Foundations of Finance & Investing

Before the program Students receive a short pre-read covering basic financial vocabulary and an overview of how financial markets work, so Session 1 starts with context already in place. Week 1: Reading Financial Statements and Building a Financial Model (4 sessions) Session 1, Thursday Dec 24 Basic financial terms. Revenue, profit, assets, liabilities, equity, and cash flow. How these terms connect to each other and why they matter for understanding any business. Session 2, Friday Dec 25 Reading financial statements, Part 1. Introduction to the income statement and balance sheet. How to read them, what to look for, and what they reveal about a company's health. Session 3, Saturday Dec 26 Reading financial statements, Part 2. The cash flow statement. Putting all three statements together to build a complete picture of a company. Live example using a real Indian company. Session 4, Sunday Dec 27 Creating a financial model. Students build a simple financial model using real data. Introduction to forecasting, assumptions, and scenario analysis. Week 2: Understanding Investments and Building a Diversified Portfolio (2 sessions) Session 5, Friday Jan 1 Understanding investment options. Equities, mutual funds, fixed deposits, bonds, and index funds. Risk, return, and how to evaluate what fits a financial goal. Session 6, Saturday Jan 2 Creating a diversified portfolio. Students design their own model investment portfolio with a rationale for each allocation. Live pitches and instructor feedback. Submission guidelines for project report and certificate. After the program Students complete their portfolio writeup, submit for publishing, and receive their certificate. They walk away with the ability to read a financial statement, build a basic model, and think like an investor.