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Cases

Ohjelma
Bike Lease Finland

Bike Lease Finland

Leasing and maintenance of employee bicycles, digital services.

Ohjelma
Excelence Solutions

Excelence Solutions

Consulting and data analytics, expert services and consulting.

Ohjelma
Finnish Timber Oy

Finnish Timber Oy

Ecological log buildings and construction site processes, project business.

Ohjelma
Green Scape

Green Scape

Customized green wall services for B2B clients, service business.

Ohjelma
Marine Craft

Marine Craft

Customized motorboats, project delivery, manufacturing industry.

Ohjelma
Scandinavian Design

Scandinavian Design

Leasing and maintenance of company bicycles, digital services.

Task

Mapping Financing Options



In this task, the student maps the financing options for the case company, such as equity injection, bank loans, public guarantees, grants, and other possible forms of financing. They describe the basic idea of the options and assess the benefits and risks of each from the company's perspective. Finally, the student compares the options and presents a reasoned recommendation on which financing solution would best suit the case company's situation. The task reinforces basic understanding of finance and practical decision-making skills.

Learning objectives

After completing the task, the student:
1. Can identify the key financing options for the case company (equity, debt, public support, and other options).
2. Understands the benefits and risks of different forms of financing from the company's perspective.
3. Can compare financing options and justify why a certain option or combination is suitable for a specific situation.
4. Becomes skilled at writing a clear and reasoned financing recommendation for the case company.

Step by step

  1. Mapping of financing options

    Objective:
    The objective of this assignment is that the student is able to identify suitable financing options for the case company and assess their benefits and risks from the company's perspective. The aim is to understand how different financing sources affect cash flow, ownership and risk.

    Materials:

    • The selected case company description from the learning material.

    • The assignment is based on the information in the case description (company size, industry, growth stage, investment needs) and well-grounded assumptions about financing needs.

    Assignment steps (instructions for the student):

    1. Briefly describe the financing need
      Write 5–8 sentences on why the case company needs financing (e.g. investment, growth, working capital, new product).
      Briefly describe:

      • the approximate scale of the financing (rough estimate, no exact numbers needed)

      • the company’s stage (startup, growing, established).

    2. List potential financing options
      Prepare a list of at least 4–6 financing options that could realistically fit the case company, such as:

      • equity financing (owner’s additional investment, new shareholders)

      • bank loan

      • public guarantee or special financier (e.g. Finnvera-type institution)

      • grants and subsidies (e.g. development grants)

      • leasing or hire purchase

      • crowdfunding or private investors.
        Write 1–2 sentences explaining what each option means in practice.

    3. Describe the basic idea and typical use case of each option
      Choose 4–5 of the most relevant options from your list and describe them in more detail:

      • when companies typically use this form of financing

      • what obligations or conditions it usually includes (e.g. repayment, interest, reporting, dilution of ownership).
        Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) for each option.

    4. Evaluate the benefits of each option
      Write 2–3 sentences for each selected financing option describing:

      • its key advantages for the case company (e.g. flexibility, low interest rate, no repayments in the first year, no collateral required, strengthens equity)

      • how it supports the company’s growth, cash flow or risk management.

    5. Evaluate the risks and disadvantages of each option
      Write 2–3 sentences for each option describing:

      • the risks or downsides involved (e.g. interest rate risk, collateral requirements, ownership dilution, bureaucracy, uncertainty of grant approval)

      • how these risks might affect the company if things do not go as planned.

    6. Compare the options and make a preliminary recommendation
      Prepare a ½–1 page comparison answering:

      • which 1–2 options fit the case company’s situation best and why

      • which options are more like “backup plans” or long-term alternatives

      • whether combining multiple financing sources would be reasonable (e.g. equity + loan + guarantee).
        End with a short recommendation: which financing solution you would suggest as the first step and why.

    7. Summarise the findings as a “management brief”
      Write 5–7 sentences that could serve as a concise summary for the company’s management:

      • which financing options are the most realistic

      • what the key benefits and risks are

      • what the management should explore next.

    Submission and evaluation:
    Submit a text of about 1–2 pages showing:

    • the description of the case company’s financing need

    • a list of potential financing options

    • a more detailed description of the selected options

    • the benefits and risks of each option

    • a justified comparison and your recommendation.

    Evaluation focuses on how well:

    • you identify financing options suitable for the case company

    • you understand the basic idea, benefits and risks of each financing type

    • your recommendation is based on the case description and logical reasoning

    • your writing is clear and well-structured.

    Recommended working time: approximately 45–60 minutes, individually or in pairs.

Tasks by audience and theme

University of applied sciences

Polytechnics and higher education studies.

68 tasks