Dissertation (MBus) -- AUT University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (85 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.) in City Campus Theses Collection (T 332.0415 FRI)

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Freiburg im Breisgau, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [215]-231) and index.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-134). Also available in electronic version.

Thesis (Ph. D.)---Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 265-279).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-187).

This study used protocol analysis to identify key variables in the venture capital investment decision-making process. The study used a fictional business plan which was based on six actual business plans. This fictional business plan was presented to ten venture capitalists who were asked to review it to decide whether to interview the investee. The protocols obtained from these subjects were analyzed to determine patterns within the subjects' review. The sections of the business plan which were commonly reviewed first were the deal structure, the executive summary, and the management section. The management section was used by the greatest number of subjects. The market section was used the greatest number of times. The data were also organized by type of operators used in each subject's protocols. Information Search/Retrieval operators were most common, followed by Task Structuring/Set Goal operators. When classified into the four major categories of Task Structuring/Set Goal, Information Acquisition, Analytical/ Inferential, and Choice operators, Analytical/Inferential operators were used most frequently. Choice operators were least used. The phrases were analyzed by the relevant section in the business plan. The market received the greatest number of references, followed by references to the product and to management. However, when references to the income statement and balance sheet were combined as phrases relevant to the financial statements, the financial statements were referred to more frequently than the product or the people. The subjects appeared to use an unidentified choice program within which certain models could be identified as subroutines. The subjects used an elimination-by-aspects model to screen the business plan. If the business plan met the criteria within the elimination-by-aspects model of the subject, the subject used an additive/nonlinear model for the remainder of the review. The results of this study indicate that financial statements provide information important in the venture capital investment decision-making process. This finding is contrary to the advice usually given to potential venture capital investees.

1 Legal aspects of startup financing and venture capital investments Abstract The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze the legal aspects of startup financing, especially with a focus on venture capital investments. As the transaction documentation related to venture capital investments usually contains a significant number of foreign language clauses and provisions, a part of my thesis is dedicated to these clauses and their detailed description using practical examples. The content itself is divided into three parts. The first of them generally defines the companies referred to as startups and their individual development stages. It also answers the question, startups are facing in their beginnings, of choosing the appropriate legal form. The conclusion of the first part is then focused practically on individual methods used for startup valuation. The second part is then focused on the venture capital investment realization and specific transaction documentation associated with capital investment. The beginning of the second part is focused on pre-contractual documentation referred to as the Term Sheet and legal Due Diligence. Subsequently, the Shareholders' Agreement and individual foreign language clauses and provisions are analyzed. Those provisions are part of the Shareholders' Agreement in order...