Finding Funding
All startups (well most of them) need to find investment in some shape or form, from bootstrapping and peer lending, to bank loans, angel investors and crowdfunding. So which one is for you? Have a look at the options!
Crowdfunding - Join the crowd! Get lots of people to invest a little bit of money to fund your business. Here's a couple of great crowdfunding site lists from GoDaddy and TechWorld.
Angel Investing - Angel investors generally are individually, investing their own money in ventures of their choice.
Venture Capital - Venture capital involves a group of investors putting money into fund, which then invests in multiple ventures. This is usually high risk, high return.
Peer to peer Lending - Also known as P2PL, this form of investment is crowd lending: sort of like banking without the bank! You invest money into an account, which is then invested normally in individuals. This is done through various online platforms. You can find some information about peer to peer lending on the .gov website.
Bank loans - Bank financing may not be the best option for some startups, but as long as you realise the issues, you may find it worthwhile.
Competitions and awards - There are many competitions available to win funding and support with. Check out this UK list.
No matter which avenue you decide to go down, make sure you have researched what is best for you and your venture. Take a look at a few articles which expand on ways in which to find funding below.
New money for new businesses: where to find the cash for your start-up
Top 10 ways to fund your business
What is peer-to-peer lending and where did it come from?
For more funding hints and tips, as well as links to popular competitions with monetary prizes for startups, click the button.
