How and where you can find an investor for a project. Where to find investors and how? Where to find an investor for a small business, for a startup, for a project? I am an investor looking for interesting projects

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 to find an investor for a small business from scratch? This question is often asked by young and aspiring entrepreneurs who have their own project and idea, but do not have money. Asking for help in getting money is a difficult step, however, you can find your investor by setting yourself the goal of implementing your project. How to attract investors to small business?

Searching for investors to implement an idea in a small business

How to get investment for a small business? When searching for sources of financing for a project, consider the following rules:

do not delay deadlines;
collect as much information as possible about the potential investor to avoid misunderstandings in the future;
carefully calculate the amount of investment required;
focus on specific goals;
in the process of negotiations with an investor, be honest and open, do not hide important facts.

Useful video on the topic:

How to get investments for small businesses from the state?

Today, the Russian government offers a wide range of ways to promote the development of small businesses:

allocation of state subsidies for the purchase of premises and fixed assets in the amount of up to 60 thousand rubles;
grants for beginning businessmen in the amount of up to 60,000 rubles;
compensation for previously received bank loans for business development;
subsidy from the Employment Center up to 25 thousand rubles;
assistance from Small Business Support Funds;
subsidy for entrepreneurs aimed at developing innovative technologies (maximum 60 thousand rubles).

You can learn more about state support programs on the Russian Government portal (http://government.ru/).

How to find a private investor to borrow money?

How to find a private investor to borrow money to create and develop a business? To obtain financing, there are online platforms specializing in business lending:

Fundico - shared lending service;
Nimfamoney is a closed platform for investors and startups (loan amount from 100,000 to 1 million rubles);
business.potok.digital - lending to entrepreneurs by private individuals.;
vdolg.ru - deposits up to 500 thousand rubles to a bank card;
loanberry.ru - online loan service for up to half a million rubles;
townmoney.ru is a P2P lending service that unites the interests of borrowers and investors.

How to find an investor for a business from scratch in Russia: 7 ways

How to find an investor to finance a business created from scratch in Russia?

I offer 7 options:

Contact your family and friends– this is the option for financing your own business that is most often used by start-ups. And here the essence of the matter is not to borrow money against a receipt or interest - the essence of the matter is to turn a friend or relative into your partner and boss, and start earning money together. This investment option is optimal if the diet involves a small amount - many friends and relatives will not have a lot of money for your project, free amounts on hand. The main thing is to convince them of the profitability of your idea and the opportunity to receive their share of passive income.
We are looking for a business agent. Today in the service market there are many agents - intermediaries between a startup and an investor who are ready to help you find a potential sponsor for a certain percentage or amount of money. Agents often unite in various associations and clubs - their coordinates can be easily found on the Internet and already on the spot have a more substantive business conversation. This option of finding an investor for your own project will be of interest to those who are planning to bring something grandiose and large-scale to life. Most often, agents have access and contacts with very wealthy investors, and if they like your project and it is approved, the matter will not be about finances. But they are unlikely to sponsor projects that will not bring in a lot of money - this is not their level, and here it is worth going and choosing a different option for finding investment.
Crowdfunding. If we talk about this type of search for an investor, then this phenomenon means the help of the crowd or public funding, built on the principle of mutual aid funds. This phenomenon has been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years - this option of searching for an investor has gained attention and is therefore worth taking into account. The essence of this method of finding an investor and financing one’s own project is that a person publishes his own idea on one or another specialized website, his own project, and on social networks dedicated to this area, having written down the conditions for participation in the project - those under which he intends to attract financial activists. Anyone can take part in the project, and by contributing their part of the money as a percentage or a fixed amount, you can collect the amount necessary for the implementation of the startup. Most often, this method of searching and attracting investors is used in such areas and areas as charity in the field of medicine, financing non-profit projects - recording amateur music and holding festivals, creating films and holding exhibitions.
Bank loan. An option for finding an investor is to contact the bank with your own developed business project, all the necessary calculations of investments and profits, and the payback period. But this option is possible if you have stable and official earnings and can make a certain deposit in the form of real estate or a car. This option is relevant if there is a need for a large amount of money, if the initial investment in your project does not require large financial investments - you can resort to financial sponsorship from microfinance organizations, where the conditions for issuing borrowed funds are somewhat softer, although the interest rate for using the loan will be higher than in jar.
Platforms for attracting business investment. If you don’t want to resort to the help of a bank or microfinance organization, you can visit specialized platforms for startups. It is on such specialized platforms that the necessary information for a beginner is posted - research and statistics, practical advice and assistance in launching new projects, plus data on investors, the ability to find their coordinates and contacts, investment conditions. In search of your own investor, you can visit online lending platforms. This is a kind of MFO or bank lending format. More specifically, such a platform could be Startups.co, which can act as a proven and reliable channel for finding a potential investor. As statistics show, more than 13.9 million potential users and investors have already been registered on the presented platform, who can act as both a consultant and a sponsor. Another proven platform that is popular among startups and investors is Gust.com - with its support, about 1.8 million dollars have been invested in many projects in recent years.
Social networks of professionals– these are groups of potential investors that can be easily found on the Internet. Professional investor networks are a currently developed area where you can meet a potential sponsor working in one direction or another. Most of the sites presented on the network work with foreign investors who are ready to directly join the international, global business space.
Business angels, private equity funds. If you need to find a reliable investor for your own project, you can contact a private investment company that specializes in this type of financial investment. What’s most important is that you can get approval for a variety of amounts, ranging from several thousand to several million dollars. What is the interest of the investors themselves - after a few years, to sell their own part a few years after the start of the startup. An example is the private equity fund Zunder Invest. But even if you were refused a loan of money, you were refused by a bank or an MFO, an investor - do not despair. Perhaps your investor has not yet met your path, or your project does not meet all the requirements of a potential sponsor.

Where to find an investor for a business from scratch: 5 options

To find investments, you can use the following tools and resources:

Social networks for professionals (LinkedIn, EFactor, Xing, Plaxo, Startup Nation, Cofoundr and Meetup)
Business incubators and accelerators (The best include Synergy Innovations, Ingria, the business incubator of the Academy of National Economy, the API Moscow business accelerator, the First City Business Incubator of St. Petersburg and others)
Platforms for startups (the full list is below)
Small business support funds and employment centers
Investment club “Business Youth” (molodost.bz/investfund_OLD)
Investor forums (investory.biz, investorov.net/forum, investtalk.ru/forum/)

Websites for finding investors in Russia and abroad: top 20

The most popular platforms for finding investors today are:

How to attract investment in business: ideas and platforms for startups

How to attract an investor to a startup is the first most difficult task that a novice investor who wants to implement his business idea will have to solve.

Where to find investment for a startup? To finance your project, you can use specialized online platforms for searching for private investors, the help of business angels, business accelerators and incubators, government support programs, and crowdinvesting platforms.

How to get investment for a startup? To obtain funding, the startuper must convince the investor of the viability and profitability of the project. To do this, you will need to cover the following topics in your business plan in as much detail and reasoning as possible:

uniqueness and prospects of the project;
demand for a product or service on the market;
investment size;
payback period of investments;
projected level of profitability;
guarantees for return of invested funds.

How to attract investors to a project quickly and without unnecessary problems? The search for investments and investors can be carried out using specialized online platforms:

Boomstarter is a Russian crowdfunding platform.
Planeta.ru is a platform that allows you to raise from 20,000 to 15 million rubles for the implementation of any creative idea.
nachinanie.ru - service for collective financing of new projects
Startups.co is an international platform for startups that allows you to solve the problem of how to find an investor for a project.

How to write a business plan for an investor: key points of the project

How to draw up a project for an investor? The business project summary should contain the following points:

description of the essence of the business idea;
market analysis;
portrait of the target audience;
how and with the help of what tools the idea will be monetized;
analysis of competitors (their strengths and weaknesses);
the team involved in the project implementation;
project benefits;
investment project performance indicators (payback period (DPP), MIRR, IRR (internal rate of return), ARR (return on investment ratio));
how much money has already been invested in the project at the start;
investment use plan;
what the investor will receive as a result and in what time frame.

How to calculate return on investment (ROI)? To calculate, you must use the following formula: ROI = PE / I * 100%, where PE is the net profit for a certain period of time (this indicator is calculated as the difference between the total profit and the cost); And - investments.

Beginning entrepreneurs often face a lack of funds, without which it is impossible to implement a promising business idea. In this case, you have to look for an investor who will agree to invest money in your business. This is a difficult process that requires persistence, patience and self-confidence. You will learn how to find an investor from scratch for a small business in this article.

How to attract an investor?

Any investor strives to increase his capital. The interest on deposits offered by banks and other financial institutions does not suit people who want their money to work and make a profit, since such dividends barely cover the level of inflation. Therefore, investors are looking for businesses in which they can invest capital and thereby provide decent passive income. If you are interested in how to find an investor for a small business, first of all you need to perceive him as a potential partner, since you are investing an idea into the business, and the investor is investing his money. Accordingly, this should be beneficial for both parties.

Experts believe that finding an investor for a small business is not difficult. The most important thing is a competent presentation of the idea, which can convince him that this type of investment will significantly increase his capital.

In an investment question, the following questions need to be addressed:

Demand and uniqueness of the product;
Investment size;
Payback period of the enterprise;
Calculation of future profits and guarantees.

If you can find convincing arguments for all of these positions, the investor will be convinced that your idea will indeed bring good profit and ensure its financing.

Where to start your search?

Step #1. Make a clear plan that you will present to potential investors. With its help, you must convince the person that your strategy will allow you to make a good profit. The document must contain a complete description of the company, its prospects, and place in the market. Also, do not forget to attach a calculation of the initial investment and the approximate payback period;
Step #2. Decide on the type of investor. For example, you are interested in how to find an investor who will allocate funds to achieve certain goals - to purchase equipment or expand production at a certain interest rate. Or maybe an investor will suit you who will give you money, but will ask for a share in the business in exchange. Choose the most acceptable form of cooperation for you and indicate it in the plan;
Step #3. Seek help from experienced businessmen who have been working in your chosen field for a long time. They can give you sound advice on attracting investors to your business;
Step #4. Find specialized sites on the Internet where aspiring entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to present their project to business angels. You place your request for financing an enterprise, after which investors contact the author of the idea that interests them.

Where to look?

Before finding an investor for a business, you need to carefully prepare and make a detailed description of the future enterprise. It is advisable to involve experienced economists in this matter who will help you draw up an action plan. It should outline the production technology, the level of competition in the market, marketing research, and markets for finished products. You also need to attach financial calculations and detail the payback period and future profits.

Now let's try to figure out where to find an investor for a small business. There are several options to help you resolve this issue:

Relatives and friends. Since finding an investor to invest in a business idea is not so easy, try to involve your friends and relatives in this business. This is an ideal option that allows you to minimize all risks. If the implementation of your project does not require large start-up capital, you can invite your friends to invest their savings in the business for a certain percentage of the profit;
Businessmen. In any city there are experienced entrepreneurs who have made a fortune and want to invest their capital in some profitable business. Try to get a long-term loan from them on favorable terms or offer equity participation in the business. The second option will significantly limit your freedom of action, so think carefully before taking such a step;
Funds. Another option for finding an investor for a business from scratch is investment funds, as well as funds that assist small businesses. But in order to receive money from such an organization, you need to prove that your project is viable. In addition, an aspiring entrepreneur must have his own start-up capital, which he plans to invest in a new enterprise. This option is more suitable for businessmen who want to find an investor in an existing business. To get a positive answer, you need to draw up an enterprise development plan and conduct a thorough analysis of your company’s work. It is also necessary to constantly monitor the performance of public investment funds. They often hold various competitions that allow them to select the most promising projects;
Venture investing has become widespread in many developed countries. If you want to find investors for business development in this way, you should remember that these organizations invest money only in promising risky projects in the field of science, innovation or IT technology. Sometimes venture funds finance the service and trade sectors. But at the same time, they expect a share in your business and stable profits. As a rule, such funds finance the enterprise for several years and then sell their share to the owner;
Business incubators. This is a special platform that is intended for the implementation of various projects. To find an investor for a business in Ukraine in this way, you need to provide a competent plan and pass an interview or win a competition;
Banks. If you don't know where to find an investor for your business, try getting a loan from a bank. But, unfortunately, getting the required amount is not so easy, since credit institutions usually impose serious requirements on borrowers. You will need a guarantor, collateral and a package of documents. If you do not comply with the bank's requirements, you may not receive a loan. This option is more suitable for implementation.

If you want to find money for your business, be patient. All candidates must be carefully considered and possible risks taken into account. In this case, you can choose a reliable investor who will help you open a profitable enterprise.

Foreign investors

Some entrepreneurs who cannot find money to implement their idea in our country are trying to attract foreign capital to the project. Let's figure out where to find a foreign investor for a small business?

It is pointless to rely on your past victories in various competitions and festivals, since foreign investors are only interested in real financial achievements. You must offer them a project that, with additional funding, will bring in millions in profit, preferably in dollars. It doesn't have to be some kind of technological idea, but if it shows high profitability, you can safely count on the fact that investors will pay special attention to you. Believe me, no one will invest in your ambitions. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, look for interesting ones, the implementation of which does not require large start-up capital. This is an ideal option to start with.

Video on the topic

By franchise

Now let's talk about how to find an investor for a franchise business. This investment tool has been tested by hundreds of entrepreneurs. The main advantages of a franchise are a quick start and entry into the market under the wing of a well-known brand. Borrowed funds for a franchise can be obtained from a bank. This is the only case when banks give money to start a business. In addition, they provide a deferred payment on the loan for 6 months. Thanks to this, the entrepreneur can direct all his efforts to business development and repay the loan from the profits received. To get such a loan, it is enough to have one guarantor.

Help from the state

If you want to implement it, you can try to seek help from the state. There are special programs that allow you to receive a grant to start your own business. This is targeted free assistance, which is quite enough to start a small enterprise. This option is perfect for beginners who are looking for ways to start without starting capital.

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 starts generating 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 there will be no stupid mistakes 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.

home > Registration