Getting funding and investment for a new business isn’t as simple today as it was ten or twenty years ago. Banks and other lenders are far less likely today to provide loans for businesses that aim to break the trend, and a general lack of cash amongst the middle class has, for many, ruled out the prospect of family assistance. Thankfully though there are a fair few newfangled means one can utilise in order to get funding; here are some of the better ones.
Grants
Business grants are literally everywhere, with thousands being available to entrepreneurs and businesspeople who need capital to get their ideas off of the ground and in to the market. The grants available typically depend on the country within which one resides. In Europe, for instance, a great number of grants are available through the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund. Just bear in mind though; most grants do have a rather long and arduous application process, so spend a long amount of time on your proposal to ensure its success.
Organic Growth
Possibly the most risk-averse way of funding a new business is to use small amounts of your own cash, letting your business grow slowly and organically as you go along. This, obviously, is the traditional, grass-roots way of business, and with success will mean you will be able to keep every single iota of profit.
Casinos
Although definitely not a tip for larger businesses or those upon which lives are riding, if one is skilled at the games of casinos, a fair amount of cash can indeed be made. Playing tournaments online at sites like SlotoCash, or perusing a great number of sites in order to accrue money through free play deals, free cash promotions and the like. Still though, there are better financing options out there that are far less risky.
Asset-Based Finance
Funding your new venture by borrowing against your own assets is a fair way to get the cash you need, and if your clients have long-term payment terms, you can even borrow against yet-unpaid invoices. Be careful though, as if your company doesn’t do so well you will soon find yourself in a rather deleterious position, losing assets and wiggle room in the process.
Community Banks
Smaller banks are a goldmine for small businesses. In the U.S, for instance, lending approval rates at small banks were around 50%, compared to a rate of around 22% for larger, more established banks. Smaller banks simply understand small businesses better, since the meat of their business is not garnered through hedge funds, bonds and other Wall Street products.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is increasingly becoming popular for new entrepreneurs looking to raise money for their products or new projects. People come together, on crowdfunding sites, to pool money towards a particular venture or idea – it could be ten people putting in $500 each, or 5,000 people each giving $1.
Donors or investors on crowdfunding sites, such as Kickstarter or Crowdcube, are typically private individuals providing small sums and it works. Pebble Time smartwatch raised $20.3m in Kickstarter crowdfunding this year. You can also scope out the popularity of your idea via a crowdfunding site, and get some crucial word-of-mouth marketing going.