Whatever stage your business is at, you may be looking for investment to start, grow, or diversify.<\/p>\n\n
According to Simply Business\u2019s SME Insights Report, over half (57 per cent) of businesses are seeking some form of investment or additional finance.<\/p>\n\n
Read on to find out more about the different types of business investment and how you can find investors for your business.<\/p>\n\n
There are different ways that businesses can raise funding, these are known as private equity, debt, and reinvestment.<\/p>\n\n
Private equity<\/strong> is when an investor or groups of investors gives you a cash injection for a stake of your business. For example, a group of investors could give you \u00a3100,000 to help you buy new equipment in exchange for 20 per cent of your business. Private equity investors are also often able to help with business consultancy and connections.<\/p>\n\n Debt funding<\/strong> usually comes in the form of a business loan. This means you\u2019ll have to pay the money back over a period of time, and may have to pay interest. A business loan could be secured against your finances or an asset such as your premises. To get this type of funding, you\u2019ll need to be able to make a clear case for how it\u2019s going to be used and how you plan to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n Reinvestment<\/strong> is putting the profits you make back into your business. The benefit of taking this approach is that you won\u2019t have to give away any stake in the business, nor will you have any debt or interest to pay back.<\/p>\n\n\n When it comes to private equity investment, there are several options. Which one is suitable for you will depend on what stage your business is in and how much you\u2019re looking to raise.<\/p>\n\n Our SME Insights<\/a> survey found that 12 per cent of small businesses are looking for crowdfunding, 10 per cent are seeking venture capital investment, and nine per cent are looking to receive angel investment.<\/p>\n\n What are the key differences between these types of private equity investment?<\/p>\n\n An angel investor, also known as a business angel, is an individual (or group of investors) who\u2019s looking to identify and invest in businesses with high growth potential.<\/p>\n\n Angel investors will usually be looking to invest up to \u00a3500,000 in startups in exchange for a stake in the business.<\/p>\n\n Read our guide to angel investment<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n Venture capital (VC) funds are made up of investors and business experts. Venture capital firms raise money from private and institutional investors to invest in select companies.<\/p>\n\n VC funds are more likely to target established businesses and can offer larger sums of money.<\/p>\n\n Read our guide to venture capital<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n Crowdfunding is a type of investment where a large number of people contribute smaller stakes in your business through an online platform.<\/p>\n\n Anyone can invest through crowdfunding sites and businesses can use different methods to raise money, such as giving away a stake in the business, loaning money at a set interest rate, or giving away rewards in exchange for cash.<\/p>\n\n Read our guide to crowdfunding<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n Our SME Insights data shows that a third (33 per cent) of businesses seeking investment are trying to raise up to \u00a320,000, while a quarter (25 per cent) are trying to raise between \u00a350,000 and \u00a3100,000.<\/p>\n\n Speaking to bigger businesses with more than 10 employees, we found that over a fifth (22 per cent) said a cash injection of \u00a350,000 to \u00a355,000 would take their business to the next level.<\/p>\n\n Over one in ten (11 per cent) said they\u2019d need \u00a380,000 to \u00a385,000 to get to the next level, while 12 per cent said they\u2019d be looking for \u00a395,000 to \u00a3100,000.<\/p>\n\n You\u2019ve reached the point where you think your business could benefit from some investment, but how do you get your business and ideas in front of the right people?<\/p>\n\n When you start speaking to the right people, you\u2019ll need to make sure you have a solid vision of where your business is going<\/a> and exactly what you\u2019d do with any investment. You may need to create a business plan for investors \u2013 download our free business plan template<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n Investors in a small business can not only help you by providing a cash injection, but they can also offer valuable advice and contacts.<\/p>\n\n Here are five things investors can help with (on top of money):<\/p>\n\n Three female founders, including Harpreet Kaur, winner of The Apprentice in 2022, share tips for finding investors and funding for your small business.<\/p>\n\n The panel discussion was recorded as part of Simply Business\u2019s Empowering Women in Business live event.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat are the different types of small business investors?<\/h2>\n\n
Angel investment<\/h3>\n\n
Venture capital<\/h3>\n\n
Crowdfunding<\/h3>\n\n
How much investment are SMEs trying to raise?<\/h2>\n\n
3 ways to find investors for a business<\/h2>\n\n
What can a business investor help with?<\/h2>\n\n
Watch: How to get investment for your small business<\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n