SUBJECT AREAS: Financial strategy, Investment management, Leveraged buyouts, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Securities amp; investing; 2001The managers of a large corporate pension fund must decide whether to invest in a private equity fund that is offering a guaranteed rate of return of 20% on...

SUBJECT AREAS: Financial management, Financial strategy, Leveraged buyouts, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Europe; Semiconductor industry; 1998Apax Partners is considering a complex buyout of a semiconductor manufacturer. The firms must assess in a compressed timeframe the complex technological,...

SUBJECT AREAS: Financial strategy, Leveraged buyouts, Mergers amp; Acquisitions, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Argentina; 24 employees; 2001The Exxel Group, a leading Latin American buyout fund, faces a challenge when deciding whether and how to exit its largest investment. The capital markets...

SUBJECT AREAS: Asset allocation, Asset management, Assets, Colleges amp; universities, Financial management, Financial strategy, Leveraged buyouts, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Connecticut; Education industry; 17 employees; 2003The Yale Investments Office must decide whether to continue to...

SUBJECT AREAS: Emerging markets, Privatization, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: London; Securities amp; investing; 300 employees; 2000-2001In 2001, CDC Capital Partners is facing the greatest challenge in its 53-year history. Founded as part of the U.K. government's post-war colonial...

SUBJECT AREAS: Careers amp; career planning, Entrepreneurial finance, Financial strategy, Investments, Leveraged buyouts, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: New York, NY; 20 employees; 2002Martin Smith, a recent HBS graduate, has just begun working with a leveraged buyout firm. His first assignment...

SUBJECT AREAS: Entrepreneurship, Mergers, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: China; Internet amp; online services industries; RMB 12 million revenues; 70 employees; 2001Bo Feng, cofounder and principal in Chengwei Ventures, one of the first sovereign venture capital firms in China, is trying to decide...

SUBJECT AREAS: Due diligence, Leveraged buyouts, Negotiations, Recapitalization, ValuationCASE SETTINGS: Texas; 6 employees; 2001The partners of a new midmarket buyout fund are working on a buyout of a closely held modular building company. Although originally structured as a stock deal, they...

SUBJECT AREAS: Organization, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Massachusetts; Securities amp; investing; 67 employees; 2001Todd Dagres, general partner of Battery Ventures, reflects on his firm's organization and it's effectiveness in one particular deal. One of the perennial challenges of venture...

SUBJECT AREAS: Entrepreneurial finance, Fraud, Investments, Strategic planning, Venture capitalCASE SETTINGS: Pittsburg, PA; Securities amp; investing; 12 employees; 2002In March 2002, the five partners of Adams Capital Management (ACM), a venture capital firm investing in information technology...