Publications

February 2004 (Revised May 2005)
Case

In-Q-Tel

By: Josh Lerner, G. Felda Hardymon, Kevin Book and Ann Leamon

The Central Intelligence Agency establishes a venture-enabled fund, In-Q-Tel, to allow it to access cutting-edge technologies. Fund managers face a variety of difficulties, some similar to those facing other institutionally affiliated venture funds and some unique. View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Venture Capital; Investment Funds; Problems and Challenges; Government Administration; Public Administration Industry; United States

January 2001 (Revised August 2003)
Case

Diageo plc

A major U.K.-based multinational is reevaluating its leverage policy as it restructures its business. The treasury team models the tradeoffs between the benefits and costs of debt financing, using Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the savings from the interest tax... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Multinational Firms and Management; Capital Structure; Restructuring; United Kingdom

January 2014
Case

Maricopa, Inc.: Finding the Right Treatment for Growth

By: William A. Sahlman, Thomas R. Eisenmann, Joseph B. Fuller and Shikhar Ghosh

The founders of Maricopa, Inc., a startup that sold proprietary hair-care products directly to salons, were preparing a board presentation to address the young company's inability to meet financial projections. While the products had caught on with customers, the... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Financial Condition; Venture Capital; Financial Strategy; Financing and Loans; Expansion; Planning; Fashion Industry; Iowa

October 2013
Article

Corporate Venturing

By: Josh Lerner

For decades, large companies have been wary of corporate venturing. But as R&D organizations face pressure to rein in costs and produce results, companies are investing in promising start-ups to gain knowledge and agility. The logic of corporate venturing is... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Knowledge Acquisition; Corporate Strategy; Research and Development; Business Startups; Innovation and Invention

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August 2008 (Revised May 2009)
Case

Kmart and ESL Investments (A)

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Sarah Abbott

A major bankrupt retailer is poised to emerge from Chapter 11. Two activist hedge funds ("vulture investors") will own over 50% of reorganized Kmart's common stock, based on prior investments in Kmart's debt claims, and an infusion of new equity financing. The Chapter... View Details

Keywords: Restructuring; Capital Structure; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Investment; Investment Activism; Valuation; Financial Services Industry; Retail Industry; United States

Fast Answer

Industries: financial analytical data and tools

analytical features. Standard & Poor's RatingsDirect (available from Capital IQ) Access to the credit research behind S&P ratings on a wide variety of debt issues from around the world. These reports can provide useful... View Details

Web

2022 Symposium - Race, Gender & Equity

The Master's Tools: Exposing Rejecting, and Appropriating The Master's Tools: Exposing Rejecting, and Appropriating MAY 5-6, 2022 Home Speakers Videos Agenda May 05 Thursday, May 05, 2022 Panel: Capitalism Victor Ray , University of Iowa... View Details

February 2024 (Revised February 2025)
Case

Financing Matillion's Scaleup (A)

By: Raymond Kluender, Emanuele Colonnelli and Ramana Nanda

In 2019, Matthew Scullion, founder and CEO of U.K. startup Matillion, faced a decision about which term sheet to accept for the lead investor in his company’s $35 million Series C financing round. Would the connections and opportunities offered by Silicon Valley-based... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Negotiation; Ownership; Business Startups; Decisions; Venture Capital; Financing and Loans; Valuation; Information Technology Industry; United Kingdom

June 2016
Teaching Plan

Terrapin Laboratory

By: Joseph B. Fuller and Andrew Otazo

This teaching plan accompanies the case "Terrapin Laboratory," HBS No. 315-098. That case describes the formation and rapid growth of a drug testing company. The company needs to decide whether to enter the painkiller testing market, in addition to growing its drug... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth; Entrepreneurial Management; Growth Strategy; Market Entry; Venture Capital; Market Entry and Exit; Entrepreneurship; Health Testing and Trials; Growth and Development Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry

Web

Financing New Ideas - Georges F. Doriot : Educating Leaders, Building Companies, Baker Library, Harvard Business School

Library Visionary, Innovator, Educator I n 1960, ARD invested $3.6 million in 18 companies and, by 1961, the firm became the first venture capital firm with shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In the article "Scientific... View Details

26 May 2003
Research & Ideas

Corporate Transparency Improves For Foreign Firms in U.S. Markets

define corporate transparency as the quantity and quality of information a company provides its various constituents including shareholders and other capital providers, suppliers, customers, employees, etc. In this paper, we measure this... View Details

Keywords: by Cynthia Churchwell

Fast Answer

Resources for Harvard Economics Students

A series of resources, tips and FAQs to support Harvard economics doctoral students, senior thesis writers and econ concentrators navigating Baker Library financial data resources. Which databases can I use remotely? View Details

Career Coach

Kareem Stanley

Kareem can provide helpful information about how venture capital & private equity recruit those from non-traditional backgrounds, what the job experience will look like, and how to leverage your past experience to make it applicable... View Details

Web

William H. Draper, III | Baker Library

William H. Draper, III MBA 1954, Draper Richards, L.P. Play Video duration: 48:04 William H. Draper III, HBS 1954. Interview conducted in December 2010 William H. Draper III, HBS 1954, started his career in venture capital with Draper... View Details

Fast Answer

Distressed companies

How can I identify companies in distress? Capital IQ: Screen for companies based on debt service coverage and credit rating Go to Screening and click Idea Generation Type distress into the search bar Select the screening named... View Details

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Capitalism: Past, Present, Future - Course Catalog

HBS Course Catalog Capitalism: Past, Present, Future Course Number 1153 Professor Sophus A. Reinert Fall; Q1Q2; 3.0 credits 28 sessions Exam or paper Few forces have shaped the world over the past millennium more than capitalism has, yet... View Details

June 1993 (Revised March 1995)
Case

La Nacional and the Huites Dam Project

By: Kenneth A. Froot

Keywords: Emerging Market Finance; Cost of Capital; Infrastructure; Investment; Mexico