity is critical. By forecasting accurately, digitizing processes, negotiating payment terms, building a cash cushion, and instilling financial discipline across the team, you not only stretch runway — you gain the confidence to scale responsibly.”
How to prepare a startup business plan in one hour:
Leave us your email, and we'll send you the business plan in Excel!
How to build a strong reporting model in one hour:
Leave us your email and we'll send you the reporting template in Excel!
Main business models in startups
Webinar led by our Managing Partner Jaime Medina Manresa: "Main business models in startups"
What will we learn in the webinar?
📊 Key principles for modeling SaaS businesses
💳 Essential factors for modeling marketplaces
💡 Insights into other business models
SaaS metrics and how to model them
Webinar led by our Managing Partner Jaime Medina Manresa:
📊 Building and analyzing the MRR breakdown and customer portfolio to calculate key indicators such as ACV and ARPA
💡 Exploring efficiency metrics to compare customer value with acquisition efforts (LTV, CAC, Payback, etc.)
📑 Reviewing benchmarks for the discussed ratios to assess the real financial situation of the projected startup
How to perform a cohort analysis for a startup
Webinar led by our Managing Partner Jaime Medina Manresa:
✅ Learn how to build cohorts from raw data
✅ Understand how to interpret cohorts and extract key insights on business evolution and strategy
✅ Explore real examples of cohort analysis across different business models