How do start-ups get funding?

If you have dreams of launching your start-up how do you get money? After all, building a successful business will often require millions or billions of dollars, and most people don’t have that kind of money sitting around.

So how do successful start-up entrepreneurs do it? Well, there are dozens of ways that start-ups get funding. Some of these methods and techniques include:

Venture capitalists.

This is the most common and well known ways for start-ups to get funding. Venture capitalists are companies and groups of people who are specifically looking for start-ups they can invest in. These people have the funds and business knowledge needed to build successful businesses. They are looking for entrepreneurs who have business ideas which can grow into billion dollar companies. If your idea is sound and you have a good business plan they will give you millions of dollars.

Start-up incubators and accelerators.

Start-up incubators and accelerators are basically the same thing. These are companies and groups of people who actually look for start-ups which they can grow, nurture and help succeed. If you are accepted into one of these groups they will assist you in developing and getting your start-up off the ground. And in most cases, this also means that they can provide you with funding. If they are unable to provide you with funding then they can at least put you in touch with people who can.

Banks.

This is another common way to get funding. Although banks are not known for working with and developing start-ups, they are known for providing loans to small businesses. Provided you have a good idea and a well thought out business plan, the bank might be willing to provide you with a loan. This can help to get your start-up off the ground, and then you can look for other sources of funding.

Angel investors.

 Angel investors are similar to venture capitalists except for a few key differences. These are investors who are basically looking to give money away. They are not exactly interested in getting their money back or even if the business has any chance of success. These investors simply want to help entrepreneurs get started, no matter what type of business they want to get started. Angel investors are looking for the businesses who have a million to once chance of succeeding, and are only interested in seeing if something like that can actually be done.

Government schemes.

There are a variety of government schemes which provide funding to start-ups. The most famous of these is Start-up India, which provides Indian start-ups with loans. This scheme also provides entrepreneurs with other advantages such as tax rebates and networking opportunities. If you’re lucky your country might have one of these schemes and can assist you with funding.

Friends and family.

Another common method is simply borrowing money from your friends and family. Depending on how wealthy your friends and family are, and how good your idea is, they might be able to lend you enough money to start your business.