Starting a small business is always an exciting time. But no matter how great the product or business idea might be, how leaner the venture can operate, and how big the company has grown in size, there will always remain a necessity for more financial capital. Even the uber-successful and highly-funded billion-dollar start-ups keep engaging in more fundraising rounds than ever seen before. Having sufficient working capital and runway to achieve the company’s next milestone is essential to accord the business a chance to fully live up to its potential.

However, the start-up funds need not mandatorily come from the founder or through a bank loan alternatively. One can take off the strain of their finances by turning to investors, who can, in turn, earn a good amount of money when the start-up makes a profit.

Ways to Find Investors

Here are a few options that entrepreneurs and start-up founders can take stock of to find the right investing parties:

1.       Apply to Accelerator or Incubation Programs

The incubation or the accelerator programs are basically aimed at incubating and scaling start-ups in an environment of investors, mentors, and the right advisors. Many investment firms, universities, and seed funds offer such accelerator programs. These programs last for weeks or months, and their primary purpose is to make start-ups better in terms of their financial standing. They assist in raising funds and molding the business model so that it suits the market needs. Many incubation programs also have founders and industry veterans on-board with them who further help in the exchange of ideas and help start-ups smooth out the rough edges.

2.       Reach out to Private Investors

There are mainly two kinds of private investors – Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists. An angel investor is someone with a high net-worth who has the money, resources, and the ideal background suited to make a company successful. These investors come in when the start-up is in its nascent stages and their investments would mean that they will own shares in the company. On the other hand, venture capitalists come on board when the small businesses are expanding and probably entering a riskier phase. They support successfully established businesses looking to bring in some modifications in their operations and now need money. So, based on the stage that one’s start-up is in, the founder can seek out the appropriate private investor.

3.       Attend Start-up Events

Success in entrepreneurship and funding is all about visibility and getting noticed by the right investors. Attending events is one of the best ways to achieve this. These opportunities can also turn into pitch nights, especially for start-ups that require a lot of seed funding. Such functions are a great way to meet and interact with investors and scale one’s networks. These occasions are also ripe for finding oneself mentors who can guide in the success of the start-up. However, reveal only as much as required to receive funding as too much disclosure of information to investors could prove counterproductive.

4.       Leverage Government Programs

Several governments across the globe are providing funds to various start-ups. India and France are the recent governments to launch a program, where entrepreneurs can easily raise funds for their ventures. The government programs are mainly of two kinds – first, where the government itself invests in the start-up, and secondly, where the government arranges for a meeting with the interested investors who commit to investing a certain amount of money in particular start-ups. Ideas that are good enough also get seed funding.

5.       Crowd Funding

A crowdfunding platform enables entrepreneurs or start-ups to obtain funds online via a website, that specializes in the specific type of funding required. There are multiple crowdfunding platforms available on the internet and entrepreneurs can upload as many details as they want about their venture, asking people to fund in their start-ups. This also gives the business the marketing it needs, creating an interest among the public for the company.

6.       Fundraising advisors

In cases where the entrepreneurs themselves do not feel confident enough to close a deal, they can hire a fundraising advisor instead. The advisors can meet potential investors in the founders’ presence and wrap the deal on their behalf. However, there are many fraudsters in the market that one needs to be careful of. So, do a background check before hiring someone and sharing the start-up idea with them.

Summing Up

Finding an investor for one’s start-up in today’s time has become relatively easy with a myriad of options available to choose from. However, the road might not be as easy as one might face rejections too. But it’s important to rise above them, learn from the mistakes and improve oneself. Soon, the right investor will come along to help take the business to the next level.

Authored by Sanjeev K Kumar
CEO & Co-Founder, Kuberans House

One fine evening, 3 friends Sanjeev, Ram, and Ranjith met for chai and sutta.
They had an idea brewing that was to going to be brought into reality.

Sanjeev who had already made 99 television shows was set out to do something groundbreaking. Ram had agreed to do the show for him and with Ranjith’s help they had set out to do India’s Biggest Startup Showcase for all Indian Entrepreneurs and Ideators.

The three friends had successfully put the concept together –
The show was designed to bridge the gap between Venture Capitalists and Startups. It was going to be a fictitious house, which will house some of the biggest in India, but also open to anyone and everyone who needed help with their business idea.

The next question that boggled the head of the founders was –

What to name a show that was going to create this revolution in the startup market?? That one name was going to represent everything they were working for in line with the “Make in India” Initiative. A lot of thought was put into it, talking and debating for hours.

The idea then struck with Lord Kubera – An Indian Deity, God of Wealth and Prosperity. It was going to be a show that housed these Kuberas or Investors willing to fund the startups. It had instantly clicked with the 3 friends. Everyone had liked it, it was Indian, native, and authentic to the show. Hence the show officially came to be known as the “KUBERANS HOUSE”. Shows and films that begin with “K” have seldom failed, hence K was the pivot for Kuberan’s house; The whole process of naming the show took about 15 days but in return for greater satisfaction.

Apply Your Dream Now!!

Kuberan’s House, a first and one of its kind platform has opened the registration process for its upcoming entrepreneurship themed reality show. Inviting entrepreneurs/ ideators from all sectors Kuberan’s House is an entrepreneurial-themed show which will source and showcase innovative start-up ideas from across India. All the startups from sectors like Fintech, Health-tech, Logistics, e-commerce, SAAS, Consumers Services, etc. can apply to this platform through the website www.kuberanshouse.com.

This platform is designed to help the entrepreneurs get investment from the best panel of investors & venture capitalists, thereby helping in converting each of them into successful business ventures.

The selected applications will go through a thorough selection process. Kuberan’s House has formulated stringent parameters to evaluate the entries once the registrations are closed. The parameters of evaluation include a three-stage filtering process which includes exhaustive checks on background, tech specs, business module, originality, and the feasibility of the proposed business idea. Each application will be screened thoroughly by domain experts from the biggest institutes across India like IIT Kharagpur E-cell, Bits Pilani Technology Business Incubator, Ent. IISC, TiE Hyderabad, VIT, 100 Open Startups, Rabvik innovations, Telangana State Innovation Cell, NASSCOM 10,000 Startups, T-Hub, and 500 top applicants will be selected in the first round, and each of them will be awarded Kuberan’s House fellowship.

Further screening and business evaluation will identify prime 100 startups. The second round will consist of 100 applicants out of 500 which will be selected through a stringent filtering process. In the 3rd round, the prime 100 starts to go through a 3-day comprehensive workshop. The module will consist of an exclusive panel of professionals in corporate, finance, strategy, chartered accounting, fund management, legal and public speaking, this workshop aims to project, explore and impart every aspect of making a successful pitch to the investors.

Speaking on the same, Sanjeev K Kumar, CEO and Co-founder Kuberan’s House, said, “Through this initiative, we are relentlessly striving to provide India’s biggest platforms to entrepreneurs to present their ideas and get investors’ undivided attention. The show format allows participants to pitch their business ideas to a panel of renowned investors called Kuberas and persuade them to invest in their startups. Registrations are now open for all across the country, and we are on a mission to provide an opportunity for every Indian to make their dream come true. Our special focus will be to empower ambitious entrepreneurs from Tier2 & Tier 3 cities who do not have access to the regular investment forums.”

Talking about registrations and the enthusiasm witnessed on the platform, Govind Balakrishna Raju, Chief Strategy Officer, Kuberan’s House, “We have got enormous participation and partnerships from across the country and ready for welcoming a new set of incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurs, and innovators on our platform. Through this initiative, we provide a big boost to entrepreneurs by providing them a platform to pitch and get funding of up to 10Cr, additionally, value adds and startup perks concomitant with our mentoring program will also provide the participants with an enriching learning experience which will prepare them to meet investors and present their ideas effectively.”

Who would be the brand ambassador?

Who would be the face of the show?

No one knew and it was the next big challenge. We wanted somebody who is popular, who relates to people, and somebody who could take the application process across India. We were looking for a film star who has a national image. So we tried some of the best stars and as we were looking out for more and trying to fix up meetings, Divya of Divya Rama talkies shared a post of Sonu Sood helping people in need.

It was a stunner and all 3 of us (Ranjith, Ram, and Sanjeev ) were wondering why we couldn’t get him.

Within 24 hours Sonu was initiated, spoken to on a call, and explained the thought of the show. He was as excited as we were, his excitement added a new zeal in all of us and we wanted to make it phenomenal, and then with Sonu Sood, it was.