This course aims to provide students with an overview of entrepreneurship and investment opportunities within the music industry. We will explore ways to identify business opportunities in the music business and create value. With respect to start-ups, we will focus on how to identify an opportunity, build a business plan, raise capital from investors, and execute a growth strategy. We will also discuss exit strategies for these ventures. Relating to investment opportunities, we will explore a variety of music catalogues, learning how to value the content and identify undervalued assets prime for investment. We will discuss management strategies once such assets are acquired. Other topics include M&A structures/valuation, execution, and integration in the music industry, as well as routes to creating valuable music IP. The goal of the course is to equip students with the tools (both qualitative and quantitative) needed in order to identify entrepreneurial opportunities in the music business, evaluate the upside and risks, structure deals, and manage ideas and assets to maximize value. The course will frequently feature guest speakers who will visit the class to share with students their real world experience.
‍