Venture Analyst

Our client, the Michigan State University Foundation is a private, non-profit research foundation associated with Michigan State University, the premier land grant university in the nation.  The Foundation was formed in 1973 as an independent foundation chartered to promote, encourage and aid scientific investigation and research at the university; assist with patent matters and perform trust functions for the university's fundraising organization.

Red Cedar Ventures (RCV) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michigan State University Foundation (MSUF).  Founded in 2014, RCV is proud to be the first venture fund in Mid-Michigan. RCV's objective is to help accelerate commercialization of startups emanating from MSU and ecosystem partners.  Our vision is to be a leading midwestern venture fund providing economic impact with new technology companies, well-paying jobs and value-added partnerships.

Red Cedar Ventures manages two funds:

• The Pre-Seed Fund assists companies with early-stage funding.  Through investment tranches, funds are provided for start-ups to support company formation, seek non-dilutive funding, improve minimal viable product, develop product market fit and attain other milestones needed to position it for seed financing.
• The Opportunity Fund is a later-stage fund that provides additional funding and support as portfolio companies become de-risked and seek venture funding in order to scale.

RCV provides many resources in addition to funding to help launch entrepreneurial ventures including ongoing coaching, board participation, commercial/market assessment, access to our network, consulting on overall strategy and execution, and MSU related partnership opportunities.

Venture Analyst

The Venture Analyst (Analyst) is expected to assist the RCV Executive Director and Director in accomplishing its mission to invest and commercialize MSU's diverse technologies and create a "best in class" organization to exploit MSU's scientific discovery base and innovations from other areas of campus scholarship. 

Responsibilities

• Sourcing - Manage pipeline of inbound leads from entrepreneurs, other MSUF subsidiaries and ecosystem partners and generate outbound opportunities through industry research, conferences, and networking.
• Diligence - Prepare and present investment memos and pitch decks for new and follow-on investments based on fundamental analysis and market research.
• Financial Analysis - Prepare valuations for current and pipeline opportunities including DCF, public and private comparable valuations and transaction analysis.
• Deal Structuring - Assist with deal structuring and the evaluation of term sheets.
• Value Creation - Support portfolio company management teams to develop corporate strategy, evaluate M&A opportunities, assess new business lines, and other projects as needed.
• Portfolio Monitoring - Monitor current investments and portfolio performance via regular valuations, cap table and waterfall analysis and tracking company performance.
• Industry Research - Actively read and seek out new information sources to stay abreast of industry trends. Prepare analysis and research summaries for the RCV team.
• Training programs - Help establish and support training programs for startups in conjunction with other MSUF subsidiaries such as Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, Venture Fellows etc.
• Reporting and Compliance - Assist Directors with internal compliance and reporting functions. Review and help update pitch decks for pipeline and portfolio companies. Update internal and external data bases including Pitchbook and Crunchbase.
• Maintain relationships - with other MSUF subsidiaries, MSU Technologies, MSU Innovation Center and other pertinent partners to ensure timely support of their activities and functions.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• A Bachelor's degree in finance, business or related field
• At least two years prior experience in venture capital, investment banking, management consulting or corporate finance
• Previous exposure to valuation modeling (LBOs, liquidation waterfalls, cap tables, DCF, etc.) and a high level of proficiency in Excel
• A strong passion for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of investment opportunities in innovative technology companies and portfolio management and curation
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong aptitude for logical thinking
• Commitment to professional ethics
• A strong sense of urgency and self-motivation
• A curious mind and interest in value accretion for pre-seed and seed stage companies across sectors including life sciences and information technology
• Desire to learn and contribute to the interplay between university research, technology spinoffs, early-stage investors and business acceleration services in the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Open-minded, collegial, and able to develop relationships and network based on trust, confidence, and respect.
• Ability to propose and encourage new ideas, gain support from organization and manage key risks and resources. Welcoming of change.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize work accordingly to meet critical deadlines.
• Can work independently and with confidence to take initiative and be proactive; exercise sound judgment and discretion especially when handling confidential and sensitive data.
• Demonstrable ties to the state of Michigan
• A passion for innovation.
• An appreciation for enterprise of venture creations and investment.

   

   

   

   

  The MSU Foundation and Red Cedar Ventures are affirmative action, equal-opportunity employers.

   

Current Openings for Venture Analyst Jobs at Karen Andrews Group