The course aims to give an in-depth overview of FinTech and Blockchain Finance, a new part of the financial sector that is radically innovating the way financial services are traditionally built and offered. Students will gain an understanding of the key technologies, participants, regulation, and the dynamics of change being brought by FinTech in corporate finance.
The main objectives of the course are to provide students with: (1) the command of corporate finance, including capital structure theories, venture capital financing, business angels, and initial public offerings; (2) the understanding of financial applications of digital technology such as crowdfunding and coin offerings; (3) the capacity to understand how digitalization alters firms financing by providing disintermediated access to external finance (equity- and debt-based crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, invoice trading, utility and security coin offerings).
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The course combines traditional lectures with practical sessions during which the students will have the possibility to familiarize themselves with the techniques presented in the lectures. Furthermore, workshops and case studies allow participants to apply the techniques introduced and test their understanding of blockchain and fintech.
Learning assessment will take place through group work and a final written exam.
The main topics of the course are the following:
• Capital structure theories, Venture Capital, Business Angels, Initial Public Offerings;
• Digital finance: equity- and debt-based crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, invoice trading, utility and security coin offerings;
• Initial Coin Offerings and Blockchain-based financing mechanisms.
The exam rules are the same for both attending students and non-attending students. Therefore, non-attending students can also access group work as long as they are able to share the activity with the students attending.
