Venture Capital

ExcelJet (Dave Bruns) is the go-to professional quick reference. BIWS Excel series is the gold standard for IB model hygiene. TrumpExcel (Sumit Bansal) is India's most trusted Excel educator with 500K+ subscribers. Macquarie/Coursera Excel specialisation is the best free structured certificate path.

Audit-Ready Financial Model with Full Checks

Build an analyst-quality Excel workbook for any Indian company's financial projections. The model must follow professional hygiene: blue hard-codes, black formulas, no hard-codes inside formulas, circular reference check, balance sheet check, and a dedicated Assumptions sheet. Add a scenario toggle (Base/Bull/Bear), a sensitivity table, and a summary dashboard page. Someone should be able to audit your model without asking you any questions.

Time box: 3-4 days

Data/source: Screener.in for historical numbers

Built audit-ready financial model in Excel following professional hygiene standards; included balance sheet checks, scenario toggle, sensitivity table, and dashboard output.

Carta's educational content is the practitioner standard. BIWS is the most cited cap table modeling resource. The Valuation School covers Indian nuances — CCPS, FEMA compliance, convertible note vs SAFE structures.

Multi-Round Cap Table - Seed to Series B with Exit Waterfall

Build a full cap table in Excel for a fictional Indian B2B SaaS startup. Round 1 (Seed): 2 founders (each 40%), angel investor puts in INR 1 Cr at INR 10 Cr post-money. Round 2 (Series A): VC puts in INR 10 Cr at INR 50 Cr post-money; 10% ESOP pool created. Round 3 (Series B): New VC puts in INR 40 Cr at INR 200 Cr post-money; existing VC exercises pro-rata of INR 5 Cr. Build the complete dilution table showing ownership % after each round. Then model exits at INR 150 Cr, INR 300 Cr, and INR 600 Cr showing what each party receives after applying 1x non-participating liquidation preferences.

Time box: 3-4 days

Data/source: Self-constructed (fictional startup, realistic Indian VC market terms)

Built multi-round cap table for fictional Indian SaaS startup from seed to Series B; modeled dilution, ESOP pool impact, and exit waterfall across 3 scenarios showing per-party returns.

Y Combinator for VC sourcing strategy. BIWS for PE deal origination process. The Valuation School covers India-specific sourcing — BSE SME platform, family business buyouts, AngelList India, DPIIT-registered startups.

PE Acquisition Target Universe - 15 Companies

Imagine you are a mid-market PE analyst building a target list in one sector (healthcare, education, specialty manufacturing, or consumer brands). Screen all Indian companies in that sector for PE suitability using 5 criteria: revenue INR 200-2,000 Cr, EBITDA margin >15%, low leverage, founder-led with succession question, and growing market. Document 15 companies in a CRM tracker with a one-paragraph IC-ready rationale per company.

Time box: 5-6 days

Data/source: Screener.in (listed), Ministry of Corporate Affairs (unlisted), Tofler, Zauba Corp

Built 15-company PE acquisition pipeline in Indian [sector]; applied 5 suitability criteria; ranked top 3 targets with IC-ready investment rationale per company.

a16z blog posts on unit economics are the VC practitioner standard. Y Combinator's unit economics videos are widely shared in startup Twitter/X. Alex the Analyst for cohort analysis in Excel/SQL. The Valuation School covers Indian startup unit economics (D2C, SaaS, fintech, BNPL).

Unit Economics Model for an Indian Consumer Startup

Pick a well-known Indian consumer startup (Swiggy, Zepto, Razorpay, CRED, etc.). Using publicly available data (news, DRHP, media founder interviews), build a unit economics model estimating CAC, average order value, gross margin per order, LTV, and payback period. Build Bull/Base/Bear scenarios showing when LTV > 3x CAC. Write a 1-page VC investment thesis on whether the unit economics support the business model.

Time box: 4-5 days

Data/source: Crunchbase free tier, Inc42, Entrackr, DRHP filings

Built unit economics model for [Startup] with LTV/CAC analysis; identified payback period and break-even customer volume across 3 scenarios; wrote VC-format investment thesis.

FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Seed fundraising memo and cap table

Create a fundraising memo and simple cap table for an Indian fintech startup including round size, dilution, runway, and investor rationale.

Built a seed fundraising memo and cap table for an Indian fintech startup scenario.

FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Fintech PRD for lending feature

Write a PRD for a digital lending or payments feature with user problem, risk controls, metrics, and rollout plan.

Wrote a fintech PRD for a lending feature with user metrics, risk controls, and rollout plan.

BIWS is the primary free DD resource on WSO and r/privateequity. CFI's DD modules are well-rated. The Valuation School covers Indian regulatory DD (Companies Act 2013, SEBI, FEMA 1999, AML/KYC). Reddit r/IndiaInvestments for Indian PE DD case studies and practitioner discussions.

Financial Due Diligence Report - 5 Pages

Conduct a simulated financial DD on a listed Indian company as if you were a PE fund evaluating a buyout. Using only publicly available data (annual reports, BSE filings, Screener.in, CRISIL ratings), write a 5-page financial DD report covering: quality of earnings analysis (recurring vs. non-recurring items), working capital analysis, debt and contingent liabilities, capex trends, and 3 key deal-risk flags for the IC.

Time box: 5-6 days

Data/source: BSE India annual reports, Screener.in, CRISIL public ratings

Authored 5-page financial DD report on [Company]; identified QoE adjustments, working capital seasonality, and 3 IC-level risk flags using public data only.

McKinsey's operational value creation frameworks are the gold standard. Bocconi/Coursera covers the conceptual foundation. TWSS applies it to Indian PE context. The most important hands-on exercise: take a real Indian PE-backed company (list from Venture Intelligence) and build a 5-lever EBITDA improvement bridge showing how you would take EBITDA from INR X to INR Y in 3 years. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Value Creation Plan - EBITDA Bridge for a PE-Backed Indian Company

Identify a publicly listed Indian company that you believe is operationally underperforming vs. its peers (use margin analysis from Screener.in). Build a 3-year value creation plan with 5 specific levers: revenue growth initiatives, gross margin expansion, SG&A reduction, working capital improvement, and capital allocation optimization. For each lever, quantify the EBITDA impact in INR Cr, the KPI that measures progress, and the specific action required. Present as a 100-day plan (first 100 days post-acquisition) and a 3-year EBITDA bridge chart.

Time box: 5-7 days

Data/source: Screener.in, BSE India annual reports, industry benchmarking from IBEF reports

Built 3-year PE value creation plan for [Company] with 5-lever EBITDA bridge model; quantified INR X Cr EBITDA improvement and built 100-day operational action plan with KPI tracking.

Brad Feld's Venture Deals is the reference text. YC Startup School covers the full term sheet curriculum for free on YouTube. Warikoo provides the Hindi Indian startup context. The most important thing: model out the economic impact of a liquidation preference clause in your cap table - the math, not just the definition, is what distinguishes analysts. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Term Sheet Red-Line - Founder vs. Investor Perspective

Download the NVCA model Series A term sheet (free from nvca.org). For each of the 10 most economically significant clauses, write: what the standard NVCA language says, what a founder-friendly version would look like, what an investor-protective version would look like, and the economic impact of each version (quantified in your cap table model). Then build a one-pager summarizing the key negotiating points a founder should push back on and why - with specific language suggestions.

Time box: 4-5 days

Data/source: NVCA model term sheet (nvca.org, free), SAFE Note template (ycombinator.com, free), iSPIRT/IndiaTech Indian VC term sheet notes

Annotated NVCA Series A term sheet from founder and investor perspectives; modeled economic impact of 10 key clauses; built one-page negotiation guide with language recommendations.

Damodaran's 'narrative meets numbers' is the academic gold standard — universally cited for startup valuation. Y Combinator's YouTube is the practitioner VC reference. The Valuation School covers Indian startup ecosystem (SEBI AIF, DPIIT DIPP framework, CCPS structures).

VC Investment Memo - Valuation Using 3 Methods

Choose a well-known Indian startup that recently raised a disclosed funding round (use Crunchbase free tier or Inc42 for deal data). Independently value it using: (1) VC Method - work backwards from a projected exit to justify the current valuation, (2) Revenue Multiple - using comparable SaaS/startup revenue multiples from public market comparables, (3) First Chicago Method - model 3 scenarios (success, sideways, failure) with probability weights. Present all 3 in a 1-page valuation summary. Then write a 1-page investment memo arguing for or against investment at the disclosed valuation.

Time box: 4-5 days

Data/source: Crunchbase free, Inc42, YourStory (startup data), public company revenue multiples from Screener.in

Valued [Indian startup] at disclosed funding round using VC Method, revenue multiples, and First Chicago Model; reconciled 3 outputs in valuation summary and wrote VC investment memo.

Y Combinator and a16z blog posts on TAM are the VC practitioner standard. The Valuation School covers Indian market sizing using government data (IBEF, MCA, RBI, DPIIT). Consulting case interview resources teach mental math market sizing transferable to VC memos.

Market Sizing Exercise - Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down for an Indian Startup Sector

Size the Indian digital lending market using both approaches. Top-down: start from India's total credit market (RBI data), segment by individual vs. MSME vs. corporate, estimate the digital-first portion, and apply a realistic penetration rate. Bottom-up: estimate the number of creditworthy but underserved borrowers (income data from PLFS survey + formal credit exclusion data from CIBIL/TransUnion), average loan size, and repeat rate. Compare both outputs. Write a 2-page market sizing memo defending your best estimate with confidence interval and key assumptions.

Time box: 4-5 days

Data/source: RBI Handbook of Statistics (free), Census India (censusindia.gov.in), MOSPI PLFS data (free), IBEF BFSI report (free), TransUnion CIBIL public reports

Sized Indian digital lending market using bottom-up and top-down approaches; reconciled $X-Y Bn range with confidence intervals using RBI, Census, and PLFS primary data sources.

BIWS covers channel check methodology from a sell-side ER angle. Expert network discussions on r/SecurityAnalysis and Bloomberg Forums. Hindenburg, Muddy Waters, and Capitalmind publish the best investigative research models to study.

Pre-Earnings Channel Check Report - 10 Contacts, 1 Company

Choose a listed Indian retailer, FMCG, or consumer durables company with an upcoming quarterly results announcement. Before the results, conduct 10 primary contacts: call or visit 5 retail stores/dealers carrying the brand, call 3 distributors, and speak with 2 industry professionals or former employees (LinkedIn is fine for finding former employees). Ask each about: sales momentum in the last quarter, inventory levels, price changes, competitor activity, and any surprising developments. Synthesize into a 3-page primary research report with your earnings preview forecast. After results, compare your primary data to management guidance - where did they match and where did they diverge?

Time box: 2 weeks (interview phase) + 2-3 days (write-up)

Data/source: Primary contacts (in-person, phone, LinkedIn), BSE India quarterly results for post-event comparison

Conducted 10-contact primary research program for [Company] ahead of quarterly results; synthesized channel check findings into 3-page earnings preview; compared primary data to management's reported results identifying 3 divergences.

FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Zomato investment committee memo

Write a two-page investment committee memo on Zomato with thesis, key metrics, valuation, risks, and decision recommendation.

Wrote an investment committee memo on Zomato covering thesis, KPIs, valuation, and risk mitigants.

BIWS for research report structure. Studying published Motilal Oswal, Kotak, ICICI Securities reports (all free) is the top community recommendation. Ankur Warikoo for professional writing skills in Hindi. CFA Institute for advanced research standards.

Quarterly Results Update Note - 2 Pages

After a company you follow releases its quarterly results, write a 2-page 'results update note' in sell-side format. First paragraph: recommendation + key takeaway (recommendation must be clear in the first sentence). Then: revenue/EBITDA vs. your estimate. 3 positive takeaways and 3 concerns. Revised price target. Rating. Total readable in under 3 minutes by a busy portfolio manager.

Time box: 2-3 days

Data/source: BSE India quarterly results, company IR pages (earnings transcripts)

Authored sell-side style 2-page quarterly results note for [Company]; assessed earnings quality, updated model, and maintained Buy recommendation with revised price target.

Stanford's Matt Abrahams is the most respected English communication educator for professionals. Ankur Warikoo is undisputably India's #1 career communication resource in Hindi - his combination of ISB MBA background, Fortune recognition, and 5 bestselling career books gives him unmatched credibility for Indian students. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

3-Minute Stock Pitch - Recorded and Self-Reviewed

Record yourself delivering a 3-minute verbal pitch on a stock of your choice. The pitch must include: investment thesis, key financial metrics, one risk and how you'd mitigate it, and a buy/sell recommendation. Record on your phone or Loom. Review it critically against a rubric: clarity of thesis, handling of numbers, pacing, filler words, eye contact. Revise and record a second version. Compare both.

Time box: 2 days (including revisions)

Data/source: Your own equity research project (link to valuation project above)

Delivered stock pitch for [Company] in simulated investment committee setting; recorded, self-reviewed, and revised against professional communication rubric.

The Pyramid Principle is the non-negotiable framework - learn it before your first day at any finance or consulting firm. The Coursera Business Writing course is the best free structured path. Warikoo covers the Hindi-language side of professional communication with credibility. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Investment Memo - 2 Pages, Pyramid Structure

Write a 2-page investment memo for a fictional IC (Investment Committee) recommending whether to invest INR 10 Cr in a listed Indian mid-cap company. Use the Pyramid Principle: lead with your recommendation, then support it with 3 key arguments, then provide evidence for each. No bullet-point dumps - write in professional prose. Get someone to read it cold and tell you what your recommendation was after reading only the first paragraph.

Time box: 2-3 days

Data/source: Your valuation project as the analytical foundation

Authored 2-page IC-format investment memo for INR 10 Cr equity investment using Pyramid Principle structure; memo communicated recommendation within opening paragraph.

HBR YouTube is the English professional standard for stakeholder management education. Warikoo is the Hindi equivalent for Indian workplace context. The most important principle: over-communicate before deliverables are late, not after. This single habit separates trusted analysts from unreliable ones. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Stakeholder Map + Difficult Conversation Role-Play

For any internship, college project, or mock deal scenario you have done: create a stakeholder map identifying all people involved, their interests, their power level, and how you would manage each. Then write out 3 difficult conversations you would need to have (e.g. telling an MD the model has an error, asking a client for an extension, pushing back on an unrealistic deadline). Script each conversation using the HBR 'SBI' (Situation-Behavior-Impact) framework. Role-play them with a friend or record yourself.

Time box: 2-3 days

Data/source: Your own experience (internship, project, capstone)

Managed cross-functional stakeholder communication across [X] parties during [project]; navigated conflicting priorities by proactive expectation-setting and structured escalation.

Ali Abdaal for evidence-based productivity systems in English. Warikoo for the Hindi-language equivalent with Indian professional context. The most important thing is not which system you choose - it is building the habit of weekly planning and daily prioritization before you start your job, not after. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Personal Workflow Audit and System Build

Conduct a 2-week time audit using Toggl (free). Track every hour across 5 categories: deep work, reactive work (email/messages), meetings, admin, and breaks. Analyse where your actual time goes vs. where you think it goes. Then design your personal workflow system: weekly planning template, daily top-3 priorities method, email batching, and a focus block schedule. Run the new system for 2 weeks and compare output quality and stress levels before/after.

Time box: 4 weeks total (ongoing habit, not a one-time task)

Data/source: Your own time tracking data

Designed and implemented personal productivity system using time-block scheduling and weekly review; sustained output quality across 80+ hour simulated deal week during capstone project.

FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Role-specific interview answer bank

Create a technical and behavioral interview bank for a target finance role with STAR stories, model explanations, and project talk tracks.

Built a role-specific finance interview bank with technical answers, behavioral stories, and project talk tracks.

Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic is the undisputed authority on data storytelling - her book and YouTube channel are used in MBA programs globally. For Hindi-language visual communication education, Avi Singh covers the finance-specific application. The most impactful exercise: take your last financial model output and redesign it as if you were presenting it to someone who has never seen a spreadsheet. FinPreparoo prioritizes free or free-to-audit resources so cost does not block learning. Crowd research uses public Reddit threads, web results, and YouTube search — not private social feeds.

Annual Report Turned Into a 5-Slide Data Story

Take the annual report of any listed Indian company and distill its financial performance story into exactly 5 slides - no more. Each slide must make one clear point. No data dumps, no standard bar charts copied from Excel. Every chart must be redesigned following Cole Nussbaumer's SWD principles: clear title that states the insight, minimal non-data ink, one highlighted data point that drives the message. The audience is a CEO with 5 minutes.

Time box: 2-3 days

Data/source: BSE India annual reports (free)

Distilled [Company] annual report into 5-slide CEO-facing data story; redesigned financial charts following SWD principles to drive single clear insight per slide.