This section is for those who are either ready to invest and are looking for an object for profitable investment, or, on the contrary, are interested in attracting Russian or foreign capital. Here you can find advertisements from private investors who are ready to invest money in business, as well as investment programs of investor companies offering, among other things, project financing. Direct and venture investment funds, major regional and industrial investors are invited to contribute to this section. Both small and large businesses will find a wide range of investment opportunities here.

It doesn’t matter who you are: a private equity fund, a venture fund, a private investor, a business angel, an investment bank or a management company, if you make direct investments and are ready to provide project financing, then this portal will be useful to you.

If you are interested in diversifying your investment portfolio, looking for new and profitable objects for investment, post information about yourself: investment priorities, volumes and directions of investment, principles for selecting investment projects and companies, ways to exit an investment project.

You can not only post information about yourself, but also subscribe to receive applications to attract investments. Just customize the search form in accordance with the criteria you are interested in and regularly receive investment applications in your mailbox. Do you want to be more active in your search for investment targets? Then refer to the section "Investment projects".

How many profitable and beneficial companies for society never saw the light of day because their creators could not find sufficient start-up capital? Others, for the same reason, continue to remain at the level of artisanal production, despite the possibility of scaling and the enormous potential of the idea.

In such situations, information about where to find an investor for a small business from scratch can be vital for a budding entrepreneur. In addition, an investor must not only be found, but also convinced of the need to invest millions of rubles in an enterprise that, at first glance, is no different from hundreds of others.

However, the first question is not “where”, but “why”? Is the search for investors to implement an idea really so necessary, all available business resources have been exhausted, and are you ready to sacrifice personal freedom for the sake of investment? After all, an investor is not a benefactor or philanthropist: every ruble invested will be accompanied by careful control or even interference in the affairs of the enterprise on his part, and when the time comes to repay debts, he will not miss a penny of profit.

Attracting investors

If, after a comprehensive analysis, you have come to the conclusion that the benefits of attracting investors for a small business are more important than the possible inconveniences, try to imagine who exactly you are looking for and who might be interested in the company at the current stage of its development, including:

• Birth. At this moment, the enterprise exists only in the plans of a businessman and like-minded people. There is a basic idea, there is a product prototype - but there is no team, no management team, no sales channels. Only friends and relatives will invest money in such a business;
• Becoming. At this stage, the first business processes have been launched, an active search for personnel is underway, the first sales have appeared, but it has not yet reached profit. The company is beginning to be of interest to business angels and crowdfunding sites;
• Height. By this time, the company's position in the market and the consumer segment have been approximately determined, small profits have been made, and the team has been fundamentally formed. Places where it is realistic to find investors for a startup at this stage are venture funds and associations of private entrepreneurs;
• Extension. At this point, supply and sales channels have been formed, the company is receiving stable profits and is ready to develop new territories. Investors can be private and public funds, banks and other legal entities;
• Maturity. The company is a profitable, well-managed structure with a fairly large market share. Investments can be attracted by issuing shares that are interesting at this stage for banks, insurance companies, pension and mutual funds.

Preparation of documents

Working with an investor to open a business should begin with the preparation of two main documents - a project summary and an investment proposal (business plan). These materials are designed to present your project from a favorable point of view. Use economic indicators, a detailed description of the idea, market analysis data, resumes of project participants - everything that can convince the investor of the prospects and validity of the investment.

After that, collect information about where to look for investors to open a business in your industry, and make a test mailing. You should not send your resume to all known recipients at once: your task is to get feedback. So choose two or three of them and give them a week to consider the proposal. If you do not receive any response within ten days, make contact and inquire about the fate of your resume. The reasons for silence can be different:

• The proposal is unclear to the investor and contains many specific terms or redundant data that hide the main idea. Bring your resume to a state that an outsider can understand (use people you know as test subjects) and try again;
• The idea does not have sufficient prospects - after all, the main task of the investor is to obtain a profit that, if possible, is many times greater than the investment. For this reason, investors immediately reject 75% of received offers;
• Too little time has passed. Popular and active investors receive dozens of offers a day, so they simply haven’t gotten around to considering your resume yet;
• You chose the wrong investor. Each of them works in a fairly narrow area - agriculture, food production or the chemical industry, so you should check before sending.

Sending out resumes

Using the feedback received, make corrections to your proposal, refine your resume, or adjust the project concept. Strictly speaking, adjustments should be made whenever you receive new data. After that, select several places where it is easiest to find an investor for a business at your stage of company development, and start sending out proposals.

The mailing should not be too limited or too widespread. Some entrepreneurs send a single resume and wait for months for a response to no avail, others send hundreds of them, causing investors to doubt that they are serious about the business. Therefore, limit yourself to choosing 10–12 potential partners and send a personal proposal to each of them, and after a while call back and find out whether your project has attracted interest.

If you receive refusals, do not forget to revise your materials. But you also shouldn’t rush if you start receiving positive responses or offers to personally present the project. Investors are primarily interested not in the development of your business, but rather in the greatest benefit for themselves. Therefore, wait for all the answers and select the conditions that best suit your requirements.

Project presentation

You need to prepare for the presentation no less thoroughly. All means are good in persuading an investor: graphs, posters, videos, handouts. You can also invite a “support group” - several people from your company who are experts in their areas (production technology, economics, marketing).

At the time of the presentation, the investor evaluates not only the project, but also your team, its personal qualities and professional experience. As a businessman, he understands perfectly well that any brilliant idea is only half the success. The second is determined by the personal qualities of the entrepreneur, his ambition, energy, leadership abilities and authority in the team. Thus, a presentation is a kind of “selling” of a businessman’s personality, idea and team, which must be carried out in a positive way with enthusiasm and a certain amount of healthy aggressiveness.

Where to look?

The search for possible investors can begin simultaneously with the preparation of documents, resume and business plan. Don’t miss a single opportunity to talk about this topic with your friends - you can never predict in advance which thread will lead you to success. Perhaps more experienced entrepreneurs will tell you where to find an investor to open a business, or even want to act in a new role for themselves. At the initial stages of development, focus on business angels and venture funds, and later on banks, mutual funds and similar investment organizations, including government ones.

Independent search

In the business environment, public events are regularly held - startup fairs, exhibitions, forums and presentations. Among the participants you can meet both young companies wishing to make themselves known, as well as interested investors and representatives of big business. Moreover, some venture investment conferences are aimed specifically at organizing a meeting of investors and entrepreneurs declaring: “I am looking for an investor to open a business or implement a commercial project.”

Internet

Investors and businessmen communicate with each other not only within exhibitions. A lot of thematic forums are places where finding an investor for a business from scratch is quite realistic if you present your project in a favorable light. Even if your search for a partner is not successful, you will receive a lot of feedback about your idea (including negative ones, indicating weaknesses) and learn to find the right answers to uncomfortable questions. This experience will definitely be useful to you in the future.

In addition, on such forums you can meet other entrepreneurs who have not previously invested in someone else’s business, but are now collecting information on how to become an investor and where to start. It is possible that convincing them of the promise of your idea and the benefits of cooperation will be somewhat easier.

Familiar

Each of us has a fairly wide circle of acquaintances, among whom there are successful private entrepreneurs, top managers and simply wealthy people. Many of them periodically think about how to protect capital from inflation and make a profit. From their point of view, it is much easier to deal with acquaintances or relatives than with unknown businessmen. However, there is also a negative side to such financing: in case of failure, not only money will be lost, but also good relationships.

Crowdfunding

The possibility of collective investment is due to the widespread availability of the Internet - including for quite ordinary citizens interested in topics. Here it is not necessary to individually invest millions in the project, since each of them can have dozens of investors. On the other hand, an investor can also divide financial assistance between several applicants in the hope that one of them will be a successful startup and bring in hundreds of percent of profits. The popularity of crowdfunding platforms began with the kickstarter site, and in the Russian segment they are represented by the boomstarter and planeta sites.

Venture investing

High-risk projects are financed by both individuals and organizations. In the first case, these are business angels, and in the second, various funds to support entrepreneurship. Despite the fact that they put high demands on applicants, the risk is still present, and investors are aware of it. The investment plans of venture businessmen are based on the fact that on average one project out of ten shows growth of thousands of percent, thus covering the losses from the rest.

The main requirement of venture investors is a share in the business. They receive the status of a founder in an LLC or a block of shares, take part in the management of the enterprise, and in return provide financing. At the same time, startups are of interest to venture investors only in the first few years, during a period of intensive growth. They then sell their stake (at a profit, of course) either to the entrepreneur himself or to other strategic investors.

If you agree with the principles on which venture financing is based, pay attention to the Community of Business Angels of Russia (SBAR) and the Department of Entrepreneurship Development - the easiest places to find investors for a project or get information about them.

Credit communities

Microfinance organizations can hardly be called a business-friendly source of financing. Only those entrepreneurs who do not know what kind of investor they need, where to find one and how to prepare an investment proposal can apply here: you can get a loan from an MFO with a minimum package of documents and without collateral. You have to pay for this with a relatively small loan amount (100–400 thousand rubles) and a completely inadequate interest rate (55–70% per annum). You can resort to the services of such organizations only when you need money urgently, banks refuse a loan, and you can repay the loan in a maximum of a month and a half.

Bank loan

Banks are more willing to provide loans for business development secured by the assets of the enterprise. Moreover: if the recipient is listed in the register of recipients of assistance from the state, he can count on interest rate compensation, preferential lending or a government guarantee. For such entrepreneurs, the bank is one of the places where you can find an investor on fairly favorable terms. At the same time, you can only get money to open a business from a bank in the form of a regular consumer loan secured by property, which is not very profitable from an economic point of view.

Grants

The grant has an undoubted advantage compared to classic investments: it does not need to be repaid. However, there is also a drawback - the intended purpose of the funds. If you can spend the investments received from a business angel at your discretion, then every ruble of the grant must be spent in strict accordance with the business plan.

Obtaining a grant is no more difficult than funding from a venture fund, but the conditions for candidates are somewhat different: preference is given to projects that are either socially significant or aimed at development in areas declared priority by the state in certain regions. To consider the possibility of receiving a grant, you should contact the Department of Entrepreneurship Development, where they will help you find an investor in accordance with your needs and the industry of the enterprise.

Foreign investment

Foreign investors are interesting to entrepreneurs due to their scale: we are usually talking about several million or even tens of millions of dollars. However, for the same reason, small businesses, innovative projects and start-ups do not attract potential investors from abroad. Besides:

• Beginning entrepreneurs do not have assets that are of interest to investors;
• There are no mechanisms to influence the strategy of a small enterprise;
• For foreign investors, the procedure for exiting a project is not transparent due to the great distance, difference in the legislative framework and mentality;
• Covering losses in the event of failure will require the involvement of third-party organizations, experts, and an unreasonable amount of resources.

If the business turns out to be quite promising, then it is much easier for a foreign investor to buy it completely and appoint its own top managers than to waste time on joint management.

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However, you can contact various foreign funds, of which more than ten thousand are registered in Europe alone. The largest of them are TACIS, USAID, GTF, Soros and Rockefeller Foundations. In this case, we are not talking about full-fledged investments, but rather about receiving grants - provided that the company operates in an area of ​​interest to the owners of the fund.

In addition, on the AngelList and ProductHunt platforms, some startups manage to find foreign investors - both individuals and representatives of small venture funds. Of course, companies working in the field of information and Internet technologies have an advantage, since such business has no boundaries.

01Mar

Why do you need an investor?

We all understand perfectly well that creating a business at the initial stage is very expensive.

Moreover, regardless of the field of activity, for the most part the costs will be:

• To a suitable premises;
• For the necessary equipment;
• Looking for employees.

Then, depending on the specifics of the business, there will be other costs:

• Additional software;
• Repair of premises;
• Purchase of consumables;
• Etc.

And in most cases, the initial costs are so high that it becomes very difficult to pay them alone, or even as a team.

But in addition to the initial costs, many companies feel a lack of funds for full and harmonious development. There are often cases when a young team has enormous prospects - their goods or services become truly in demand on the market, but due to lack of finance they miss out on the lion's share of profits.

For example, they cannot hire additional employees, or purchase more equipment, or expand the premises, and so on. That's when they will need an investor in the existing business.

We draw a conclusion: companies need to search for investors at the initial stage of their development in order to cover the lion's share of the costs of implementing their business. This is the main and most important reason why many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking for free funds.

The second reason is the search for funds for the development, expansion and implementation of any new ideas. This is typical for those companies that found free funds to start, but for some reason do not have sufficient funds for development.

How to find an investor for a business from scratch

Before moving on to the practical part of finding an investor, you should decide on a couple of theoretical points. Knowing the investor’s desires, you can understand how to look for him and what you need to give him.

When looking for an investor, it is important to remember one detail:

Investing involves making a profit. Every businessman who wants to interest a potential investor in his business should keep this rule in mind. No one will be interested in an “innovative breakthrough,” “an original idea,” or “new technologies” if they do not promise tangible profits. All investors need to be spoken in the language of money and risk. Only then can they really be interested.

Based on this rule, the following can be distinguished:

• To receive a cash investment, you need to convince the investor that his investment will be profitable;
• You need to prove why your project is more interesting than that of your direct competitors;
• Show what prospects you have for further development in the market.

Investors who do this professionally can literally determine in 10 minutes whether a project will be profitable or not. And when they invest money in business, they are not doing charity. The only motivation for investing is to get a quick profit, which should be higher not only than the average bank deposit, but also the lion's share of competitors.

It follows from this that the main task is not to find a private investor, but to interest him, convincing him to invest money in your project.

What information may be of interest to investors?

Now, based on an understanding of why people invest in the first place, you can begin to answer questions about what might be of interest to a potential investor.

But before that you need to understand one simple thing:

There is no need to perceive an investor for a business as a lender. He voluntarily invests his funds, and if he fails, they will not be returned to him in any way. That is why for beginning entrepreneurs, an experienced investor will be a partner who can help in case of minor failures and share success.

That is why you need to work not only for the benefit of yourself, but also of your business partner. You invest your ideas, effort, time, money (to a lesser extent), while the investor invests his money and participates in making important decisions for the company.

This is a kind of shareholder who has the right to vote, to whom they are obliged to listen, but do not always follow their lead. Maintaining a balance between the interests of the company and investors is very important.

So, you have found someone who is interested in investing in your company.

What you need to tell him about the business:

• The main idea of ​​the business;
• Required amount of investment;
• Estimated profitability;
• Risks.

This is all that an investor will need to know at the beginning of your cooperation. When he evaluates the volume of the proposed investment, compares profitability and risks, and if he likes your idea, then the second stage will begin - a detailed survey about the business.

This is when you will have to reveal all the details: why your idea is better than your competitors; how are you going to spend the money and on what; when will the business expand, and to what extent; what guarantees can you give and other questions.

It should be understood that laying out all the trump cards at the beginning is not the best idea. It is quite possible that a person will not be interested in business in this area, or he may implement this idea himself.

Return for investor

In Russia there is an excellent indicator of profitability on bank deposits - the key rate of the Central Bank. By adding 2-3% to it, depending on the region, you can reach the average for deposits for individuals and legal entities with large amounts of money.

For an investor, this is the minimum rate of return that he can receive by simply depositing his money in a bank account. Consequently, a businessman must show a return at a distance higher than a bank deposit by 1.5-2 times. This is typical for small and medium-sized businesses. For a large one, income in the amount of a bank deposit is possible due to the scale and prospects for rapid expansion.

Let's summarize: The investor is primarily interested in the return on his own investments.

That is why the following parameters are analyzed before investing money:

• Prospects of the idea;
• Required amount of investment;
• Risks and profitability.

If both parties are satisfied with these points, then the further stage of negotiations proceeds, in which the investor tries to obtain the most detailed information about the business and assess its future prospects. A competent business plan can answer all the questions that may arise during negotiations, so its preparation is mandatory.

Where to look for an investor for a business or startup

We've sorted out the basic information about what you can tell an investor. Now about where you can find an investor.

Close people, friends, acquaintances

One of the most controversial ways to raise funds. Suitable for creating a small business by promising people you know a return on their investment when the business begins to generate income.

At the same time, among friends and acquaintances you can actually find like-minded people who may be interested in the idea, and create a whole team that will be able to share all financial losses and compensate for each other’s shortcomings.

You can borrow money from relatives to open your own business if you need a small amount and there are some guarantees of its return.

Funds

There are two types of funds that can help you find investment for your business: small business funds and . Regardless of the type, obtaining funds from such funds will be extremely difficult.

You need to get managers interested in your business. And if in other cases an innovative idea, an advantage over competitors and a quick payback can beat average or even low profitability, then in this case the return on investment comes first.

Investment funds are only interested in one thing – profitability. They are ready to invest their money at great risk in enterprises that will bring them great income. But if a businessman talks about a long-term investment without guaranteeing profit in the first few years, such a business is unlikely to be financed.

In order to evaluate the prospects of its own investments, the fund will need time and as much information as you can provide. A group of analysts will analyze it, so the more information, the higher the chances of receiving funds.

Investment funds - an association of many investors who invest free funds in order to make a profit.

Moreover, these investment funds often have less money at their disposal than several private investors who are also ready to invest their money in interesting ideas if only someone interests them. But you should understand that applying for investments in an investment fund is much easier than applying to a private investor, because for the first you just need to contact the company, and in the second case, you need to somehow find contact with a very famous and rich person.

Government funds are one of the profitable options for receiving funds if the idea is truly innovative. Competitions are held periodically, the winners of which can receive a grant, for which entrepreneurs can realize all their ideas. Enlisting government support, if possible, is the best option.

Successful businessmen

One of the best and most profitable ways to find investments is to work with successful businessmen in a city or region. Regardless of the scale, in the region you can find many successful businessmen who have already followed this path, have profitable enterprises and free cash. It will be enough to interest them in your idea and your personality, and then they will invest their money in an interesting project.

At the same time, one of the clear advantages of working with successful businessmen is that they can teach and explain some of the moments that they themselves went through. Many entrepreneurs are happy to take beginners under their wing and explain to them how to cope with difficulties, minimize costs, and make a profit. Especially if the cooperation can bring benefits to both parties in the long run.

Cooperation usually takes place under two conditions:

• In the form of a loan;
• In the form of purchasing a share in a business.

The second option is preferable for both parties. It involves the participation of the investor in the development of the company, this makes it possible to avoid most mistakes and take advantage of the connections and relationships of a more influential person in order to establish your own.

If a businessman cannot help with finances, it is recommended to ask him which of the people he knows can help and be interested in the idea. Such a small psychological trick will allow you to learn about other businessmen, and with a recommendation from one of your colleagues you can count on something more.

A method that is suitable only for, and not in all areas. – financing of interesting projects by individuals. Often this is for some kind of reward. Leading companies that are developing some interesting new products for retail and wholesale are looking for free funds.

Banks

If all of the above methods of attracting investors do not work, you need to apply for loans from banks. Different credit organizations have different requirements for potential borrowers, but their essence is as follows:

Banks do not need maximum profitability. They are interested in stable receipt of funds and loan repayment. That is why credit institutions will study your business plan for stable income generation and, accordingly, return of funds. They are more interested in guarantees than profitability.

It is dangerous for an inexperienced entrepreneur to take out a loan from a bank, especially if it is quite risky. If the idea does not work out, the bank will make every effort to demand the return of funds, up to the sale of the borrower’s property.

That is why it is worth taking out loans for a small business, which will pay off in 4-5 months and can then generate income. And if it doesn’t work out, then the financial blow will not be as strong as the loss of money for the implementation of a medium or large project.

Venture investments

One of the most popular and effective ways to raise funds for businesses in innovative areas. Venture investments are investments of funds (associations of investors).

The nature of venture investments is their high risk. They provide funds to many companies that can change the world with their innovative ideas.

Venture funds can also finance ordinary entrepreneurs. But the main condition will be dynamic development and constant expansion.

Venture funds are a kind of motivation for the constant expansion of business, spheres of influence and products. The most striking example of a company that existed at the expense of venture funds is Apple.

Finding an investor: step-by-step instructions

Now we are publishing a detailed and step-by-step plan on how to find an investor to start a business:

Step 1. Drawing up a business plan.

As mentioned earlier, a good business plan for an investor will always bring several advantages to a businessman’s piggy bank.

What should be in a business plan:

• Description of the idea;
• Economic calculations;
• Project payback period;
• Development prospects;
• Competitor analysis;
• Other information.

During and subsequent presentation, you need to carefully concentrate on all the little details. You need to pay attention not only to all the information inside, but also to your appearance, presentation of material, confidence, etc.

The use of tables, graphs and other graphic materials is encouraged. They help to better perceive information and focus attention on the right points.

It would be a good idea to rehearse presenting your home business plan several times. Also be prepared for additional questions.

Step 2. Selecting a form of cooperation.

Before you start looking for an investor, you need to decide on the proposed model of cooperation. Of course, you can completely rely on an experienced businessman who himself will offer an interesting way of interacting with business, but then you lose your dominant position. We must not forget that it is not the investor who dictates the terms, but the businessman.

In total, there are 3 ways of cooperation:

• Receiving a percentage of the amount invested in the business;
• Receiving a percentage of profits for the duration of the entire business;
• Obtaining a share in the business.

Having chosen the method of cooperation that interests him, the aspiring businessman must indicate this method of cooperation in his business plan.

There are times when investors do not agree with the chosen cooperation model. You should analyze this situation and understand whether it is worth following the lead of a more experienced businessman, or whether it is better to insist on your own.

Sometimes it is better to give up your principles and receive funds for the implementation of the project, and sometimes to refuse the offer and find another interested party.

Step 3. Finding an investor.

After all the preliminary work has been completed, it is necessary to begin the process of searching for an investor. You need to work in several directions at once, making contacts both in the field of entrepreneurs and investors, and asking your friends.

Working according to the list presented above, you can try various options for attracting investments, and if nothing works, then you should contact the bank.

Step 4. Negotiations with potential investors.

It is advisable to find several interested parties who would be willing to invest free money in the development of your idea. Then you will be able to negotiate from a position of strength and dictate terms. But newcomers rarely find more than 1-2 interested people, which is why you should approach the negotiation process very carefully.

Convincing the investor that he will make a profit is the main task of these negotiations. At the same time, it is worth remembering that they will look not only at the prospects of your project, but also at you, so you should monitor your speech, appearance and manners.

It is advisable to answer all questions that potential investors may have. This will ensure that you are really working on your business idea, and stupid mistakes will not occur during the implementation stage.

Negotiations are the most important part when searching for an investor.

Step 5. Conclusion of an agreement.

After the negotiations have been successful, you will need to enter into an agreement with the investor. It is advisable that you take care of creating the agreement yourself and in advance. You should contact an experienced lawyer who can draw up a contract that is beneficial for both parties.

Important points that should be in the contract:

• Term;
• Investment amount;
• Form of cooperation;
• Rights and obligations.

Portals for finding an investor

Now there are various portal sites that act as intermediaries between investors and budding businessmen.

We present to you a list of 5 sites where you can find investments:

1. Ventureclub– a real treasure for investors and startupers. Anyone who wants to find investment in their project can go to the site and, after a thorough interview, submit a project. Investors who are interested in the proposal will be able to evaluate the idea, financial prospects, and discuss details. It is attractive to businessmen because there are many investors on the portal and the company is directing all its efforts to attract additional people to the ranks of investors.

2. Start2up– a platform that brings together investors, startupers and people who want to do joint business. The service is more suitable for finding potential partners to start a business. The site also contains information about the sale of various commercial assets, which will also be useful for a novice entrepreneur.

3. Napartner– a platform for finding investors in projects in various fields. If you take a closer look, you will notice that many startups have questionable ideas and ways to implement them. Accordingly, good projects here are worth their weight in gold and find investment in a short time. At the same time, the number of investors in relation to the number of startups does not cause optimism - there are 10 times fewer people willing to invest money than there are projects. Suitable as one of the ways to attract a potential investor.

4. Starttrack is the best service for serious companies. Despite the fact that the number of companies that received investment in this system is small - only 36, nevertheless they are still functioning, generating income. Starttrack is an investor community that promotes the idea of ​​investing as a type of income. At the same time, we can safely say that any community of investors is an excellent search for a partner to create a business. It should be understood that you can use this service only if the project is serious and the idea is attractive.

5. Boomstarter– the most popular crowdfunding platform in Russia and the CIS. For a startup in the IT, gaming or original fields, this is an ideal opportunity to seek initial investment. In most cases, the main idea is presented as a product/service. Users making a contribution should receive a reward that would interest them.

9 rules to follow when looking for an investor

Rule #1. You need to start looking for an investor as early as possible.

In order to find an investor who agrees to invest his money in the project, it will take a lot of time. You need to look for new business contacts and talk with interested people at the stage of developing a business plan. This will significantly reduce time costs and simple ideas.

It should also be understood that many investors need time to assess the real development prospects of a particular company. And when interacting with banks or investment funds, the time required to analyze all aspects of a potential client’s business activity will be quite large.

Rule #2. Collect as much information as possible about the investor.

Collecting as much information as possible can help in two ways at once: screening out candidates and conducting better negotiations.

For the first one you will need to know:

• What areas is the investor interested in?
• Where does one usually invest money?
• In what volumes?
• What kind of profit is it claiming?

It is important to understand that it is not worth turning to a person who usually invests millions in a project for a small sum of money. He simply won't be interested in your offer.

To conduct negotiations, you may need everything you can find out about a potential investor. After all, in essence, this will be the process of selling some share in the business (to one degree or another). And for sales, it is always important to find the client’s pain points and put pressure on them, pushing them to the fact that it is you and the investment in your business that can allow him to solve all his problems.

Rule #3. Plan your investments.

You need to name the specific amount that will be required from a potential investor. You cannot operate with ranges, only in extreme cases, when you are not sure of price stability in a certain period of time.

You also need to understand that you should not ask for more or less money. This will mark you as someone who hasn't thought through their business plan enough.

Rule #4. Voicing real goals.

You may have the most ambitious goals, but they will be of no use to an investor. Setting the goal of “entering the global market” for a company that hasn’t even existed for a month is at least very optimistic. It will be much more interesting for an investor to hear “entering the regional market and obtaining a 20-30% share in such and such an area.” But meanwhile, you will always have to justify the adoption of this or that goal.

Rule #5: Don't be shy about your idea.

It's hard to imagine Henry Ford being afraid to tell others about his ideas. On the contrary, he openly declared that he would create a device in which he could sit and drive down the street without additional traction. You need to do the same with your business ideas in negotiations.

Feel free to express your ideas, even if someone thinks that they are far from ideal and difficult to implement. Remember the presentation! The more confident you are, the better you are perceived.

Rule #6: Assembling a team is the best idea.

All promising projects began in the head of one person. But it can be difficult to realize all your ideas alone, and this is a generally accepted fact. It is best for aspiring businessmen to find a team of 3-5 people who, at the initial stage, would deal with various matters of the company, solving each of their own issues, and becoming professionals in their field.

It is important to assemble a team of like-minded people who will burn with one common idea and spend all their energy on implementation. Those who are slackers have no place in such a team.

Rule #7: Think about the benefits of working with you.

Speak to the investor in his language. Promise him profit, then offer him prospects for growth and expansion. You should think carefully, even at the business planning stage, about the question “What will my project be good at?” Having answered it for yourself, ask the same question, but from the investor’s point of view.

Rule #8: Try to be as close to investors as possible.

Attend various meetings of potential investors - business forums, conferences, and other events on a nationwide scale. At one such conference you can talk with hundreds of different people who will be interested in investing in your business to one degree or another.

A little psychological trick: don't say you came looking for investment. Try to look like one of the investors - a person with money. Then you will be able to be one of everyone and they will begin to treat you with greater trust and sympathy.

Rule No. 9: Honesty is the best weapon.

When looking for a potential investor, you need to understand that you will be mutually beneficial partners. That is why you should always provide the most complete and honest information about the company’s affairs, its prospects and your plans.

More often than not, it is better to hear a realistic “I would like to sell the company in a year for several million dollars” than “I will concentrate on fulfilling the company’s goals and expanding it, and going global.” In the first case there is honesty and transparency, in the second there is nothing but floridity and avoidance of answer.

Following these tips is quite simple, but following them will help you gain an advantage in negotiations over other similar seekers of free finance and interested investors.

Conclusion

In Russia, the culture of investing your own money is just beginning to take shape. This is confirmed by numerous surveys among ordinary citizens. Many people still prefer to invest their money in low-yield and illiquid real estate rather than buy shares of some young and developing company. But investors are of enormous importance for business development within the country.

What we have in Russia now: a large amount of free cash among large businessmen, the desire of banks to finance only stable companies, and the development of investment funds that are interested in interesting and profitable ideas.

What does it mean: in Russia there is a large amount of free cash that investors would like to use to invest in some interesting projects. Also, the new policy of the Central Bank, which directly states that banks should also switch to the investment model of the economy, inspires confidence and optimism among investors.

Finding an investor is one of the key stages when creating a business from scratch. Raising funds will not only allow you to create a business, but also develop it, reaching a new level.

Investors can be both individuals with sufficient capital and companies interested in making a profit. In order to interest an investor, you must always talk about money and income. Only after this comes the prospects of the idea, risks and other factors.

Drawing up a competent business plan and planning negotiations with an 80% probability will tip the scales in your favor. That is why you should not only understand your own idea, but also be able to present yourself competently.

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.

Often successful companies are created through the collaboration of several parties: one has an idea, the other has the resources to implement it. Thanks to the Internet, it has become easier for these parties to find each other. However, it is important not just to find a person with money, it is necessary to attract a good partner, cooperation with whom will become the basis for a successful startup and further advancement of the business. When considering investor proposals, try to think about which of them will be interested in your business. To do this, formulate the stage of development of your business: will it be its origin, formation, growth, maturity, or decline. Every company that is at various stages needs its own investor.

Features of the stages of company activity
At the inception stage, as a rule, an entrepreneur has nothing, only an idea, and sometimes a registered patent. There are also problems with the formation of the management team; business processes are not established. External investors are often relatives and friends, or they can be private individuals who have some experience in this area and are willing to take risks. On our website you can find such investor offers.

During its formation, the organization already has an established production of finished products, or already provides services, but its activities do not bring the desired income, and sometimes are even unprofitable. This stage is characterized by business processes that have not been fully developed; only the formation of a management team occurs. At this stage, it is necessary to pay attention to the financial and legal documentation of the company. An investor who is interested in it should easily understand the corporate structure of the organization and its financial position. It is good that the company does not participate in litigation, disputes with government services, etc. At the stage of expansion of activities, the volume of operations performed increases, and profits become stable. As a result, the company begins to occupy a stable position. The stage is characterized by well-established business processes, new markets and projects are opening. At these stages, banks, funds and other serious investors are involved in financing.

Advantages of our business portal
The business portal site is designed to assist its visitors in developing their business and increasing capital. In particular, this page presents various investor proposals. We recommend that you read them carefully and do not make hasty decisions. Try to learn as much as possible about your partner and assess his reliability. When drawing up contracts, read them carefully, let there be as few understatements as possible, and let all agreements be recorded in writing. On this page you can both find an investor and become one yourself by posting an investor proposal. Many of our visitors were able to find reliable business partners with whom they have been working for many years. Perhaps you will become one of their number.