Candletech

Build Real Investment Skills Through Practice

Most people jump into investing without understanding how markets actually work. They follow tips from forums, chase trends, or blindly trust advisors without knowing what questions to ask.

Our program runs from September 2025 through March 2026. It's built around hands-on learning, peer discussion, and developing your own investment perspective—not quick wins or magical formulas.

Investment workshop with participants analysing financial data and market trends

How the Program Actually Works

We meet twice a week—once for structured lessons, once for open discussion. Between sessions, you'll track real investments (with your own money or paper trading), analyse decisions, and share what you're learning.

The curriculum covers fundamental analysis, risk assessment, portfolio construction, and market psychology. But honestly, the most valuable part is watching how other people think through investment decisions and learning from their mistakes—and your own.

You'll leave with a clearer sense of your risk tolerance, a framework for evaluating opportunities, and hopefully fewer illusions about "beating the market." Some participants go on to manage their own portfolios confidently. Others decide professional management makes more sense for them. Both are good outcomes.

What You'll Focus On

The program is structured around six core areas. Each builds on the last, but they're not rigid—we adjust based on group interests and current market conditions.

1

Financial Statement Reading

Learning to read balance sheets and income statements sounds boring. It is, a bit. But it's also the foundation for understanding whether a company is actually profitable or just burning through cash with good PR.

2

Valuation Methods

We cover multiple approaches to valuing assets—from simple price-to-earnings ratios to discounted cash flow models. You'll see why different methods give different answers and when each one is useful.

3

Risk Management

This is where most retail investors struggle. We spend significant time on position sizing, diversification, and understanding your own psychological limits before markets test them.

4

Market Psychology

Why do people panic sell? Why do they hold losing positions too long? We look at behavioural finance research and discuss how emotions affect decision-making—including your own.

5

Portfolio Construction

Building a portfolio isn't just picking good stocks. It's about correlation, rebalancing, tax efficiency, and matching your investments to your actual life circumstances and timeline.

6

Ongoing Learning

Markets change. Your circumstances change. We focus on developing habits for staying informed without getting overwhelmed by noise—filtering signal from marketing hype and panic.

Collaborative group session with investors discussing portfolio strategies and market analysis
Investment education materials and financial charts used during learning sessions

Who You'll Learn From

Our facilitators have different backgrounds and investment philosophies. That's intentional. You'll hear multiple perspectives on the same situation—which is much closer to how real investing works.

Portrait of Duncan Pemberton, investment program facilitator with portfolio management background

Duncan Pemberton

Value Investing Focus

Duncan spent fifteen years in portfolio management before moving to education. He's a stickler for fundamentals and will push you to justify every assumption in your analysis. Frustrating sometimes, but valuable.

Portrait of Rhys Gallagher, investment program facilitator specialising in market psychology

Rhys Gallagher

Behavioural Finance

Rhys comes from psychology research and got into investing through studying decision-making under uncertainty. He focuses on the human side of markets—why smart people make predictable mistakes.

Portrait of Callum Vesterinen, investment program facilitator with quantitative analysis expertise

Callum Vesterinen

Quantitative Analysis

Callum handles the technical side—statistical analysis, portfolio optimisation, and risk modelling. He's good at explaining complex concepts without drowning you in maths you'll never use.

Applications Open July 2025

We keep groups small—maximum twenty participants—so there's room for discussion and individual feedback. If you're interested in the September intake, get in touch early. We prioritise people who've thought seriously about their investment goals.

Contact Us About the Program