Students and staff

Investing in Practice: Industry Experts Visit the BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia

Vieslekcija Latvijas Universitātes Banku augstskolā studiju kursa “Investīciju vadība” ietvaros maģistra līmeņa studentiem
Vieslekcija Latvijas Universitātes Banku augstskolā studiju kursa “Investīciju vadība” ietvaros maģistra līmeņa studentiem
Vieslekcija Latvijas Universitātes Banku augstskolā studiju kursa “Investīciju vadība” ietvaros maģistra līmeņa studentiem
Vieslekcija Latvijas Universitātes Banku augstskolā studiju kursa “Investīciju vadība” ietvaros maģistra līmeņa studentiem
Vieslekcija Latvijas Universitātes Banku augstskolā studiju kursa “Investīciju vadība” ietvaros maģistra līmeņa studentiem

On May 15 and 22, within the framework of the “Investment Management” course at BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia, a special lecture series was held for master’s level students. The series aimed to help students gain a deeper understanding of key topics in private equity, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions. The lectures were organized in cooperation with the Latvian Private and Venture Capital Association (LVCA), bringing together industry professionals and experienced practitioners.

On the first day of the lecture series, students participated in sessions on private equity and venture capital. Speakers sharing their experience included Kārlis Vīķis from Livonia Partners, Egita Poļanska and Laima Tropa from Outlast Fund, as well as Mārtiņš Bratuškins from the startup Monetizr.

On May 22, at the conclusion of the course, a lecture on mergers and acquisitions was held, where Reinholds Razums from Oaklins and Sigvards Dzelzkalējs from Superia shared their practical experience and industry insights.

During the lectures, students gained in-depth insights into:

  • the functioning of private equity funds and investment strategies, including how value is created in companies and what a typical private investment deal process looks like;
  • the venture capital ecosystem, startup founding and financing in Latvia, as well as investor approaches to such investments;
  • FinTech development in Latvia, and startup experience stories, including from FinTech sector representatives;
  • the process of mergers and acquisitions, the parties involved, and corporate consolidation processes. 

Special attention was given to practical examples, real transactions, group work, and discussions. Students appreciated the opportunity not only to learn theoretical aspects but also to hear real-life experience stories about business development, challenges, successes, and failures, and actively participated in discussions.

The course leader, Associate Professor Andris Fomins, emphasizes that the lectures demonstrated how diverse the venture capital landscape is, how different business financing models are, and what investors expect. He also noted that it was particularly valuable for students to hear the practical perspectives and experience stories from industry leaders, as this provided a real understanding of the investment environment and business financing.

Special thanks go to LVCA representatives Laima Tropa and Vanesa Strautniece for their initiative, responsiveness, and organization of the lecture series.

We look forward to continued cooperation in the future to further provide students of the BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia with practical and up-to-date knowledge about venture capital, investments, startups, corporate transactions, and FinTech industry experience stories.

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