Course Introduction
This course explores practical strategies for launching new ventures – whether as an entrepreneur or within an organization. It covers business model assessment, funding approaches, team-building tactics, and go-to-market examples drawn from real-world scenarios.
Participants will leverage cross-disciplinary experience in areas such as finance, business strategy, law, market research, and innovation to shape and refine venture ideas. The course concludes with a venture pitch presented to experienced mentors and peers, including serial entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, startup advisors, and executives with C-level corporate backgrounds.
Why Choose the Raising Capital Course at Northeastern?
Startup & Intrapreneur Focus:
Learn how to secure funding whether you’re starting your own venture or innovating inside an existing organization.
Investor-Ready Pitch Development:
Craft and deliver a compelling venture pitch shaped by real frameworks and feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders.
Practical Capital Strategies:
Understand the types of funding available, how to choose the right capital structure, and how to position your business for future investment.
Cross-Disciplinary Insights:
Draw from real-world expertise in finance, business law, strategy, and innovation to strengthen your business model and go-to-market execution.
Mentorship from Industry Leaders:
Present your idea to seasoned mentors—including startup founders, venture capitalists, and C-level executives—and gain invaluable feedback to refine your approach.
Meet the Course Creator
Ashifi Gogo
Ashifi Gogo founded Sproxil® in 2009 and currently serves as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, Sproxil developed its award-winning Sproxil Defender™ technology that has been used over 90 million times by consumers in 5 countries to verify the authenticity of their products and earn instant rewards for their loyalty.
The technology is also being used to offer mobile marketing services that provide value to end-users and product manufacturers and/or distributors; with consumer engagement and loyalty applications rewarding millions of consumers for their interactions. Former US President Bill Clinton described Sproxil as “a genuinely remarkable achievement… (it’s) empowering… putting people in charge of their own healthcare.” Sproxil’s solution is applicable to virtually any tangible product. It is now used on multiple continents and in many industries including food and beverage, automotive and fast-moving consumer goods.
In 2015, Ashifi was named to Fortune’s 40 under 40 list. He was awarded the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2014 by the Schwab Foundation. In 2013, Sproxil was named the world’s most innovative company in health care by Fast Company, and #7 most innovative worldwide, beating 99 of the Fortune 100 companies. The Obama Administration White House named Ashifi an Immigrant Innovator “Champion of Change”. He also received a Clinton Foundation Global Initiative Outstanding Commitment Award.