Finance Launchpad is a 6-week program designed for aspiring investment bankers and anyone seeking an early introduction to corporate finance or the technical foundations for interviews in the field. The program will help you build the analytical toolkit required for future success in valuation, corporate finance, and investment banking recruiting. This is not a survey course, but a disciplined workshop on introductory finance concepts, how capital markets function, and how financial decisions are made inside firms.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Theory & Real-World Applications
The program follows the same intellectual arc used in introductory finance classes, with a focus solely on what is needed to know in the real world.
The Financial System & Corporate Finance
The program begins by teaching how capital flows from savers to firms, the role of debt and equity markets, and how companies make investment and financing decisions. Students are introduced to capital budgeting, stakeholder trade-offs, and the responsibilities of financial management.
Time Value of Money (TVM)
Learn how to move cash flows across time using compounding and discounting. Topics include present value, future value, annuities, perpetuities, growing cash flows, and solving for rates of return. This is the mathematical backbone of all valuation work.
Interest Rates & Discounting
The program covers APR vs. EAR, compounding frequencies, the term structure of interest rates, and inflation. Students will learn how to select the correct discount rate and understand how changes in interest rates impact investment value.
Equity & Valuation Fundamentals
Students are introduced to equity markets, dividends versus repurchases, and core valuation frameworks, including the Dividend Discount Model, Free Cash Flow valuation, and valuation multiples such as P/E and EV/EBITDA. There is emphasis on the intuition behind intrinsic value and the relationship between growth, payout, and reinvestment.
Risk, Return, & Beta
Explore systematic versus unsystematic risk, diversification, and the role of beta in measuring market risk. Students will learn why total volatility alone does not determine expected return.
Cost of Capital & Investment Decision Rules
The workshop culminates in applying CAPM to estimate cost of equity and combining debt and equity into WACC. We then apply NPV and IRR decision rules to evaluate investments, using the same framework employed in investment banking and corporate finance.
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Who Should Attend
This program is primarily designed for freshmen and incoming first-year MBA students considering investment banking, private equity, asset management, or corporate finance who want a meaningful head start before recruiting begins.
It is also appropriate for anyone in other disciplines, including liberal arts students, recent grads, and others interested in learning more about finance.
This program is a great primer for anyone considering the Investment Banking Accelerator program in August. A discount is available for those who enroll in both programs (more details below).
Format & Schedule
Program Dates
May 20 – June 24, 2026
run time
The course is 6 weeks long. Live online sessions are held every Wednesday from 5-7pm CST.
Format
The course takes place online and includes lecture decks, real-world examples, and interactive problem solving.
Program Completion
Upon program completion, students receive a certificate of completion and a digital badge.
Cost
$895 *A discount is available for students also enrolling in the Investment Banking Accelerator. More details are provided in the FAQ below.
prerequisites
No prerequisites are required for the program, but students should be comfortable with algebra and general quantitative analyses.
Program Topics
- The Financial System and Corporate Finance
- Time Value of Money (present value, annuities, perpetuities, growing cash flows)
- Interest Rates and Discounting
- Equity Markets and Valuation (Dividend Discount Model, Free Cash Flow, valuation multiples)
- Risk, Return, and Beta
- Cost of Capital (CAPM and WACC)
- Investment Decision Rules (NPV and IRR)
- The emphasis is on developing analytical intuition and understanding how valuation frameworks connect
Program Outcomes
By the end of the program, participants will be comfortable with time value of money concepts, grasp the mechanics of DCF and multiples, understand risk and cost of capital, and meaningfully advance in their technical finance preparation.
The program is built to develop intellectual confidence early. It provides a structured on-ramp into more advanced modeling, valuation, and recruiting preparation. Participants will go beyond definitions to understand the logic that connects markets, risk, valuation, and decision making.
your Instructor
Xavier Sztejnberg
Xavier Sztejnberg is the Founder and Director of Wall Street for McCombs (WSFM), a highly selective mentoring program that prepares top-performing UT Austin students for careers in financial services and alternative asset management. The program supports over 600 students and alumni, with a strong network in New York City and other global financial centers.
At the McCombs School of Business, Sztejnberg also serves as an Associate Professor of Instruction, where he teaches Valuation (FIN 286) and Introduction to Financial Management (BA 285) to more than 400 MBA students each year.
Prior to joining McCombs, Sztejnberg was a senior executive in corporate development at Dell Technologies in Austin, TX, where he held multiple roles in acquisitions, divestitures and M&A Integration. Prior to Dell, Sztejnberg was an investment banker in New York at firms including Lazard Frères, Morgan Stanley, and The Blackstone Group where he was a Managing Director. Post-business school, Sztejnberg was also a strategy consultant with McKinsey.
Sztejnberg earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.
FAQs
Is this program admissions-based?
No, the Finance Launchpad is not admissions-based. The program is open to anyone serious about learning foundational finance concepts and willing to engage with quantitative material.
I am not particularly interested in investment banking, why should I take this program?
The learnings are applicable in everyday life. Anyone who has never taken a formal finance course and wants to become savvier with key financial concepts will find this course beneficial.
Do I need to be a McCombs School of Business student to participate?
No. The program is open to students and graduates from any university, including those outside The University of Texas at Austin. Students from business, engineering, liberal arts, natural sciences, and other disciplines are welcome.
Is this a financial modeling course?
No. This program focuses on conceptual foundations and valuation mathematics. It is designed to prepare students for basic Excel-based modeling and technical preparation in more advanced valuation classes.
How is this different from a traditional introductory finance course?
Traditional introductory courses are broad and span an entire semester. This workshop is compressed and focused specifically on the core valuation and decision-making frameworks needed for interviews and real-life applications. The goal is to build technical confidence early and provide a structured way of thinking about key financial concepts and capital markets.
Why should freshmen complete this program?
Finance recruiting timelines continue to move earlier. Students who understand valuation, risk, and cost of capital early are better positioned for competitive student organizations, sophomore internships, technical interviews, and advanced finance coursework. This workshop provides that head start, but further financial theory (along with accounting) should be learned for investment banking interview preparation.
How much time should I expect to dedicate to the program?
The program consists of 6 two-hour sessions, for a total of 12 in-class hours. Participants should also expect light weekly review and optional practice problems outside of class.
Will I earn college credit?
No. This is a non-credit program designed to accelerate finance preparation and technical readiness. Once you complete the program, you will earn a certificate of completion and a digital badge.
Are there any discounts available?
Yes. If you register for both this program and the Investment Banking Accelerator, you will receive a $200 discount for the Finance Launchpad, bringing the price down from $895 to $695. A promo code to receive the discount will be provided to you via email after you register for the Investment Banking Accelerator.
