
It summarizes the major points of engagement in the deal between the investing firm/investor and the startup. Debt funds typically invest along with an angel or VC round.Ī term sheet is a “Non-binding” list of propositions by a venture capital firm at the early stages of a deal. Venture Debt funds are private investment funds that invest money in startups primarily in the form of debt. Some entrepreneurs might prefer debt over equity as debt funding does not dilute equity stake. This is especially applicable for working capital. Banks/Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)įormal debt can be raised from banks and NBFCs at this stage as the startup can show market traction and revenue to validate its ability to finance interest payment obligations. VCs take startup equity in return for their investments and actively engage in the mentorship of their investee startups. Each VC fund has its investment thesis – preferred sectors, stage of the startup, and funding amount – which should align with your startup. Venture capital (VC) funds are professionally managed investment funds that invest exclusively in high-growth startups. Common funding sources utilized by startups in this stage are: Venture Capital Funds
#CABINET INCUBATOR KIT SERIES#
Series A Stageįunds are raised at this stage to further grow the user base, product offerings, expand to new geographies, etc. Key performance indicators such as customer base, revenue, app downloads, etc. This is typically done via online crowdfunding platforms.Īt the Early Traction stage startup’s products or services have been launched in the market. CrowdfundingĬrowdfunding refers to raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount. You can connect with investors by the Network Page. Reach out to angel networks such as Indian Angel Network, Mumbai Angels, Lead Angels, Chennai Angels, etc., or relevant industrialists for this. Angel InvestorsĪngel investors are individuals who invest their money into high-potential startups in return for equity. A list of government schemes can be found here. The government has initiated a few loan schemes to provide collateral-free debt to aspiring entrepreneurs and help them gain access to low-cost capital such as the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and SIDBI Fund of Funds. You can refer to the list of incubators here. Not only do incubators offer a lot of value-added services (office space, utilities, admin & legal assistance, etc.), they often also make grants/debt/equity investments. Incubators are organizations set up with the specific goal of assisting entrepreneurs with building and launching their startups. Seed StageĪ startup will need to conduct field trials, test the product on a few potential customers, onboard mentors, and build a formal team for which it can explore the following funding sources: Incubators:

This is called conducting a ‘Proof of Concept (POC)’, after which comes the big market launch. What makes the difference at these events is having a good business plan.Īt this stage, a startup has a prototype ready and needs to validate the potential demand of the startup’s product/service. Even though the quantum of money is not generally large, it is usually enough at the idea stage. This is the prize money/grants/financial benefits that are provided by institutes or organizations that conduct business plan competitions and challenges. The major benefit of this source of investment is that there is an inherent level of trust between the entrepreneurs and the investors Business Plan/Pitching Events This is also a commonly utilized channel of funding by entrepreneurs still in the early stages. This is the first recourse for most entrepreneurs as there is no pressure to pay back the funds or dilute control of your startup. It means relying on your savings and revenue to operate and expand. Pre-Seed Stage Bootstrapping/Self-financing:īootstrapping a startup means growing the business with little or no venture capital or outside investment. Additionally, at the initial stage in the startup lifecycle, there are very limited and mostly informal channels available for raising funds. At this stage, the amount of funds needed is usually small.

This is the stage where the entrepreneur has an idea and is working on bringing it to life.
