We know that  accelerating funds for your start up is one of the most difficult processes that prevents entrepreneurs from taking their app idea and making it a reality.

Launching a startup is one thing ; accelerating growth and expanding is an entirely different challenge.

​Here is a comprehensive guide that lists  funding options for startups that will help you raise capital for your business. Some of these funding options are :-

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​Bootstrapping your startup business:

Self-funding, also known as bootstrapping, is an effective way of startup financing, specially when you are just starting your business. First-time entrepreneurs often have trouble getting funding without first showing some traction and a plan for potential success. You can invest from your own savings or can get your family and friends to contribute. This will be easy to raise due to less formalities/compliance, plus less costs of raising. In most situations, family and friends are flexible with the interest rate

Crowdfunding As A Funding Option:

Crowdfunding is one of the newer ways of funding a startup that has been gaining lot of popularity lately. It’s like taking a loan, pre-order, contribution or investments from more than one person at the same time.

Get Angel Investment In Your Startup:

Angel investors are individuals with surplus cash and a keen interest to invest in upcoming startups. They also work in groups of networks to collectively screen the proposals before investing. They can also offer mentoring or advice alongside capital.

Angel investors have helped to start up many prominent companies, including Google, Yahoo and Alibaba. This alternative form of investing generally occurs in a company’s early stages of growth, with investors expecting a upto 30% equity. They prefer to take more risks in investment for higher returns.

Get Venture Capital For Your Business:

This is where you make the big bets. Venture capitals are professionally managed funds who invest in companies that have huge potential. They usually invest in a business against equity and exit when there is an IPO or an acquisition. VCs provide expertise, mentor-ship and acts as a litmus test of where the organisation is going, evaluating the business from the sustainability and scalability point of view.

A venture capital investment may be appropriate for small businesses that are beyond the startup phase and already generating revenues. Fast-growth companies like Flipkart, Uber, etc with an exit strategy already in place can gain up to tens of millions of dollars that can be used to invest, network and grow their company quickly.

Get Funding From Business Incubators & Accelerators:

Early stage businesses can consider Incubator and Accelerator programs as a funding option. Found in almost every major city, these programs assist hundreds of startup businesses every year.

Though used interchangeably, there are few fundamental differences between the two terms. Incubators are like a parent to to a child, who nurture the business providing shelter tools and training and network to a business. Accelerators so more or less the same thing, but an incubator helps/assists/nurtures a business to walk, while accelerator helps to run/take a giant leap.

Raise Funds By Winning Contests:

An increase in the number of contests has tremendously helped to maximize the opportunities for fund raising. It encourages entrepreneurs with business ideas to set up their own businesses. In such competitions, you either have to build a product or prepare a business plan.Winning these competitions can also get you some media coverage. 

 

Raise Money Through Bank Loans:

Normally, banks is the first place that entrepreneurs go when thinking about funding.

The bank provides two kinds of financing for businesses. One is working capital loan, and other is funding. Working Capital loan is the loan required to run one complete cycle of revenue generating operations, and the limit is usually decided by hypothecating stocks and debtors. Funding from bank would involve the usual process of sharing the business plan and the valuation details, along with the project report, based on which the loan is sanctioned.

Get Business Loans From Micro finance Providers or NBFCs:

What do you do when you can’t qualify for a bank loan? There is still an option. Microfinance is basically access of financial services to those who would not have access to conventional banking services. It is increasingly becoming popular for those whose requirements are limited and credit ratings not favoured by bank.

Similarly, NBFCs are Non Banking Financial Corporations are corporations that provide Banking services without meeting legal requirement/definition of a bank

Govt Programs That Offer Startup Capital:

Government backed ‘Pradhan Mantri Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Limited (MUDRA)‘ starts with an initial corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore to extend benefits to around 10 lakhs SMEs. You are supposed to submit your business  plan and once approved, the loan gets sanctioned. You get a MUDRA Card, which is like a credit card, which you can use to purchase raw materials, other expenses etc.

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Quick Ways To Raise Money For Your Business:

There are few more ways to raise funds for your business. However, these might not work for everyone. Still, check them out if you need quick funds.

Product Pre-sale: Selling your products before they launch is an often-overlooked and highly effective way to raise the money needed for financing your business. Remember how Apple & Samsung start pre-orders of their products well ahead of the official launch? Its a great way to improve cashflow and prepare yourself for the consumer demand.

Selling Assets: This might sound like a tough step to take but it can help you meet your short term fund requirements. Once you overcome the crisis situation, you can again buy back the assets.

Credit Cards: Business credit cards are among the most readily available ways to finance a startup and can be a quick way to get instant money. If you are a new business and don’t have a tons of expenses, you can use a credit card and keep paying the minimum payment. However, keep in mind that the interest rates and costs on the cards can build very quickly, and carrying that debt can be detrimental to a business owner’s credit.

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