Starting a business venture in college is exciting. You’ve got your breakthrough idea and want to get into it. But there is usually a big obstacle along the way – the finding. Where do you find money to support your student business? Do not worry; this guide contains all the resources you should try.
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Before You Approach Investors
Although getting funding is crucial, there are a few steps to take before negotiating with potential investors. These steps are vital because they will present your idea in the best light and might convince others to put their money into it.
If you are worried that you won’t have time for a lot of preparation because of the college curriculum, there is a way out. Many students, especially those in healthcare fields, often turn to nursing essay writing services to ease their academic burden. You can choose to pay for papers online and receive instant assistance with your coursework. By delegating tasks to these professional writers, who are adept at handling any format or topic, you can ensure quality work without the stress. Whether you need an essay finished or a dissertation written from scratch, these experts are ready to assist. Such professional academic helping services consistently deliver top-notch results right by the deadline.
And you’ll get more time to work on your venture. If you want your startup to succeed, you’ll need to make a decent amount of compromises in terms of resources. It is a matter of prioritization and strong time management.
So, what do student entrepreneurs need to do before approaching investors? Here are the fundamental steps:
- Develop your idea into a roadmap;
- Determine your target audience and the value of the product;
- Create a business plan;
- Work on the startup statement, mission, and values;
- Consider the budget – how much money do you need;
- Break down what the money will go to;
- Plan your actions for the first and crucial iterations.
Basically, you need to know what you want to create, how to make it, and how much it will cost. It is also a great idea to evaluate potential risks and expected profit. All that, along with a business plan, will make communicating with potential investors much more comfortable.
Where to Find Investment
Remember that your budget will be approximate as you do not know precisely how things will go. However, it must include all essentials, from production costs to marketing strategy and product release. Now, let’s talk about potential resources to find money.
Relatives and Friends
It might not sound very exciting, but many startups find their first investors among relatives and friends. They already have more trust in you and are more open to your ideas. Also, having a commitment to your loved ones will be a motivating factor to achieve success.
The crucial part here is not to treat this as free money. Even if it is your parent, approach them as any other investor. Communicate with them about spending and the startup’s progress regularly.
Crowdfunding
It is another straightforward way to raise money for your venture. The best part is that anyone can invest, even if they are not millionaires. Crowdfunding is very widespread nowadays, and people use it for many purposes. One of them is raising money for business ideas.
Register on one of the crowdfunding websites and prepare a strong case. Describe the idea, product, marketplace, and value to customers. Consider offering donors something in return – early access, merch, products, etc.
Some of the most well-known platforms for crowdfunding are:
- Kickstarter;
- Crowdcube;
- Seedrs;
- FundedByMe;
- GoFundMe;
- IndieGoGo.
Please note that all platforms offering such services take some percentage for the services. So, include a potential rate of up to 7% in the goal sum.
Angel Investors
These are successful business people who want to invest in exciting ideas. Approaching them is a perfect opportunity as they actively seek promising new startups. They are open to offers and ready to put some money into it. Yet, you still need to convince them that your venture is worth the hustle.
Students can find angel investors on:
- AngelList;
- Angel Investment Network;
- Angel Capital Association;
- Gust;
- Funded;
- Angel Forum;
- Wefunder;
- FundingPost, etc.
If you learn about offline business events, it is another excellent opportunity.
College Funding
Frequently, colleges and universities invest in student-led ventures. So, there is no harm in trying this route as well. Institutions are willing to put trust in their students because it is good PR. And because if you succeed, they can promote themselves with “this famous entrepreneur studied here.”
Look for student business competitions, grants, or funds within your college or university. Consider communicating with the career department to learn about options. Also, reaching out to alumni associations might work as well.
Incubators
Another option is to join a business incubator. In this case, you’ll partner with a more extensive and well-established company to get funding. Usually, you’ll exchange it for stock in your startup.
Besides money, incubators give access to guidance, support, resources, potential customers, etc. It is an outstanding way to get into networking, find new partners, and develop your venture. Your college or university might also have an incubator program, so check it out.
Venture Investors
Venture capital investors are not ideal, but it might be worth trying. Such companies work for a group of investors. They are ready to give money to startups in their early days. But they often do it in exchange for the company’s ownership. The catch is that you might have much less control over your own business in the end.
However, such companies also provide networking and growth opportunities.
Loans
Taking a bank loan is complicated and comes with an interest. But if nothing else works, it is a valuable opportunity. You need a strong business plan and a good credit score for a bank loan. However, banks do not require stocks or ownership of your company, which might be a dealmaker for some entrepreneurs.
In Summary
If you are ready to turn your idea into a successful business, there are plenty of opportunities to find funding. So delegate your papers to the best research paper writing service, craft a solid business plan, and go for it!
