Make inquiries, ask some friends. This is the first approach you need to take when seeking information on how to find investors for your start-up. The issue is not in finding investors but in getting a dedicated supporter. One who is willing and eager to devote fully to the business?
The knowledge of how to find investors for your start-up is not far-fetched as your friends and work associate can help you do that.
However, starting a new firm demands a huge task especially when faced with the issue of funding. It does not end in seeking financial support it goes on to include exercising managerial skills and effort to realize a profit at the end. Here are ways you can find investors for your start-up.
1. Find out from relations and friends
Your investment advisor will instruct you to start with your family and friends; these are people within your reach. You can talk intimately with them and try to gain their conviction.
They may be the easiest people to seek investors from. One thing very crucial is that the procedures are the same as with other investors outside your relations and friends.
You still need to tender your business plan and provide documents that explain the contract of agreement. Tell them the risk as well as the profit and the need to include them in decision-making.
2. Seek an angel investor
How do you seek angel investors? Angel investors are wealthy individuals who seek to invest their capital in start-ups.
They usually look for start-up firms to contribute their funds and expertise. They would want to be active and see to it that their capital investment yields great returns.
To find Angel investors you need to research on Angel-List, it is a well-known website you can find investors to sponsor your start-up. The Angel Forum, Angel capital association.
3. You can consult industries
What is your line of products, look for other industries that produce the same and are progressing well. Ask them about their investors, you can get the information you are seeking from them.
They can make recommendations to you or better still help you to achieve one. Establish your presence and your brand name with those industries and try to get information about their investors.
4. Establish awareness in your community
Within those days, if you are struggling to build a foundation for your start-up, do not hide under the cover of a new business owner.
Get active and get involved with the trends in your community. Attend events promoting your start-up, and join groups that align with your products.
Make contributions as you partake in them, give advice, and take advice about your brand and other topics that give you interest. Become totally active, this way you will get recommendations for investors, or at most these investors can locate you.
5. Apply for a sponsorship loan
You can get a loan from your bank; in this regard, the Bank becomes your investor. Applying for a loan may not be as easy as you think because you will have to meet the criteria for paying back.
You will need to provide reasonable collateral to stand where payment fails. You also think of the interest that comes with it.
Again, you will have to work for the firm’s success and ensure you regain the loan capital, the interest, and the profit.
This may prove the toughest aspect of understanding how to find investors for your start-up. It will take a more serious mind to take up.
However, the benefits are also huge as you will be the sole beneficiary if you tackle the odds and make success.
On the other hand, there are reasons why start-up firms seek knowledge on how to find investors.
Reasons for finding investors
Often time’s individuals are interested in setting up a firm but some limitations might make this aspiration unattainable. The next step becomes to look for sponsorship, so what are the limitations that brought about finding those investors?
1. You have little funds to establish a firm
Normally, as you are planning in setting up a firm you are also budgeting funds for it. A financial or investment advisor might tell you that your financial status does not cover the expenses.
Yet you have foundation funds to kick-start it. After a careful decision, you decided to start with your little fund and push it to a certain level.
This is the start-up level and at this level, you are not financially sufficient to continue. At this stage, you have every reason to seek how to find investors.
2. For collaboration in other areas
Sometimes funding may not be the reason for seeking knowledge on how to find investors; it may simply be for collaboration seek. You just want someone to grow a business with you.
Since two heads are, better than one you need a partner to share in the decision-making process. Also, the person will contribute knowledge and expertise.
3. You want to start small and grow gradually
It is a good idea when you use your little fund to establish a business. Initially, you may not have the much-anticipated cash to run it. Due to your ambition and zeal, you decided to start with the little capital you have.
First, you want to test the business and witness how customers react to your products. Then gradually from the result, you get you will like to increase capital. At this point, you seek to know how to find investors for your start-up.
4. You need a different capital to grow your business
Ordinarily, when business owners start up a business, they do not just start looking for investors right away. They need to first invest a little of their reserve before finding investors for support.
There are some cases after investing their fund at a stage they would want a new source of funds from a different direction.
This does not mean they cannot fund it (these people can be wealthy individuals) but they want a partnership. Why do they need investors? It is because they want a different capital to grow the business.
