What is a Private Company
A private company is a firm held under private ownership. Private companies may issue stock and have shareholders, but their shares do not trade on public exchanges and are not issued through an initial public offering (IPO). As a result, private firms do not need to meet the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) strict filing requirements for public companies. In general, the shares of these businesses are less liquid, and their valuations are more difficult to determine.
How it works (Example):
Private companies are run the same way as public companies, except that ownership in the company is limited to a relatively small number of investors. Some of the most famous companies in the world are private companies, including Facebook, Ikea, agriculture giant Cargill, and candy maker Mars.
Though private companies come in all sizes, a vast majority of private companies are small businesses. Investors in private companies tend to be those who are closest to the founders: family, friends, colleagues, employees and angel investors.
If a small private company needs to raise outside money to grow, the next round of financing often comes from venture capital (VC) firms who specialize in providing capital for high-risk, high-reward opportunities. Another option is to get financing from a few large institutional investors via a private placement.
If a private company is able to grow large enough, it may eventually decide to “go public,” meaning it issues shares via an initial public offering (IPO) and shares are then traded on public stock exchanges. To learn more about the process of going public, click here to read about The Three Most Popular IPOs of 2010.
The reverse process can happen if an investor wants to “take a company private.” In that scenario, a large investor, usually a private equity (PE) firm, buys a large portion of the outstanding shares of stock and then tells the SEC that the shares will be delisted at some future point in time. To learn more, click here to read Flip Flops: Going from Public to Private.
Did You Know : Top 15 Free Online Learning Platforms
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Free Online Education Degrees : Coursera:
Coursera partners with universities and organizations worldwide to offer a wide range of courses. While many courses are free, a fee is often required for certification.
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Khan Academy provides free educational content in various subjects, especially mathematics and science, using instructional videos and practice exercises.
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Free Online Education Degrees : MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW):
MIT OCW provides a vast array of MIT's course content for free, covering a wide range of disciplines.
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Free Online Education Degrees : Harvard Extension School:
Harvard Extension School offers a selection of free online courses. While some courses are free, others may require payment for a certificate.
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Free Online Education Degrees: Stanford Online:
Stanford Online offers a variety of free courses in different disciplines, including computer science, engineering, and business.
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Best Free Online Courses : Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (OLI):
OLI offers free online courses and resources designed to improve learning outcomes through research-based methodologies.
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Did you know : International Scholarships 2024
There are several international scholarships available for South Africans to study abroad. Here are a few examples:
- Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program: This program provides fully funded scholarships to study at selected universities in Africa, Europe, and North America. It is open to African students, including South Africans, who are committed to giving back to their communities.
- Commonwealth Scholarships: The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers scholarships for postgraduate study in the UK for citizens of Commonwealth countries, including South Africa. The scholarships cover tuition fees, travel costs, and a living allowance.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program: The Fulbright program offers scholarships for South Africans to study at U.S. universities for a Master’s or PhD degree. The scholarship covers tuition, travel, living expenses, and health insurance.
- Erasmus+ Programme: The Erasmus+ programme offers scholarships for South Africans to study in Europe for a Master’s or PhD degree. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel, and living expenses.
- Australia Awards Scholarships: The Australian government offers scholarships for South Africans to study at Australian universities. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel costs, and a living allowance.
These are just a few examples of the many international scholarships available to South Africans. It is important to research the eligibility requirements and application deadlines for each scholarship program.