Financial Help for Entrepreneurs

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  Angel Investors

  
  
  
  
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    According to the Kauffman Foundation, which focuses on fostering a better understanding of and access to angel investment, angel investors provide 90 percent of the startup capital in the United States. Typically, this kind of capital is in amounts of between $250,000 and $2,000,000; it is estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 companies each year benefit from funding from angel investors. The typical angel investor is an "exited" entrepreneur or a retired businessperson. Because of their role as major contributors of capital, in addition to their background, angel investors often spend quite some time working with their portfolio companies as board members, mentors or advisors. Today, many angel investors join groups of angel investor organizations, such as the Kauffman Foundation's Angel Capital Association, to be able to connect better with new investment opportunities china marble.
    
    

    
    
  
  
  
  

  Venture Capitalists

  
  
  
  
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    Venture capitalists invest less than 2 percent in seed and startup companies, tending to focus their energies on later-stage companies. In the United States, venture capitalists provide capital and become actively engaged with companies, typically taking board seats. This helps small companies have active engagement and direction from experienced venture capitalists. Because of the labor-intense nature of venture capital investment, for every 1,000 business plans that come to a venture capital firm, usually only 10 are seriously considered and only one ends up getting funded. If you are an entrepreneur considering applying for venture capital funds, know that venture firms look at your management team, your business concept, your marketplace, your fit with the particular venture capital fund's objectives, and the capital needed to build a successful business.
    
    

    
    
  
  
  
  

  Social Enterprise Grant Programs

  
  
  
  
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    If you consider yourself a social entrepreneur -- someone who has come up with an innovative way to tackle a pressing social problem -- you may be eligible for financial aid from a number of organizations that work to provide seed capital to social entrepreneurs. For example, Echoing Green has a yearly competition whereby social entrepreneurs with great ideas and the motivation to put an idea into action are selected to receive a grant of around $20,000. They also receive support from the organization and connection with other young as well as experienced social entrepreneurs. Another organization, Do Something, provides smaller seed capital grants to social entrepreneurs of 25 years of age and younger; grants of $500 to $2,000 are awarded weekly.
    
    

    
    
  
  
  
  

  Foundations

  
  
  
  
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    Look for organizations in your region or business sector; some foundations provide grants to help entrepreneurs in their region get up and running, with the belief that supporting entrepreneurship helps the local economy. For example, in Northeast Ohio, entrepreneurs with innovation-oriented, high-potential factories can win grants from JumpStart Ventures, a nonprofit that provides grants as well as mentorship. The group aims to prioritize support for women- and minority- led companies, as well as companies that are working in several different industries. As of February 2011, the organization had supported 52 portfolio companies and had invested $20,6 million in its portfolio.
    
    

    
    
  
  
  
  

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