It is difficult for a novice entrepreneur to organize his own business, since starting even a small business requires significant financial investments. Where can I get this money? The fastest and most reasonable way is to attract an investor - a person who will contribute his capital in exchange for part of the profit or shares. An investor can become a partner of a company, and often an assistant in development, because he is no less interested in the business generating income than the owner.

Where can a businessman get money to develop his business?

Until the business begins to generate income, not a single day will pass - all this time the entrepreneur spends funds on rent, paperwork, payment of wages, purchase of equipment, consumables, products and for other purposes. You can get start-up capital from several sources:

1. Personal savings is a long, but most reliable way, in which you need to set aside a portion of your income every month;
2. Bank loan – they are reluctant to provide money to start a business, requiring collateral, so more often entrepreneurs take out consumer loans, but the amount is limited;
3. Borrowing money from relatives is a good method if you have a wealthy loved one who is ready to borrow a large amount;
4. Search for an investor - an individual, a company, an association of people, it can also be business angels - specialists in investing in start-up entrepreneurs;
5. Finding a partner - in this case, the business will have to be divided in proportion to the amount of investment; it is better to look for a financially literate person, not a beginner;
6. Starting a related business - for example, if you want to open a car service service, you can start with tire fitting, and when you have profit and experience, expand your business;
7. Receiving a subsidy from the state - provided by the employment center, district administration, business support department, but the amount of injection is small, reporting is required;
8. Crowdfunding is the collection of funds through a special platform from ordinary people, but for this you need to propose an unusual business idea, interest the audience, and conduct an advertising campaign.

Experts and experienced businessmen are sure: borrowing money or resorting to credit is not the best idea for an entrepreneur. It is better to use your savings or attract investors by concluding a cooperation agreement with them.

Step-by-step instructions on how to attract an investor?

Beginner entrepreneurs don’t understand how to find an investor for a small business from scratch? To attract capital to develop your business, you need to draw up a well-thought-out business plan, choose a convenient form of cooperation, find professionals, negotiate and conclude a cooperation agreement.

How to prepare a business project?

A business plan is the business card of an entrepreneur; it is this project that potential investors will study when assessing the attractiveness of financial investments. Please note that the investor is not interested in how original the idea is, what prospects it promises for you personally, he wants to know what profit he can get. The business project must contain:

• a brief and detailed description of the idea and the plan for its implementation;
• calculation of starting capital;
• analysis of real benefits for the investor - also with calculations and reasonable conclusions;
• the payback period during which the income will be received;
• investment prospects.

If a business plan is drawn up by a beginner, he may make typical mistakes due to inexperience, which will scare off investors; sometimes it is better to invite specialists to prepare documents or ask for help from businessmen you know.

How to choose the appropriate form of cooperation?

The form of cooperation is chosen by the businessman together with the investor, but first it is worth calculating the benefits of each model and determining the most effective way of interaction. An investor can earn income in several ways:

• percentage of the deposited amount, as with lending;
• part of the profit from the implementation of the idea;
• share in the business – re-registration of ownership rights will be required;
• finished products or services - relevant for investors involved in a related industry, for example, if a businessman opens a company for the delivery of motor oils, and the investor has his own auto parts store.

During the negotiations, the investor may insist on a different scheme of cooperation; it is often more profitable for the entrepreneur to make concessions than to lose the opportunity to receive funds.

How to turn to experienced businessmen for help?

It is difficult to independently develop your business and look for investors without experience. It is better to ask for help from other businessmen who will provide assistance if cooperation is possible between you on favorable terms in the future. Who to contact? For example:

• if you produce food products, contact store owners;
• if you plan to carry out transportation - to businessmen who rent out cars or need regular cargo delivery;
• if you want to open a flower kiosk, go to flower suppliers;
• you are going to sell farm products to the owners of private household plots.

Experienced businessmen will advise you on the pitfalls and features of the chosen industry, help you study this issue more closely and prepare a detailed business project.

How to negotiate?

The first meeting with an investor is always a presentation of the project, presentation of the business plan and coverage of the main issues that may arise. You need to carefully prepare for the meeting so that the investor understands several points:

• you have financial literacy;
• have excellent command of the topic;
• offer a fresh and interesting idea;
• the investor will be able to make a profitable investment;
• there is no doubt about the honesty of the businessman and the reality of the project;
• what risks exist in this industry.

During negotiations, the emphasis should be placed not on how new the business will be, but on outlining the benefits of investing.

How to conclude a cooperation agreement with an investor?

When an investor is found, the project is presented, consent is obtained, all that remains is to prepare an agreement on the investment of capital. In this matter, it is better to involve a lawyer and check that the document contains the following:

• terms of investment;
• payment method;
• the amount the investor contributes;
• rights and obligations of the parties;
• procedure for action in case of violations.

The money received from the investor must be used only for business development - this is directly stated in the contract.

How to interest investors in a business plan?

• collect information about the investor, eliminating possible misunderstandings;
• carefully calculate the amount of investment that is needed;
• do not delay the implementation of the project;
• outline specific goals;
• analyze the market, competitors, and the situation in the industry so that the investor understands that you have worked on this topic well;
• do not hide important information and facts from the investor.

Of course, a businessman wants to present his project in the most favorable light, so data is often embellished and calculations turn out to be overly optimistic. An experienced investor will definitely ask about the fate of the project in the event of negative developments; you need to be prepared for this question.

Finding an investor is not so easy, because the number of business projects created every day is only growing, and the level of competition for raised funds is increasing. To find an investor, you need to approach your search wisely, following these tips:

1. Start your search as early as possible, as this process can take several months. You need to look for an investor after you have calculated the prospects of the business and assessed the benefits of implementing the idea. The main mistake of newcomers: they use their funds for development, and when the capital runs out, business goes into decline, they begin to look for injections from outside, but such a project most often turns out to be uninteresting for investors;
2. Contact someone who can really help. If the investor is large, it is not worth going to him, offering to invest in a small business, but if it is a small company, then it simply will not have enough capital to invest;
3. Name the specific amount that is needed - there is no need to indicate a range, for example, from 500 to 900 thousand rubles, the number should be accurate, and the spread should be minimal.

An experienced investor knows that it is better to invest in projects with balanced income and risk. The goals of an entrepreneur must be specific, and the idea itself must be relevant, allowing for profit in the future.

How to find an investor - review of specialized sites

In the era of Internet development, it is impossible to imagine searching for investors without the use of remote technologies. For this purpose, there are special platforms where businessmen can “meet” and come to an agreement with potential investors. The following platforms are popular in Russia:

• Boomstarter is a crowdfunding platform focused on raising finance for the implementation of creative projects;
• Planeta.ru – allows you to find an investor and implement socially significant, creative ideas; about 800 thousand people are registered on the portal;
• Nachinanie.ru is a platform for collective financing of projects - religious, educational, socially significant;
• Eastwestgroup – here the investor search services are paid, but the assessment of a business project is carried out free of charge, the company has been professionally attracting investments for over 10 years;
• Start2Up is a message board for investors and aspiring entrepreneurs; projects in the fields of the Internet, education, art, and culture are popular.

Finding an investor to develop your business is not an easy task, but it is a feasible task with the right approach. The main thing is to propose a relevant idea, draw up a well-thought-out business plan, and accurately calculate the benefits of investments. A potential investor will be interested in an honest project with low risks, a sufficient amount of income during the implementation process, and also with a financially literate owner.

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Good afternoon, dear readers of the financial magazine “site”! Continuing the topic of investing, we will consider the issues of finding investments for a business, namely where and how to find an investor to start a business from scratch, what to do to get him to agree to finance a business project, and so on.

In this article we will cover:

• Why investors are needed and how to properly attract them to start a business;
• What steps should you take to find an investor from scratch;
• What rules should be followed when searching for an investor;
• Who can you turn to for help in finding investors?

You will also find answers to frequently asked questions at the end of the post.

The article will be useful to absolutely everyone: as aspiring businessmen, and for those who already have some experience in developing your own business. The article will also appeal to those interested in the theory of finance and investment.

To find useful information about attracting investors, read our article to the end.

Where and how to find an investor to start a business, what to look for when looking for investors for a small business from scratch - you will learn about all this and more later in the article

Regardless of the type of activity, a business needs cash. If you don't raise capital, even the best project develops will not . This threatens that the business will die at the planning stage.

It should be understood that for the successful development of entrepreneurship it is important not to miss the moment. Therefore, businessmen, as a rule, do not have the opportunity to save money. There is a great risk that while it is possible to collect the required amount, the moment will be missed, and the proposed market will be attacked by faster and more enterprising competitors.

At the same time, novice businessmen should not be embarrassed by the fact that their capital is insufficient. Even successful large companies, when they just started their activities, used borrowed funds.

Young companies with prospects for successful development most often feel a lack of funds. At the same time, they have a huge number of ideas that require implementation." Here and now ».

To date Finding investors has become much easier: created for this purpose a huge number of funds and companies who agree to transfer their funds to start-up businessmen.

But it should be understood that not everyone can receive funds from the funds. First of all, a businessman will need to convince investors to invest in his project. To do this, you will need not only to draw up a business plan, but also to prove that a particular business project is more interesting than that of competitors and also has better prospects.

Most professional investors have extensive investment experience. Therefore, they easily determine those projects in which it is best to invest in order to obtain maximum profit.

Businessmen must remember that how funds, so private investors do not give money to charity. They expect from the projects they invest in maximum and fastest return.

Thus, any sources of investment funds, be it banks, funds or other companies do not issue funds without the necessary confirmation. You can, of course, try to get a grant. However, the companies that issue them approach the selection of applicants even more strictly.

What to look for when attracting investors

2. How to attract investors - necessary conditions 📋

The goal of any investor is to increase the funds he has. Most of them know that income on bank deposits barely covers the rate of inflation. Therefore, such investments investors completely not satisfied .

Investors are striving for a level of income that will not only offset price increases, but also ensure a comfortable life.

All this explains why those who have significant amounts of money are looking for such companies in order to invest in them funds that will be able to provide them with sufficient income.

Beginning businessmen, when starting to search for a potential investor, should perceive him not as a creditor, but as a partner. It turns out that the businessman invests an idea into the project, and the investor invests his own money. Therefore, such a deal should be beneficial for both parties.

Most professionals agree that search for investors– the task is not that difficult. The main thing here is to be smart present your idea. You will also need to convince the owner of the funds that investing in the project will be quite promising and will bring significant income.

When telling an investor about a project, you should cover the following topics as fully as possible:

• uniqueness and demand for the product/service offered for production;
• the size of the required investments;
• in what timeframe it is planned to recoup the investment;
• expected level of profit;
• What is the return on investment guarantee?

If a businessman correctly characterizes each of these issues, the chances of convincing the investor that the project can really bring good profits are will increase significantly. As a result, the investor will decide to allocate funds for it.

3. How to find an investor from scratch - a step-by-step guide to finding an investor for a business 📝

When looking for an investor, it is important to act consistently in accordance with the recommendations developed by professionals. Thus You will be able to achieve success in finding investors faster.

In the process of searching for investment sources, it is important to take into account the interests of the owner of the funds. It is important to understand that investors are guided by their own commercial interests when making investments.

Potential investors not interested , how innovative the activity will be, and whether it will bring profit to the business owner. They are concerned about the increase, as well as the safety of their capital.

For some investors not important business ideas, as they are looking for passive income, tired of actively developing a business. They have already managed to earn initial capital by working hard. Now the only desire of such investors is for the available funds to make a profit, and at the same time they would not have to do anything.

At the same time, they are looking for investment options that will bring greater income than traditional investments - , mutual funds and similar financial instruments.

Step-by-step instructions on where and how to look for an investor to start a business

Therefore, when looking for an investor, it is important to convince him that they can get such an income. It is of great importance to follow the step-by-step instructions, which we will describe below. This will help increase the chances of quickly and efficiently finding the necessary funds.

Step #1. Drawing up a business plan

First of all, when choosing an investment property, investors pay attention to the business plan. It must be properly executed, otherwise the likelihood of receiving funds may disappear.

A properly drawn up business plan must contain the following information:

• project description;
• calculation of the required amount of money;
• analysis of the commercial benefits that the investor will receive;
• the payback period of the project, that is, after what period of time the first income will be received;
• what are the prospects for further development of the organization.

Everything should inspire confidence– from the quality of the paper on which the document is printed and the folder in which it is placed, to the use of professional graphic editors when preparing the necessary diagrams.

We wrote in more detail in a separate publication.

Step #2. Choosing a suitable form of cooperation

Cooperation between a business owner and an investor can take various forms. It is important to analyze in advance which of them may be most effective for a company seeking funds.

Investors agree to provide funds, receiving income in the following ways:

1. as a percentage of the invested amount;
2. as a percentage of profit during the entire duration of the project;
3. as a share in the business.

The business owner, having decided which option is more acceptable to him, must indicate it in the business plan. However, it is often difficult for a new businessman to find the necessary funds.

Therefore, if a potential investor categorically disagrees with the chosen model, wanting to use another option for cooperation, it should be assessed. Often It’s better to agree to the investor’s terms than being left without money.

Step #3. Enlist the help of experienced businessmen

Aspiring entrepreneurs can be sure: no one will understand them better than experienced businessmen who have been working successfully in the same field for a long time. Many of them willingly advise newcomers on how to proceed. This is especially true in cases where when mutually beneficial cooperation is possible between them in the future.

Often, experienced businessmen take newcomers under their wing: they can invest money in their ideas or recommend the project for investment to other investors. Even if this does not happen, it is quite possible that professionals will give advice and recommendations that will help in the future.

Step #4. Negotiation

Often a positive decision from investors to invest in a project determined by competent negotiations . Even those who easily get along with people should carefully prepare for the meeting.

It will be necessary not only to convince a potential investor of the prospects of the project, but also to answer all the questions he has. Therefore, it is advisable to think in advance about what a businessman might be asked and prepare reasonable answers.

From the first meeting, investors usually expect a competent presentation of the project, as well as a business plan.

It would be useful for a businessman to invite a specialist who participated in the development of the project to negotiations. It is quite possible that he will explain all the nuances of the project much more competently, as well as answer any questions that arise.

Step #5. Conclusion of an agreement

The final stage of negotiations, if an agreement is reached, is signing a cooperation or investment agreement. It is important to carefully study absolutely all the terms of the drawn up contract; it would be useful to involve a professional lawyer in this process.

It is important to ensure that the agreement stipulates:

• duration of cooperation;
• investment amount;
• rights, as well as obligations that are assigned to the parties.

In accordance with the agreement, funds are transferred to the businessman under certain conditions. Their essence is that money must be invested specifically in the implementation of the project .

It is important for the investor that the signed agreement excludes the possibility of using funds beyond the intended purpose, even part of the invested money should not go to needs not related to the implementation of the project.

Conclusion of an investment agreement - sample

An example of an investment agreement can be downloaded from the link below:

(example, sample)

Thus, it is important to maintain a certain consistency in attracting investor funds. A businessman should follow the step-by-step instructions described above. Then raising funds will be as effective as possible.

The main ways and where you can find investors

4. Where to find an investor - 6 options for attracting investment 🔎💸

We have already written about how important it is to draw up a competent business plan at the first stage of searching for an investor. However, not all businessmen know where to next look for someone who will agree to provide funds for the implementation of their project.

However, there are several options, and each of them deserves close attention from a businessman.

Option 1. Close people

Finding investors to finance a business – not an easy task. Therefore, it is advisable to involve as many relatives and friends as possible in this process. This option is ideal for those who are just starting their own business and have neither experience nor popularity. Moreover, loans from relatives and friends are less risky.

If the project does not require large initial investments, it can be offered to be financed by close people for a small percentage, which will be paid when the business becomes profitable.

Option 2. Businessmen

In all cities (especially large ones) there are a large number of businessmen who have already earned capital. Now they want to receive passive income by investing money in some profitable business.

It makes sense to turn to such businessmen to receive funds to develop their own business.

Most often, merchants issue money according to one of 2 (two) schemes:

• in the form of a loan with payment of interest;
• as a share in a new business project.

It should be understood that the second method leads to a significant restriction of the freedom of decision-making of a novice businessman. Therefore, you should think several times before choosing this option.

Option 3. Funds

Another way to find investors for a business is special funds - investment And assistance to small businesses. However, obtaining funds from such companies can be difficult.

You will have to prove that the new business project is viable enough. It should also be taken into account that a newcomer to the field of entrepreneurship must have his own funds, which he wants to invest in the project along with those attracted. Therefore, funds are more suitable for those who already have an existing business.

So that the decision to invest funds is positive , you will need to analyze the current activities of the company, as well as formulate a plan for its further development.

Those looking for an investor should also look into the activities of government funds. They often provide funds to the most promising business projects, organizing competitions for this purpose.

Option 4. Venture investment

This option is quite widespread in some developed countries. If you want to attract money to a business with the help of venture investment, you should keep in mind that such funds invest only in risky projects with great prospects.

In this case, business projects are most often financed innovation sphere , Sciences , and IT technologies .

Less often, but still, venture funds are invested in trade, as well as the service sector.

We wrote in detail about venture investments, in particular what they exist and what they do, in a separate article.

When investing in a business, venture funds want to receive regular income. For this purpose, they take over a share of the business. Moreover, they own part of the company for only a few years, after which they sell it to third parties.

Option 5. Business incubators

A business incubator is a special platform created for the purpose of implementing various business projects. To receive investment funds through an incubator, it is important to draw up a competent business plan.

In addition, you will need to win a competition or successfully pass a special interview.

Option 6. Banks

If you can’t find an investor, you can try to apply for a bank account. However, getting a large enough amount is often difficult. Therefore, this method of searching for an investor is suitable when when you need a small investment.

Credit institutions demand enough from potential borrowers high requirements. To receive money, you may need to provide property as collateral, guarantors, and collect a large list of various documents.

If a loan applicant cannot fulfill at least one requirement of the credit institution, he will not be able to receive a loan.

Thus, searching for an investor for business– it’s not an easy and rather lengthy matter. Therefore, a businessman will need a lot of patience. It is important to evaluate all possible options and analyze emerging risks. Then you can be sure that your search will be crowned with success.

There is an article on our website in which we talked about where and how to properly draw up a promissory note - we recommend reading it.

Basic rules for finding investors and their investments

5. 5 important rules for finding investors 📌

Every day a huge number of different business projects appear that require investment of funds. The owner of an idea does not always have the necessary capital. However, most ideas require quick start and development. In this regard, huge a number of businessmen are looking for an investor to implement the project.

Often this process is delayed, and often completely ends in failure. To increase your chances of success, it is important to follow 5 (five) basic rules. They allow businessmen to be more confident in finding an investor, as well as approach the selection process wisely.

Rule #1. The search should begin as early as possible

Every businessman must understand that searching for an investor is a long process. A lot of time passes from the moment they start until the funds are received.

That's why start You should look for an investor as early as possible. Ideally, this should be done when future activities have been planned, and it has also become clear how best to present the benefits of the project to potential investors.

It's important to understand that the risk of the investor is higher than that of the project owner. It is the one who invests money in business who risks his capital, loss of time and reputation.

Therefore, he has the right to suspend investment of funds or even negotiations if he decides that the risk level is too high for him.

Moreover, investors usually carefully study the company in which they plan to invest money. They analyze the history of the company, its successes and failures, and prospects for further development. All this leads to the fact that it is better to start looking for an investor in the early stages.

Own funds invested in a business usually run out very quickly. As a result, a sharp rise at the beginning of the project may give way to a fall even before the start of investment receipts, and this situation may alienate most investors.

Rule #2. It is important to collect as much information as possible about a potential investor

When looking for an investor, it is not the best decision to cooperate with the first one who offers his capital. It is necessary to collect as much information as possible about the prospective investor.

In this case, you should find out:

• what areas does it usually invest in;
• possible volumes of invested funds;
• investor preferences regarding the method and principles of cooperation.

All collected data should be compared with the desires of the businessman himself. You should cooperate with the best investor. This means the most optimal, not the largest and most popular.

It's important to understand that any interaction with an investor should take place in the form of mutually beneficial cooperation.

At the same time, both the businessman and the investor themselves must imagine what stage of interaction they are at, as well as what will happen next.

A good investor, if he knows why, will provide significant assistance in the development of the project. A bad one will ruin even a great idea.

When assessing the investment amount, worth understanding, which, if necessary, 50-100 thousand dollars there is no point in turning to someone who traditionally invests millions. The same can be said in the opposite case: there is no point in going for big investments to someone who simply doesn’t have them.

A large amount of collected information can make it easier for a businessman to participate in the negotiation process with an investor. You can think through a rough plan of negotiations in advance, and also decide what questions you can ask the investor.

Moreover, if there is sufficient information can be predicted, what questions the owner of the funds will ask the businessman, and decide how to answer them. Information about an investor's previous investments can be very helpful during negotiations.

Even before meeting with an investor, a businessman must decide how he will behave during the negotiation process. The investor must believe that a businessman needs not just money, but mutually beneficial cooperation.

If high-quality contact is established between the parties, you can be sure that the interaction will be beneficial for both parties.

There are many examples in history that with good relationships between businessman and investor even if there were errors and small failures, they were still provided. Ultimately, success was achieved in the activity.

Rule #3. The amount of investment must be carefully planned

A businessman must remember that the investment amount must be indicated specifically in numbers, not a range. An investor will almost certainly refuse to invest if he is asked for an amount from 100 to 200 thousand dollars.

In this case, the owner of the funds may have a huge number of questions, which will almost certainly lead the negotiations to a dead end.

A businessman must tell the investor a specific amount , which should be reasonable. The size of the investment must take into account all possible scenarios that could cause the range to arise.

Rule #4. Focus on goals

When developing company development goals for which you need to raise funds, do not use them too much globalize.

Ideas that are too large, as well as the desire to cover a large number of issues, usually cause investors to doubt that it is possible to successfully implement them.

Therefore, the goals that a businessman sets must be as specific as possible . They must be limited by capabilities as well as needs. A businessman’s goals should be specified even before he finds an investor.

Even in cases where in the future it is planned to develop the project to a global scale, you should not immediately describe this idea globally. Such interpretations usually repel investors.

Those who have experience in investing, as well as developing business projects, agree with the opinion that with globalization, forces and resources are dispersed, but proper efficiency is not achieved.

Therefore, an investor should be sought under solving specific problems And business issues.

Rule #5. You should be as honest and open as possible

In the process of negotiating, and subsequently when drawing up reports, a businessman should not lie And keep back.

In the process of conducting business, it is quite normal to deviate from the original plan, but such facts cannot be hidden from the investor . He has the right to be aware of the current situation.

At the same time, it is important to explain to the investor the reasons for the deviation from the plan, what this may lead to, and how it is planned to proceed further.

Compliance with all the above rules increases the chances that a good investor will be found. And this is precisely the key to a successful start of any activity.

6. Providing professional assistance in finding investors 📎

Those who are unable to find an investor for their business on their own can turn to professional help.

There are special platforms on the Internet that help not only those who want to invest, but also those who are looking for capital to develop their activities.

The most famous Russian-language sites are 2 (two) sites:

1) EASTWESTGROUP

The resource's specialization is search for investments for investments both in operating and mothballed businesses. To use the services, just register and then contact those who provide the funds. The resource allows you to save not only time, but also energy.

Company specialists conduct business analysis, after which its strengths are determined. This is done absolutely free and helps attract investors. The resource has been investing for more than ten years.

By registering on the site, a businessman gets in touch with several dozen investors at once. This significantly increases the chances of receiving funds. The cost of the investor search service is calculated individually for each user. However, you do not need to pay anything until you receive the funds.

Using the site's services is very simple. Just go through a few steps:

• submit your application;
• get a free consultation from a company employee;
• sign an agreement with the company on the provision of intermediary services;
• the resource itself conducts negotiations with the investor;
• businessman enters into a mutually beneficial deal with an investor.

2) Start2Up

This resource is a kind of bulletin board on which they post investor proposals, entrepreneurs, startupers looking for business partners.

Thanks to the site, those who have funds can find where to invest them. At the same time, budding businessmen have the opportunity to enter into an agreement with investors who are ready to support their project.

All advertisements posted on the site are divided into groups depending on the region, as well as the field of activity.

The most popular business areas here are:

• Internet;
• IT technologies;
• education;
• art as well as culture;
• the science;
• real estate.

There are also other promising areas of activity.

The site's users include hundreds of businessmen and investors. These are people not only from Russia, but also from Belarus, as well as a number of European countries. Therefore, the chances of those who register on the site to find an investor increase significantly.

The site contains several hundred offers buy out a startup, invest funds in different areas of business, and improve existing production facilities.

In addition, with the help of the project it is possible to purchase or sell the property of ready-made companies. You can follow the news of the portal using the Facebook group.

Thus, those who find it difficult to find an investor for their project can turn to popular Internet resources for help.

Don’t forget about the site’s crowdfunding as well. Thanks to (a type of crowdfunding), it is also possible to attract capital from interested platform participants for a share in a startup.

7. Answers to frequently asked questions 📑

The topic of finding investors is quite complex. Therefore, businessmen have a huge number of questions in this regard. The publication would not be complete if we did not answer the most frequently encountered questions.

Question 1. Where can I get money for my business?

Finding money to grow a business can be a daunting task for any aspiring entrepreneur. This especially concerns the formation and further startup development. Develop any business project without raising funds practically impossible. We wrote about what stages it should go through, how to attract money, etc., in a separate article.

Every aspiring entrepreneur is looking for his own options for finding an investor. That’s why it’s so important to reconsider how you can find funds.

Method 1. Accumulate

This option is the simplest. Having accumulated money, the entrepreneur will not become financially dependent on other people; he will be able to run the business completely independently, without reporting to anyone and without giving away part of the profit to anyone.

At the same time, to save money, you only need great desire, as well as financial self-discipline. It is enough to optimize your own expenses to start saving money. With due diligence, already for 6 -12 months you can raise a significant amount of money.

This option is suitable for those who know how to save. If you manage to save for a major purchase or vacation, this method of finding funds will probably suit you. Moreover, this option helps you learn an optimal attitude towards money, which will definitely come in handy in the future when implementing a business project.

Method 2. Take out a loan

Those businessmen who have a good understanding of the rules of financial discipline may well take out a bank loan for the development of activities.

The danger of this method is that at the very beginning of business, companies almost always operate on the brink of loss. Therefore, there is a high probability that there will simply be nothing to pay off the loan.

This method is suitable only for those who are confident that the business will become profitable even before the loan payments begin. It is worth understanding that credit institutions startups rarely invest. Much more often they issue loans for the development of an existing business. However, the decision is always made individually.

A businessman should definitely take into account that interest in most cases is at least 15%. In addition, it is important to contact banks with a good reputation.

To simplify the task for businessmen, the table shows the best banks for small and medium-sized businesses.

Method 3. Government subsidies

The state is trying actively support small businesses. Any aspiring entrepreneur can take part in competitions for subsidies.

If you wish, you can contact the Employment Center to receive a self-employment grant. The amount for this program varies by region, but on average it is 90-100 thousand rubles.

In addition, so-called incubators have been created in the country (most often on the basis of the largest higher educational institutions that teach the subject of “economics”).

Such structures are financed from the budget. The goal of such organizations is to create favorable conditions for business development.

Method 4. Close people

This option can be considered a last resort, since doing business with relatives and friends can be very difficult. Nobody likes to just give away their money, so even close people should be interested. You can offer them a share in the business.

There are also advantages to this method of raising funds. Firstly, it is easier to agree with loved ones on the timing of the return of money. Secondly, receiving funds is much faster, since you do not need to collect a large number of documents and also wait for a decision from third parties.

Method 5. Private investors

In some cases, there are simply no other options other than borrowing money from private investors. You can get funds from private investors quite easily quickly and without unnecessary problems.

Most large cities have Internet sites that post relevant advertisements. At the same time, to obtain a loan it is enough confirm your identity and write a receipt. Some private investors require mandatory notarization of this document.

Question 2. Where to start looking for an investor for a small business?

There are several basic steps that will help a novice investor navigate the process of finding an investor.

Step 1: Making a plan

A businessman must develop a high-quality business plan, which he will use as a presentation to people who invest money in the business. It is the plan that will help convince the investor that the businessman’s project is capable of generating significant profits.

Important so that the business plan contains not only a description of the company itself, but also a study of its position in the market, as well as further development prospects.

Step 2. Choose an investment scheme

There are several possible options for raising funds. Investors can buy new equipment, by providing a loan at certain interest rates. Others invest, demanding in exchange for a share in the company .

In any case, a businessman should decide in advance which of the schemes is most suitable for him. It would be useful to indicate this in the business plan itself.

Step 3. Help from professionals

Experienced businessmen can provide valuable advice on both raising funds and running a business.

Step 4. Search for online resources on investing

There are sites on the Internet that allow you to present projects to business angels. After posting information about themselves on such resources, businessmen often note an increase in the number of offers from investors.

Question 3. I am looking for an investor to start a business from scratch/into an existing business. What portals/sites and forums should I look on?

Popular Internet resources (websites, forums, portals) for searching for investors

The development of Internet technologies has made it possible to significantly simplify the procedure for finding investors. There are quite a large number of Internet resources that help in this difficult task.

Here are the most popular ones:

1. Starttrack.ru is a popular investor search portal. There is an opportunity to post information about your business project. If it passes approval, the chances of attracting investors will increase significantly.
2. Ventureclub.ru– a resource that allows you to find fairly large investors.
3. Napartner.ru- is a regular bulletin board on which investors post information about themselves.
4. Mypio.ru– here you can place information about your business project. Advertisements on this portal are viewed daily by a large number of investors.
5. Startuppoint.ru– a project with a huge number of proposals from investors. If today there is no suitable option here, it is quite possible to post information about the project for viewing by potential investors.

Question 4. Where to look for an investor for a startup or how to find an investor to implement an idea?

A businessman must remember that the most suitable place to look for an investor is where the maximum number of them gathers. It can be various exhibitions, and presentation events. As part of such events, round tables of money owners are usually organized where you can get to know the future investor. This option is quite simple, however its effectiveness is highly questionable. Such events are held extremely rarely; meeting the right person also happens here not easy.

Another easy option– investing in a new business project by diverting funds from an old, already developed one. Naturally, this method is unacceptable for novice entrepreneurs.

You can find private investors on various Internet resources. You can find a large number of business investment proposals. But don't forget that areas of large accumulation of funds are infested with a huge number of scammers. Often, businessmen are offered to contribute a certain amount of money to start investing under various pretexts.

It is considered a good way to attract investment investment broker assistance. For a small commission, the businessman shifts the worries of finding an investor onto someone else's shoulders. In this case, you will have to pay only upon the issuance of funds.

The help of business angels is often considered effective.. However, today there are too few of them for a large number of applicants. In addition, they often demand a significant share in the business being created.

Incubators do not have the purpose of investing in projects. They are created to provide businesses with optimal conditions for development.

Question 5. How to search for foreign investors? Where to find foreign investors who will give money?

At the moment, there are several ways to find a foreign investor who is interested in your business:

1. Using the intermediary services of public or private commercial structures in searching for investment proposals;
2. By posting information about a project (startup, idea) on specialized sites (investment project databases);
3. Participating in various specialized exhibitions and fairs.

Many different agencies successfully operate in the investment market and provide professional services for finding foreign investors. It is important for potential foreign investors to see the prospects of your business project.

8. Conclusion + video on the topic 🎥

If you have read the publication to the end, rest assured that you have received enough information to attract an investor. It is important to remember that this process is not easy and requires high-quality preparation.

A businessman must remember that even if he finds sufficient funds, there is no guarantee that the project will be successful.

Finding an investor is only the initial stage, a small part of a long and difficult journey.

Having spent money, a businessman must make every effort to achieve the desired return from it.

In conclusion, we suggest watching a video from Stolitsa FM - Where and how to look for business investments?

And also an interesting webinar “How to attract investment in business” from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

The site magazine team wishes you good luck and success in attracting a good investor and, of course, success in the further development of your business. If you have any comments or questions on the topic, please ask them in the comments below.

Where to find an investor to open a business and to develop an existing project, how to prepare for a meeting with potential partners - the answers to these and other questions are in the article. As well as samples of business plans that will be useful for finding an investor.

In this article you will learn:

Finding an investor in a bank

Where to find an investor for an existing business or for a new project? The first thing that comes to mind is a bank. Probably every second resident of our country regularly calls banks and happily informs them that they have been approved for a loan from 50 thousand to 50 million rubles. For example, a certain bank approved me a loan of 5 million at 11.8% per annum. However, upon closer examination, it turns out that the rate increases: without insurance - by 5.1%, without advance payment - by 2%, without collateral - by 2.1%, without online application - by 0.5%. From the date of loan issuance to the date of the first payment, the rate increases by 1.5% per month. The maximum total cost of the loan is 24.103%. No, thanks!

However, if you search in different banks, you can get a loan at about 11%.

In addition, you can involve your friends or subordinates in co-financing. They apply for a loan from a bank, you repay it, and you pay them a commission for using the loan. This scheme works, since few subordinates will dare to refuse the boss if they are confident in his enterprise.

This method also includes obtaining loans for small businesses from banks at 9.5% per annum secured by collateral (goods in circulation, equipment, transport, real estate, collateral of third parties, guarantee from the small business support fund). The only case when banks provide funds for opening a new business is franchise of famous brands(recipe for success).

To find an investor, you need a business plan!Download documents that will help you draw it up correctly, and sample business plans:

How to justify to a bank the effectiveness of an investment project using Excel

To prove to the bank that the company will be able to pay off its obligations, use a ready-made model in Excel to evaluate the effectiveness of investment activities as a whole or a separate investment project.

Funds and business angels

You can attract investor funds for a project from scratch or for its development in Russia directly, bypassing banks. For this, connections and acquaintances, recommendations, etc. are usually used. But there are more modern ways to attract attention - these are electronic investment platforms. For example, "City of Money".

The applicant places his proposal on this site: a brief description and financial calculations. Provides the necessary documents (founding documents, business plan, guarantees, if any, documents for the property that will be used as collateral. The portal’s specialists evaluate the borrower’s credit history, documents and the business itself: profitability, stability, equity, debts, etc. After this, they go to the site and evaluate everything live, since everything may be in order according to the papers. After this, they publish a proposal, which investors evaluate, usually within two weeks, ask clarifying questions and either finance the project or not. See . Also .

What is the advantage

Firstly, there can be many investors; accordingly, the possible losses of each of them are reduced, and they, unlike a bank, can take risks.

Secondly, they may evaluate the offer differently than the bank. If the project is attractive, then a reverse auction situation is created - when there are more people willing to invest money than necessary, then the interest rate on loans decreases. As a result, the loan is much cheaper than a bank loan. This is a better way to get investment for your business.

Third, investors, unlike a bank bound by rules, can take risks and provide funds without collateral. Here, the platform itself acts as a guarantor, which checks the borrower and his affairs. Therefore, through the platform, investors can allocate funds even to those who would not be allowed from the street even onto the threshold of their office.

And finally, fourthly, on the site you can place , without having any business yet, and if it seems attractive, they will “buy” it.

For its services, the platform takes a commission of 3%, and if we are talking about a startup, then a fixed payment is 4,000 rubles.

Investor proposals

There are also reverse platforms where investors themselves post their offers. For example, "Business platform" .

If you combine sentences from the first page, which indicate , then you get the following table:

Table 1. Investor proposals

Sum	Percent	Industry	Terms (information from the site)
		Know-how, production, energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, polymer processing	Feasibility study, business plan, team information
		Business financing through leaseback, real estate and shares, equipment, unfinished objects, or commercial real estate.	We invite partners to cooperate with projects for the reconstruction and development of existing businesses
		New technological projects and startups through ICO (Initial Coin Offering) - by issuing new cryptocurrencies.	The minimum participation with the customer’s own funds is from 20–30 thousand dollars, in this case you can remain 100% owner. The project must have a prototype, a working model, for an “idea” - we don’t work
		Construction	Unfinished objects
		Private American business angels invest in any IT and Internet startups with high development potential	Availability of a business plan in accordance with the UNIDO world standard: the project must provide a return on invested capital of at least 12% per annum; upon successful consideration, registration of the company in the United States and relocation of the head or one of the top officials of the company to permanent residence in the United States is required.
		Extraction and processing of raw materials, construction and real estate, any production and processing, any industry and energy, any services and trade	Business stage: from scratch and existing enterprises. Investment volume from 10 to 500 million rubles. into one project. Payback period: up to 60 months. Availability of a business plan and a ready-made team.
		Mechanical engineering and metalworking, polymer processing, waste processing, petrochemicals, new materials, HoReCa	A presentation containing general information about the team, analysis and forecasts of the market for a given product/service, key financial indicators, and a proposal to the investor. Financial model for the next 2–3 years.
		Any highly profitable projects	We are looking for specialists who are charged with the idea of ​​development, who do not have enough start-up capital and are ready to lead the direction. If the start is successful, the initiator receives the right to buy out the option after 3 years. Before this salary + % of profit
		Extraction and processing, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, trade, services and other industries	No collateral or security for the project is required from the initiator. The initiator's own financial resources are not required. 100% of financing is provided by the investor. The investor assumes all risks
		Working projects in the field of production, wholesale/retail trade, real estate, construction, Internet technology, agricultural sector, finance.	Investment schemes – equity participation in business (priority) or secured lending
		Medical industry (dentistry, diagnostics, MRI), accommodation, food services, tourism	If the start is successful, the initiator receives the right to buy out the option after 3 years. Before this salary + % of profit
		Investments to buy or open a store	Providing investments, sales assistance
		Manufacturing, service provision, trade, IT,	Details from the investor
		Any industries and areas of business	A clear business plan Brief information on the project initiator (education, work experience, contacts) and on the investment project (brief description indicating the main economic indicators)
		Automobiles, architecture, woodworking, industrial parks, engineering, investments / finance, information technology, mechanical engineering, medicine / pharmaceuticals, metalworking, real estate, oil refining / petrochemicals, know-how, transportation / transport / logistics, recreation, waste management, polymer processing, industry, robotics, crop production, agriculture, communications, construction, energy	Both individual trading companies and chain stores actively cooperate with us to obtain both short-term and long-term loans in order to increase working capital and increase commodity turnover.

The table shows that the minimum investment amount starts from 1 million rubles. As a rule, a deposit is not required, but it is necessary that the initiator himself develops his business, i.e., first of all, businessmen evaluate the business and personal qualities of the applicant himself. As for industries, the majority invest in innovative and IT technologies, or in classic business areas.

If we look at the generalized diagram, we will see that the larger the loan amount, the higher the interest that the investor requires for it (see Figure 1). Although there are exceptions. For example, an American fund for 100 million rubles. asks for only 12% per annum, and our businessman-builder 100% for 224 million rubles. (see table above).

Drawing

Raising money through various funds (venture funds, small business support, etc.) can be attributed to the same method. You can come to these funds in person, you can find them through online platforms, through acquaintances, etc., but the essence does not change.

You can get investments for your business from your suppliers

Several years ago, an acquaintance of mine set up a café-bar without a single ruble in his pocket; moreover, he was saddled with a substantial debt. In paying the rent, he agreed with the owner of the premises on a two-month deferment, since he needed time to develop himself. He also received a two-week grace period from the beer suppliers who installed the taps on the condition that only their beer be poured at the bar. It’s the same story with coffee - a coffee machine was installed for him, subject to a certain volume of beans purchased per month with payment at the end of each month. The same goes for suppliers of beer snacks, cakes, etc. The staff, of course, gets paid at the very end.

Thus, his bar started working and in the first month he was able to close the current payments, and by the end of the second he was able to pay the rent.

In other words, investments for small businesses can include not only cash, but also trade credit, deferred payment and other forms of in-kind lending. The most important advantage of this type of collateral is that it is much easier to find suppliers willing to provide a trade loan under exclusive conditions and will cost less than professional investors or banks.

For example, when a university publishing house needed funds to publish academic literature, they granted one of the large stationery companies the exclusive right to sell stationery products in all buildings of St. Petersburg State University. And thus, we received the necessary funding.

Grants

Another way to obtain funding is to participate in competitions and receive government and private grants. To do this, a business must have a social component or pretend that it has one.

For example, in St. Petersburg for several years there was a network of public pharmacies selling medicines at reduced prices due to state subsidies. The pharmacy positioned itself as a social project and submitted a corresponding application to the state. help. In order to get it, she sold medicines to the population for six months at essentially wholesale prices. Due to low prices, the pharmacy gained popularity and made profits due to high turnover. As a result, the state the authorities had already heard about her, and she was easily able to win a grant for the social provision of medicines to the population.

This method seems specific, but in fact, any business can be presented as socially significant.

This category also includes numerous business incubators and small business assistance programs. Each specialized committee in government agencies has its own budget, which it needs to allocate in its own area: sports, youth, social affairs, healthcare, education, social housing, etc.

This also includes fundraising, crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and other methods of collecting donations from the public.

In general, finding money is quite difficult, but it is possible. The only question is that both the applicant himself and the investors are confident in the business being offered to him.

How to prepare for a meeting with investors

Before negotiations with potential partners:

• collect information about them;
• think about how to present data about the project;
• determine the forms of participation in the project;
• prepare documents for the meeting.

Pay attention to the scale and timing of past projects, forms and conditions of participation in them. Study the industry preferences of your potential partner. For example, venture capital companies are interested in innovative companies. Find out the minimum and maximum amounts of money invested, requirements for the level of profitability.

Determine what type of investors are strategic or financial investors. To draw conclusions, analyze information about the projects in which they have invested money. The former take part in the management of the company, the latter are only interested in income from investments. Using the information received, the financial director will assess in advance how much the company will interest potential investors and will place emphasis when preparing information.

What documents to prepare

Before meeting with investors, prepare the following documents:

• patents, licenses, documents confirming exclusive rights (if the project involves a high-tech or innovative product);
• commercial proposals or draft contracts for the purchase of equipment, real estate, and the creation of utilities. Describe the supplier, the reasons for choosing him and this equipment or real estate, cost, delivery conditions;
• loan agreements, if you have already attracted banks to finance the project. In the description, indicate the amount, interest rate, loan term, loan period, main covenants;
• draft agreement on participation in the project;
• loan agreement indicating the amount, interest rate, disbursement and repayment schedules. This is relevant if the investor participates with money;
• a constituent agreement, a share purchase and sale agreement, a share purchase and sale agreement or a prospectus for an additional issue (in case of equity participation). In such agreements, fix the amount of investor participation, the procedure for depositing funds, the procedure for assessing the contributed share with assets, the procedure for participation in the management of the company, and the rules for distributing profits.

— subscription to underwear. If you are also thinking about developing your startup or launching something from scratch, then our experience will certainly be useful to you.

We spent some of our own money on the project to test the viability of the idea, but there were no longer enough funds to grow and test serious marketing hypotheses. Then we started looking for investment and found it.

“Trusbox” is not a pure technology service, but it definitely has the potential for development in the direction of IT, so this is exactly what we were looking for for investments. Technological projects often require lengthy and complex development, and the result is measured not only by the kind of metrics that we are accustomed to based on university economics lessons 10 years ago. So if you want to open a beauty salon or a car repair shop, then my advice, unfortunately, will not work for you. But if you come up with a program that makes the work of a car repair shop easier, you can find investments in the project, following our experience.

Anna Gorodetskaya

My documents: what needs to be prepared

At the first stage of a project, it is often recommended to draw up a lot of documents: a description of the concept, mission, necessary regulations - that is, materials without which new team members will have difficulty understanding what your project is about. It’s not a fact that you will definitely need all the files later in your work, but they will definitely come in handy when you draw up key documents for investors.

• Detailed presentation of the project
  You must have a ready document from which a person who has no idea about the scope of your project will understand what you are doing, for whom and how. The document answers the usual questions: what we do, for whom we do it, how we do it, who we are, what are our plans, who are our competitors. If you, like me, are put into a work stupor by open empty files, then use the presentation template on canva.com - they already have structured templates with a minimal design and icons that you can use to visualize processes and numbers.
• Project business plan
  Even if you haven't made a single sale yet, you should still have an idea of ​​where the money is in your project, even if it's small and not soon. But if your project, in principle, does not involve making money, then perhaps it belongs to the social or art sphere, and sponsors, rather than investors, will help you better.
• Road map
  A document that will describe what, when and with what forces you plan to achieve. It should consist of several milestones and describe the processes and resources that will help you get there.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator/Unsplash

Where am I: determine the stage of the project

To choose the right potential investor and project presentation strategy, you first need to decide what you have. There is a simple classification for projects in the first stages of development.

• Pre-seed— you have an idea, a team, a working prototype, hypotheses about the audience and sales channels, confirmed by small numbers. That is, you have a project in which there are some people, and the project is working confidently, albeit at low speed.
• Seed- you bypassed all the pitfalls of the previous stage, did not go crazy, did not leave for Nepal, and are now ready to grow sharply and strongly.

Your strategy for finding an investor will depend on what stage your project is at: some funds may specialize in projects at different stages. When you apply to a specific fund, you will need to indicate what your current project status is.

If your stage is a confident pre-seed and you have not yet released, in fact, anything, this does not mean that you will not be able to find an investor. The first option of finding an investor will not require you to have a finished product.

About the benefits of hackathons

If you have a team of developers, even a small one, then be sure to participate in thematic or corporate hackathons. A hackathon is a short-term event (most often held over a weekend) in which teams or individual developers solve one problem voiced by the organizer. In addition to possibly winning an impressive prize that can be used to develop the project, you will meet serious people in your industry.

Companies that hold hackathons are obviously interested in additional products; if they like your project, you have a serious chance of attracting hackathon organizers as investors, as was the case with three teams at once at the “Build a University” hackathon. You can view a list of upcoming hackathons.

If a hackathon is not suitable for you, then nothing prevents you from contacting the investor directly, because thanks to the documents that you have already prepared, you know how much investment you need (although this point will be discussed).

QIWI Universe/facebook

Where to look

1. Follow the trail
If your product is definitely something tech (medtech, fintech, etc.) and it solves a clear problem, then look to the big companies in your sector, many of them have their own investment solutions. For example, QIWI has a separate platform through which you can contact the company with a request for investment.

2. Spying on our neighbors
If you carefully and carefully prepared the presentation of your project, then you probably know all the competitive startups in your industry. Information about transactions is a major information feed that is very rarely hidden. You can check online to see if your competitors have received investments in the last year, and if so, from whom. Feel free to contact funds that have invested in projects similar to yours: this means that the fund is already working with your topic, understands something about it and will be able to evaluate your project for subsequent investment.

3. Contact directly
The simplest and most obvious advice, which for some reason no one uses: just write to investment funds. The Firrma website has a ranking of the most active (that is, those who conducted the most transactions) venture funds for the year. There are both seed and new funds. The algorithm in this case is as follows: you need to go to the investment fund’s website, try to find a project presentation template there, fill it out and send it, along with a covering letter, to the address indicated on the website. Investment funds actually read the letters they receive. They make money from investments and, of course, do not want to miss out on interesting options.

I strongly recommend finding a presentation template for a specific fund and working with it, because in any case you will be asked to provide information in a standard form, and you will simply lose time and some credibility if you do not use a document that is in the public domain.

cartierawards/instagram

One of the formats for reaching investments is startup competitions. Most often, an investment fund and a large company are combined to organize them, and the winners receive prizes from both: in the form of investments, in the form of the company’s services, or both. For example, the “First Height” competition is held jointly by the consulting giant McKinsey & Company and the large investment fund Winter Capital. But the most famous startup competition in Russia is GenerationS. In addition to the main competition, every year there are different nominations, the process of application and expert verification in them can be simpler, so check if there is a special nomination this year on the topic of your project, and if there is, then feel free to apply on the website (list of special nominations located at the bottom of the main page of the site).

Pay special attention to competitions that stimulate the development of women's entrepreneurship. Thus, the famous jewelry house Cartier has a competition program for women business leaders from all over the world.

By the way, it’s not just Cartier that has separate women’s acceleration and investment projects. Read more about the special opportunities in IT for Pink women.

Investor's choice

An important and responsible matter. Because an investor gives you not only money - he gives you connections and the opportunity to make this money even more money.

In addition, investment money is not given for nothing - you can only receive it in exchange for a share in the company. That is, having allowed another participant into your project, whose interests will definitely be exclusively commercial, you must be prepared for the fact that your actions as a project manager must also take into account the possible benefits for the investor.

This is the main difference between investment and lending: the loan can simply be returned and forgotten, and the investor will remain with you until he leaves the project (sells his share). So if your project involves a relatively simple development cycle and does not require a lot of funds, then it will probably be easier and faster for you to take out a loan for business development, and only then attract larger investments to scale the project.

Whichever option you choose, I wish you good luck and courage: no matter the outcome of your investment hunt, the experience of communicating with funds and making presentations will remain with you forever.