Academy·Courses

All Courses

Seven Courses.
Seven Stages of the Journey.

Each course maps to a stage of the seed to exit framework. Module 1 of every course is free. Full course access requires a free Academy account.

Filter by stage:
Stage 01 — ValidateBeginner90 minutes

How to Validate a SaaS Idea Before You Build It

The most expensive mistake in SaaS is building something nobody wants with conviction. This course gives you the structured experiments, market scoring tools, and competitive frameworks to decide whether an idea is worth building — before you spend a day building it.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

Why Most SaaS Businesses Fail Before They Launch
The Validation Experiment Toolkit: 13 Methods Explained
How to Score a Market Opportunity
Competitive Landscape Analysis Before You Have a Product
The Go/No-Go Decision Framework
Platform Exercise: Run Your First Validation Experiment
Stage 02 — BuildBeginner–Intermediate2 hours

Finding Product-Market Fit: The Data-Led Approach

Most founders declare product-market fit too early — based on excitement, not evidence. This course teaches you to find PMF the right way: through cohort analysis, retention signals, customer surveys, and behavioural data that tells you whether you've genuinely earned the right to scale.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

What Product-Market Fit Actually Means (and Doesn't)
The Five Data Signals That Indicate Genuine PMF
Cohort Analysis: How to Read Your Retention Curves
The Sean Ellis Survey: How to Run It and Interpret Results
Segmenting for PMF: Who Has It and Who Doesn't
Platform Exercise: Build Your PMF Dashboard in VentureDeck
Stage 03 — PlanIntermediate2.5 hours

Building Your First Financial Model Without a CFO

A credible financial model is the foundation of every investor conversation, every major hire, and every strategic decision. This course walks you through building one from scratch — revenue streams, hiring plan, three-statement model, and scenario cases — in a way that survives investor scrutiny.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

Why Spreadsheet Models Break and What to Do Instead
Revenue Modelling: Streams, Growth Rates, and Churn
The Three-Statement Model: Income, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow
Building a Hiring Plan Connected to Your Numbers
Scenario Modelling: Base, Upside, and Downside Cases
Platform Exercise: Build Your Financial Model in VentureDeck
Stage 04 — BenchmarkIntermediate3 hours

SaaS Metrics Masterclass: Every Number That Matters

Every SaaS metric explained in depth — the formula, the benchmark, the investor interpretation, and the common mistakes. By the end of this course, you'll be able to calculate every core metric correctly, benchmark against your industry, and walk into any investor conversation knowing your numbers cold.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

The SaaS Metrics Hierarchy: What Matters at Every Stage
Revenue Metrics: MRR, ARR, NDR, and the Four MRR Components
Retention Metrics: Churn, Cohorts, and Negative Net Revenue Churn
Unit Economics: CAC, LTV, Payback Period, and the Rule of 40
Growth Metrics: Burn Multiple, Gross Margin, and Pipeline Velocity
Platform Exercise: Build Your Full Metrics Dashboard in VentureDeck
Stage 05 — RaiseIntermediate–Advanced3.5 hours

Fundraising for SaaS Founders: Seed to Series A

The founders who raise fastest and on the best terms are the ones who've been building toward the conversation for months before they start it. This course covers everything from valuation methodology and data room preparation to the questions every investor will ask — and how to answer them with conviction.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

When to Raise and When to Wait
Valuation: 7 Methodologies Explained
The Investor-Ready Metrics Package
Building Your Data Room: The Complete Checklist
The Fundraising Conversation: Questions You Will Be Asked
Platform Exercise: Generate Your Investor Dashboard in VentureDeck
Stage 06 — MeasureIntermediate2 hours

Running Your SaaS on Data: Decisions, Dashboards, and Trajectory

Most founders have the data. Few have the system to use it well. This course builds the habits, frameworks, and operational cadence that turn your live financial data into better decisions — faster, with less risk, and with the full picture in view before you commit.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

The Decision Engine: Why Data Beats Gut Feel
Hypothesis Testing: Stress-Test Any Decision Before You Make It
Plan vs Actuals: Tracking the Commitments You Made to Investors
AI Intelligence: How to Ask the Right Questions of Your Data
Building Your Weekly Operating Rhythm Around Live Metrics
Platform Exercise: Run a Scenario Model in VentureDeck
Stage 07 — ExitAdvanced3 hours

Planning and Executing a SaaS Exit

Exit readiness is not something you build in the six months before a sale. It's a condition you build toward over years — with clean financials, defensible valuations, quality of earnings that survives due diligence, and a business that looks as good under the hood as it does in a pitch. This course shows you how.

Start Course — Module 1 Free

MODULES (6)

The Exit Mindset: Building Toward It From Day One
Types of Exit: Trade Sale, PE, IPO, and Management Buyout
Valuation at Exit: How Acquirers Think About Your Numbers
Quality of Earnings: What Due Diligence Actually Looks Like
The Exit Readiness Checklist: Where You Stand Right Now
Platform Exercise: Run Your Transaction Readiness Assessment