TOPICS
Timely Topics and Innovative Programming
Here are just a few of the unique presentations and panel discussions we’re developing for The Venture Debt Conference 2020:
- Industry dynamics: The size and shape of the venture debt market, historical performance and future growth projections
- Understanding the venture debt underwriting process: Creditworthiness and assessment of equity sponsors
- Understanding debt structures for working capital vs. growth capital
- Timing considerations: Raising debt alongside equity, raising between equity rounds, raising to fund an acquisition and the unique considerations of each approach
- Typical financing terms of venture debt and how they differ from traditional bank loans
- Common venture debt options including equipment financing, accounts receivable financing, and term loans
- How companies are using venture debt to extend their cash runway and minimize equity dilution
- The lender landscape: Commercial banks, specialty finance firms, alternative lenders, business development companies
- Exploring revenue-based funding for recurring revenue business models
- Senior venture loans vs. subordinated debt structures
- Royalty-based funding for life sciences companies
- Why late-stage venture lending is still the domain of banks and business development companies
- Using hybrid securities including convertible bonds, preferred stock, and debt with warrant kickers
- Understanding the use of convertible debt at both early and late-stage private companies
- Alternative lending structures including lines of credit, bridge loans, factoring, and merchant cash advances
- Understanding the targeted marketing of business credit cards to VC-backed startups
- How macro credit conditions and economic indicators impact the venture debt market
- Market participants: Lenders, underwriting and credit companies, loan servicers, and loan brokers
- Understanding possible headwinds in lending to startups including rising interest rates, increasing defaults, and reduced equity funding
- Evaluating the growth of the venture debt market by sector
- Possible explanations for the uncharacteristically low loss levels in the industry