BonaVia Edu

BonaVia × ExpertEase | Career Program for High School Students

Private Equity & Investment Banking Career Program

Guided by Pender Software Holdings’ Principal, students examine a real company through both investment-banking and private-equity lenses. They complete company and industry research, comparable-company analysis, an LBO model, investment committee materials, and a focused AI workflow prototype before presenting their investment analysis report to an investment committee and explaining their conclusions.

  • Grades 9–12
  • 12 Weeks
  • 120 Hours
  • Online
  • No Prior Finance Experience Required
Apply for a Student Fit ReviewWatch Student Stories
INVESTMENT COMMITTEEInvestment Analysis ReportResearch · Decide · Build · Explain
01Market
02Valuation
03Risk

Mentor & Program Supervisor

Carey Lee

Carey Lee

Principal, Pender Software Holdings

  • Former Associate, CAI Capital Partners
  • Former Associate Vice President, KPMG Corporate Finance

Carey will guide students in identifying the evidence that matters, testing model assumptions, recognising investment risk, and explaining their judgment under investment committee questioning.

He has also referred and mentored students into internships and analyst programs at leading global firms.

More industry experience

Mentor Company

Pender Software Holdings

Vancouver, Canada

Pender Software Holdings, or PSH, is a long-term investor in profitable software companies backed by Pender Growth Fund, TSXV: PTF. Operating in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, PSH works with management teams to scale operations, compound cash flow, and create lasting value across its portfolio.

  • Permanent capital and a disciplined investment framework
  • A focus on profitable software companies
  • An investment perspective spanning Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.

What Students Complete

Every deliverable must be understood by the student and explained in their own words.

Together, these deliverables show how a student researches, models, tests assumptions, forms judgment and takes responsibility for a conclusion under questioning.

01

Company and Industry Research

Explain how the company creates value and where it sits within its industry.

02

Comparable-Company Analysis

Select appropriate comparable companies, compare key metrics and explain the rationale.

03

LBO Model

Build and understand the relationship between capital structure, financial forecasts and potential returns.

04

Investment Thesis and Risk Analysis

Complete an investment analysis report while identifying the risks and evidence that could change the conclusion.

05

Investment Committee Materials

Organise complex research, valuation logic and the final investment analysis report into clear professional materials.

06

Focused AI Workflow Prototype

Define a need within a mentor-company workflow, then design and build a demonstrable prototype.

07

Final Investment Presentation

Present the investment analysis report, answer questions and explain clearly how the judgment was formed.

How the 12 Weeks Work

From the first research question to an investment analysis report that can withstand scrutiny.

Six stages build around the same company, with each one contributing evidence, modelling and judgment to the final investment presentation.

Program features and support

What Makes This Program Different

Students move from observing finance to completing a full investment analysis report.

01

Guided by a Current Private-Equity Professional

Students learn how professional judgment is formed with guidance from a current investor.

02

One Company Throughout the Program

Every piece of research, modelling and report writing builds around the same company.

03

From Research and Modelling to Investment Judgment

Students connect the numbers to evidence, assumptions, risks and opportunity.

04

Present, Respond and Defend Decisions

Students present their investment analysis report, respond to questions and defend their reasoning.

Full program overview

From Curiosity to a Real Investment Decision

A company is never worth investing in because of one number.

Students begin with curiosity and follow the thinking process used by investment professionals. They bring the company, industry, financial performance, capital structure, risk and future potential into one view, asking at every stage whether the evidence truly supports the conclusions in the investment analysis report.

  1. 01Research a company and its industry
  2. 02Interpret financial and operating information
  3. 03Select and analyse comparable companies
  4. 04Test the assumptions within a model
  5. 05Examine value creation and investment risk
  6. 06Complete an investment analysis report and explain it under questioning
Professional topics and methods

One Company, Two Professional Lenses

First understand why a transaction may make sense, then decide whether it deserves investment.

These are not separate curricula. They are two connected ways of analysing the same company.

01

Investment Banking Lens

Turn the company, its market position and transaction logic into professional materials that can be communicated clearly.

  • Understand the company and transaction logic
  • Select and analyse comparable companies
  • Examine valuation and market positioning
  • Turn complex research into clear materials
  • Explain why a potential transaction may make sense
02

Private Equity Lens

Think from an investor’s position by testing value creation, return logic, critical assumptions and downside risk after acquisition.

  • Examine how value may be created after acquisition
  • Understand how leverage and capital structure affect returns
  • Identify the assumptions that matter most
  • Evaluate downside and investment risks
  • Reach a decision on whether to invest
  1. 01

    Stage 1 | Weeks 1–2

    Company and Industry Research

    Understand how the company operates, where revenue comes from and how the industry is changing, creating the foundation for valuation and investment judgment.

  2. 02

    Stage 2 | Weeks 3–4

    Comparable Companies and Valuation

    Select relevant comparable companies, analyse key metrics and market positioning, and begin building an evidence-based valuation range.

  3. 03

    Stage 3 | Weeks 5–6

    LBO Foundations and Model Construction

    Understand the relationship between leverage, capital structure and returns, then build a model and test how key assumptions affect the outcome.

  4. 04

    Stage 4 | Weeks 7–8

    Investment Thesis, Risk and Value Creation

    Connect research and modelling into an investment thesis, identifying value-creation opportunities, major risks and evidence that could change the conclusion.

  5. 05

    Stage 5 | Weeks 9–10

    AI Workflow Prototype and Investment Committee Materials

    Design a focused AI tool prototype for a research, analysis or decision workflow within the mentor company, while completing the investment committee materials.

  6. 06

    Stage 6 | Weeks 11–12

    Final Investment Committee Presentation

    Present the investment analysis report to an investment committee, respond to professional questions, and explain how the conclusions were reached.

See whether this learning path is a good fit.

Apply for a Student Fit Review

Student Experiences

What Students Say

2 student videos | 11 written perspectives

Hear students share their own experiences in the career program.

01

Student D.H.Private Equity & Investment Banking Career Program | Mentor background: Pender Software Holdings | 2025

From Not Understanding PE to Completing the Full Analysis Process

“Before this program, I honestly wasn’t sure what private equity was. Now I feel like I have a pretty solid idea of how it works. Going through a deal process was a big takeaway in itself because there is so much more to it than I expected. We worked through a CIM, wrote an investment memo, and had to decide whether a company was actually a good buy. That made private equity feel real instead of just being another finance term I had heard before. By the end, I could explain the process in my own words and understand why each step mattered. I learned a lot and would genuinely recommend this program to anyone who is curious about finance.”
02

Student P.S.Private Equity & Investment Banking Career Program | Mentor background: Pender Software Holdings | 2025

Learning the Real Day-to-Day Work and Analytical Process

“The first things I learned were more of the day-to-day tasks, like building a CIM and writing an investment memo. We also talked about normalized EBITDA, competitive moats, debt, risk, and how to analyze whether a company is a good buy. At first, some of these terms sounded pretty confusing, but using them in a real project made them much easier to understand. This was not just memorizing definitions or making a basic presentation. We had to look at the information, question the assumptions, and explain our own decisions. I really liked that the work felt close to what people in finance actually do. It taught me much more than I could have learned from a textbook.”
03

Student F.S.Private Equity & Investment Banking Career Program | Mentor background: Pender Software Holdings | 2025

Using Program Knowledge in Networking Conversations

“I didn’t know how impactful this program would be, but once I started going to networking events, the small points we learned made a really big difference. I remember reviewing our notes about debt and risk before one event and then using that knowledge to ask a much better question. The person I spoke with actually had a lot to say about it, and the conversation landed really well. Before the program, I would not have known what to ask or how to explain my question clearly. This is knowledge I probably never would have learned otherwise. The program made me much more confident speaking with professionals and helped me feel like I could actually take part in the conversation.”
04

Student A.W.Finance Career Program | Mentor background: Pender Software Holdings | 2026

Seeing What Finance Careers Really Look Like and Discovering More Options

“Before the program, I didn’t really know what working in finance looked like. I honestly wondered, is it really just Excel spreadsheets every single day? Speaking with a mentor who actually works in the industry put the role into perspective and helped me understand what people really do. I also realized that finance is applicable to so many things, and that investment banking and consulting are not the only paths. The program opened me up to different options and possibilities in finance that I had never considered before. It gave me a much wider view of the industry and helped me think more clearly about what I might want to study or explore in the future. I would absolutely recommend it, especially if you are interested in finance but have no idea where to start.”
05

Student A.L.Marketing Career Program | Mentor background: PwC | 2025

Creating a Launch Plan for a Real Brand

“I honestly thought market research was pretty straightforward: make a survey, find a few statistics, and put everything into a PowerPoint. Then we started working with a real local business, and I realized how much I had missed. We had to understand the customers, study the competition, plan the launch, and write a marketing plan the business could actually use. Some parts of our plan were carried out, which was probably the biggest surprise for me. It felt completely different from handing in an assignment and getting a grade. Something we created was useful in the real world. That was incredibly satisfying. I learned a lot.”
06

Student J.W.Marketing Career Program | Mentor background: PwC | 2024

How a High School Experience Helped Me Land a Paid Internship

“I completed this program in Grade 12, and it became one of the most useful experiences on my resume. In my first year of university, it was a big reason I landed a paid internship. During the interview, I could explain the entire business process clearly, from market research and strategy to the launch and results. I could explain why we made each decision and answer follow-up questions because I had done the work in depth. I was not repeating marketing terms or trying to make a small school project sound bigger than it was. I knew what I was talking about. Getting that experience before I graduated from high school gave me a huge head start.”
07

Student A.L.Biomedical Career Program | Mentor background: PhD mentor | 2026

Where Research Meets Business

“I joined because I was interested in biomedical science, so I assumed the program would focus mostly on research. I did not expect business to be such a big part of it. A great invention still has to become something people can understand, access, and use, and I had never really thought about that side before. The program taught me to consider the science behind an idea as well as what it takes to bring that idea into the real world. That connection between science and business became my favorite part. I am now planning my own product line, and this experience gave me a much clearer idea of where to begin.”
08

Student J.X.AI Career Program | Mentor background: Google | 2025

A Program That Completely Changed My Understanding of AI

“Before this program, AI mostly meant chatbots and homework tools to me. I did not realize how much more people were doing with it. Learning how major tech companies use AI was honestly mind-blowing. At school, a lot of students are still told not to use AI at all. Here, I learned how to use it to research, build, test ideas, and solve real problems while still thinking for myself. That completely changed the way I see AI. Most students my age have not had the chance to work with it this way yet, so I feel like I now have a really useful starting point. I would highly recommend the program to students who want to experiment with AI for themselves.”
09

Student A.L.Software Engineering Career Program | Mentor background: Citadel | 2025

Gaining Technology and Industry Insight Beyond School

“My school had never given me this kind of exposure to technology or the industry. Through the apprenticeship, I started to see what the field looks like outside a classroom. Working with a mentor who is actively shaping the field made a huge difference. I was learning from someone with firsthand knowledge, which gave the experience a completely different weight. It changed what I thought was possible for my future and helped me see technology as more than something I studied at school. It became a path I could actually imagine for myself.”
10

Student O.W.Product Manager Career Program | Mentor background: P&G | 2024

Building a Mentor Connection and Getting an Early Career Head Start

“My mentor was awesome! She taught us, but what I remember most was how she connected with us and shared her own journey. That made the experience feel personal. I was learning from someone who was willing to talk about what her path had actually looked like. I also built connections through the program, and some of them have already opened doors to opportunities I never imagined. Getting that kind of exposure so early feels like a real head start on my career.”
11

Student A.H.Graphic Design Career Program | Mentor background: Nike | 2023

Bringing Creative Ideas to Life in Real Projects

“It was amazing to see my ideas come to life in real projects. Working on real projects made the skills I was developing feel much more concrete. What stayed with me most was knowing that the work had a tangible impact. That was such a cool feeling. The experience also made my college applications stand out. By the time the program ended, I felt much more prepared for whatever comes next.”

01/11

Student Destinations

Universities Attended by Past BonaVia Students

These universities reflect destinations of past students across BonaVia programs. They do not imply institutional endorsement or guaranteed admission outcomes.

Brown University
University of Michigan
University of Washington
Johns Hopkins University
UCLA
New York University
University of California, Irvine
The Ohio State University
UNC-Chapel Hill
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Northeastern University
University of British Columbia

Ready to explore whether the program is a good fit?

Apply for a Student Fit Review

Starting Point

Who Is This Program For?

  • Open to students in Grades 9–12
  • No prior finance, investing, financial-modelling or programming experience required
  • A learning pathway personalized to the student’s starting level
  • Students should be ready to invest time, ask questions, accept feedback and complete the project work.
What this experience can mean for growth

Growth and University Preparation

The program title matters less than the work a student can truly explain.

The program title alone does not determine a university outcome. What matters is whether the student can explain the research, model, assumptions, risks, conclusions and feedback behind the final investment analysis report.

These experiences can help students understand the field more realistically while giving them substantial work and reflection they may later discuss in applications, résumés, portfolios and interviews.

Application process and schedule

Apply to the Program

Program Application

The program is open to students in Grades 9–12. No prior experience in finance, investing or financial modelling is required. The learning plan is personalized to each student’s starting level so they can build the required foundations and progress toward the company analysis, LBO model, investment committee materials and final investment presentation.

Application Process

  1. 01Interest Form
  2. 02Fit Assessment & Interview
  3. 03Admission and Enrolment
Apply for a Student Fit Review

The regular format runs for 12 weeks, with an average commitment of 10+ hours per week. The summer intensive runs for about 1.5 months, with an average commitment of 20+ hours per week. The program is fully online.

Start Here

Complete the 1-Minute Student Fit Form

Tell us about the student’s current grade, interests and goals. BonaVia will consider the student’s commitment and learning style, then help the family understand whether this experience is a good fit.

Selected programPrivate Equity & Investment Banking Career Program

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