#Venture capital Funding

[market-daily]

2023: Black Entrepreneurs Face a Heavy Drop in VC Funds

Black entrepreneurs – Being an entrepreneur has never been easy, but for people of color it could be particularly challenging.

Black entrepreneurs have had trouble obtaining funding throughout the years.

Instead, a lot of people rely on venture capital investment, which is only available to diverse entrepreneurs.

While seeking VC funding over the years, Black entrepreneurs and Black-led enterprises have encountered prejudice, despite the fact that many of them were successful.

Annually, Black entrepreneurs generally receive less than 2% of total VC financing.

However, the percentage of Black women-owned enterprises is barely 1%. Source: https://marketdaily.com/black-entrepreneurs-hit-heavy-vc-funds-drop-2023/

[finlender2]

Advisory & Management Consultancy under Insolvency and Bankruptcy

"FinLender offers advisory and management consultancy in difficult and complex situations to resolve, execute and ultimately transform the outcome. Our team specializes in formulating the Revival and Resolution Plans on behalf of the stakeholders like Financial Institutions, Shareholders and Promoters of the corporate entities.Our team also assists Resolution Applicants in providing advisory services for takeover of financially distressed entities that are outside or under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016."

[zenithpartners]

Fuel Your Startup’s Growth with Venture Capital Investments | Zenith Partners

At Zenith Partners, we empower innovative startups and emerging businesses with tailored venture capital investment solutions. Our experienced team connects you with the capital you need to accelerate growth, scale your operations, and reach new heights of success. With a strategic approach and a proven track record, Zenith Partners provides more than just funding – we offer mentorship, market insights, and the resources to turn your vision into reality.

Ready to take your startup to the next level? Partner with Zenith Partners today and unlock the potential of smart venture capital investments!

[21by72]

Venture Capital for Startups: A Comprehensive Guide

Do you want to raise large-scale capital for your startup? Or are you looking to understand venture capital for future fundraising? We have put together a comprehensive guide on venture capital funding, where we will discuss what it is, its types, how to raise venture capital for startups, and the pros and cons of working with venture capital firms.

What is Venture Capital for a Startup?

Venture capital is the type of funding one can raise on a large scale. Venture capital firms offer finance to startups in return for equity rights. They are financial institutions that pool money from diverse HNIs and invest in startups in the hope of large profits to give to these HNIs and keep a part of it. Therefore, these firms conduct thorough research and due diligence before investing in startups.

Venture capital firms offer financial, advisory, and operational support to startups and help them perform well. They have industry experts who help startups better understand the market, adapt to market trends, and improve their operations to maximize profits.

Typically, venture capitalists invest in startups with established success or at least a well-researched minimum-value product. However, in promising cases, they might offer pre-seed funding (funding required to build an MVP, conduct market research, and more).

After a specific time, venture capitalists are likely to plan an exit. When venture capital gains enough profit from their investment or identifies a downfalling trend for the startup, they exit the investment. For this, they might sell their shares to investors, other venture capital firms, an IPO, or the startup owner.

Types of Venture Capital Funding

Following are the few types of venture capital startup funding you must know before raising funds for a startup.

1. Seed Funding

Seed funding is the type of startup funding raised when the company is in the ideation stage and lacks a physical product. Venture capital firms are likely to invest a small amount in this stage. Here, the investment gets utilized to build an MVP, conduct market research for product-market fit, improve offers, and more.

2. First Stage or Series A funding

The first stage, series A funding, is the most popular way to raise venture capital funding. Here, the startups have an MVP and conduct market research to sell their product. They need the venture capital for production, selling, and marketing the product. A practical and well-researched pitch deck and promising products will likely secure startup venture capital.

3. Expansion Funding

Expansion is a sign of growth and success. Therefore, you can seek financial support from venture capitalists to expand your business to new markets, tap new target audiences, and improve quality with high-end technologies. You can also contact your existing venture capitalists or other venture capital firms for more funds.

4. Late-Stage Capital

Successful startups with a track record often raise funds for many purposes. Such firms usually need to revamp their structure, need more working capital, or want to boost their production capacity. Therefore, they reach out to venture capital firms to improve their profits.

5. Bridge Financing

When a firm decides to pursue a Merger, Acquisition, or IPO, it often needs short-term financial support. Some venture capitalists might make such investments.

Raising venture capital funding might take up to 6-8 months. So, to raise funds without running out, you need to start planning. Let’s look at the process of raising venture capital for startups.

How to Get Venture Capital for Startups?

Here is the step-by-step guide to securing venture capital funding.

1. Find the venture capital firms

There are thousands of venture capitalists in the country and hundreds in cities. They each offer funding and specialized support. You need to identify which venture capitalists are a better fit for you. You can evaluate these venture capital firms based on their reputation, their expertise, their track record, and the competition you might face.

2. Initial calls and meetings

You can start by contacting venture capital firms to inquire about any investment opportunity they might consider. Try to set up a quick call or physical meeting to secure a spot for a chance to present your pitch. Create an elevator pitch to introduce yourself and briefly describe your startup and how they can benefit from investing in it.

3. Present your pitch deck

Prepare and present your pitch effectively. Your pitch must include factual data about your startup, business model, supporting market trends, the value you can provide them, and more.

4. Thorough due diligence

Prepare your papers related to startup, business approvals, and identity for due diligence. Here, they will thoroughly conduct a back check of your startup to ensure you are legitimate and that they avoid scams.

5. Negotiation of venture capital funding

Once they are sure about the potential of your startup and willing to invest, you negotiate. The venture capital for startups includes equity rights dilution. So, negotiate the amount they invest and the equity you offer to reach a profitable point for both. Avoid dilution of equity, which can cause you to lose the authority to make the final decision.

6. Finalization of the funding

Once the details about the startup funding get finalized, you create an agreement letter and legalize the venture capital funding.

Pros of Venture Capital Funding

Some benefits of opting for venture capital funding:

Expert advice

You can directly access advice from industry experts on every startup stage. It helps you tackle any problem and identify market trends from which to profit.

Free from repaying debts

In venture capital for startups, you offer equity in return for the investment. Therefore, you are free of any debts. So, you can continue working even if you face business losses without fretting about payback.

No collateral needed

Unlike loans, you do not need collateral to invest in your business.

Networking opportunities

You can access the network from venture capital firms and connect with industry people, including potential business partners, customers, or investors.

Cons of Venture Capital Funding

The following are the drawbacks of venture capital funding.

Loss of equity

You lose ownership by a certain percentage due to the dilution of equity through venture capital funding.

Performance pressure

To keep venture capital firms and their investments secure, you should perform well and show your potential. If your performance dips significantly, they may withdraw their investment.

Dependency on venture capital firms

You need to include venture capital firms in every decision for the startup, which might cause delayed decision-making.

Risk of conflict

There is a high risk of conflict with different goals and thinking. A significant conflict may result in investors pulling out funds.

Conclusion

Venture capital is for startups that need large-scale investment. A startup can raise venture capital funds at diverse stages of startup like seed funding, expansion, or when they need to grow more once they have established themselves successfully. It would help if you considered how much finance you need, the equity you want to offer, the expertise you need, and the reputation of the venture capital before deciding on the venture capital firms to raise funds. Raising venture capital funds includes finding the right venture capitalists, pitching ideas, due diligence, and final negotiation. The process might last around 6-8 months, so start early.

Networking can help you find the right firm and secure an investment through referrals. 21By72 can help you network well with investors to build business relationships with our Global Startup Summit, which has attendees from across the globe. Check our website to learn more.

[tourismday]

Venture capital funding in sustainability increased by approximately more than 754% since the Paris Agreement adoption.

Innovation is the key to impactful climate solution. unlocking climate innovation and investing in cutting-edge technologies, business models, and practices

Celebrate World Tourism Day under the theme “Tourism and green investments”.

World Tourism Day 2023 | “Tourism and Green Investment”

[phoenixyfriend]

Ko-Fi prompt from @dirigibird:

I've been looking at investment options but I don't want to be messing around too much with the stock market, and a co-worker suggested exchange traded funds. Would love to know your opinions!

LEGALLY NECESSARY DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed financial advisor, and it is illegal for me to advise anyone on investment in securities like stocks. My commentary here is merely opinion, not financial advice, and I urge you to not make any decisions with regards to securities investments based on my opinions, or without consulting a licensed advisor. I am also going to be talking this all over from an American POV, which means some of these things may not apply elsewhere.

So instead of letting you know what to pick or how to organize your securities, I'm going to go through the definitions of what various investment funds are, how they compare functionally, and maybe rant about how I disagree with the stock market on a fundamental ethical level if I have word count left over.

If you want more information, and are okay with jargon, I'd suggest hitting up investopedia. That is where I will be double-checking most of my information for this one.

I also encourage folks who know more about the stock market specifically to jump in! I like to think I'm good at research and explaining things, but I'm still liable to make mistakes.

Mutual Funds: A mutual fund is a pool of money and resources from multiple individuals (often vast numbers of people, actually) being put together and managed as a group by investment specialists. The primary appeal of these is that the money is professionally managed, but not personally so; it gives smaller investors access to professional money managers that they would not have access to on their own, at cheaper rates than if they tried to hire one for just their own assets. The secondary appeal is that, due to the sheer number of people, and thus capital, that is being invested at once, the money can be invested in a wide variety of industries, and is generally more stable than investing in just one company or industry. Low risk, low reward, but overall at least mostly reliable. Retirement plans are often invested in mutual funds by employer choice, through companies like Fidelity or John Hancock.

Hedge Funds: A hedge fund is a high risk, high reward mutual fund. Investors are generally wealthy, and have the room and safety to lose large amounts of money on an investment that has no promise of success, especially since money cannot be withdrawn at will, but must remain in the fund for a period of time following investment. It gets its name from "hedging your bets," as part of the strategy is to invest in the opposition of the fund's focus in order to ensure that there is a backup plan to salvage at least some money if the main plan backfires. Other strategies are also on the riskier side, often planning to take advantage of ongoing events like buyouts, mergers, incumbent bankruptcy, and shorting stocks (that's the one that caused the gamestop incident).

Private Equity: Private equity is... a nightmare that got its own incredibly good Hasan Minhaj episode of Patriot Act, so if you've got 20 minutes, an interest in comedically-delivered, easily-digestible, Real Information, and an internet connection, take a watch of that one. (If it's not available on YouTube in your country, it's originally from Netflix, or you can probably access it by VPN.) Private equity companies are effectively hedge funds that purchase entire companies, rebuild them in one way or another, and then sell them at (hopefully) a profit. Very often, the companies purchased by private equity are very negatively impacted, especially if the private equity group is a Vulture Fund. Sometimes, it's by taking it apart to sell off; sometimes it's by just bleeding it for cash until there's nothing left. Sometimes, it's taking over a hospital and overcharging the patients while also abusing the staff! (Glaucomflecken has a lot of videos on the topic of private equity in the medical industry, check him out.)

Venture Capital: In contrast to private equity, which purchases more mature companies, venture capital is focused on startups, or small businesses that have growth potential. These are the kinds of hedge funds that are like a whole group that you'd see some random tv character calling an Angel Investor (they're not actually the same thing, but they overlap by a lot). I'd hesitantly call these less ethically dubious than private equity, but I'm still suspicious.

And finally, to answer your question on what ETFs are and how they fit into the above.

Exchange Traded Funds: ETFs are... sort of like a mutual fund. Sort of. You are, to some extent, pooling your money... ish.

An ETF is like a stock that is made out of partial stocks. So instead of paying $100 for stock A, and not getting stocks B/C/D that all cost the same, you buy $100 of the ETF, which is $25 each of stocks A/B/C/D. You are getting a quarter of a unit of stock, which isn't normally an option, but because you are purchasing through an ETF that officially already bought those Whole stocks, you can now purchase the partial stocks through them.

They buy the whole stocks, then they resell you mixes of those stocks. They still officially own the whole stocks themselves, but you now own parts of the stocks. Basically, you own "stock" in a company that owns stock in other companies, and in that process you own partial stocks in those other companies.

I'm going to re-explain this using fruit.

Imagine you can buy apples, oranges, melons, grapes, etc. You can also buy fruit cups. You can only buy the individual fruits in big batches or you can pool your money with a few other people, hand it to a chef. The chef will decide which fruits look like they'll taste the best by lunch time, buy a bunch of those fruit pallets with your combined money, and plan out the best possible fruit salad for you to share with a bunch of people once lunch rolls around.

You could also buy a fruit cup. You don't have a lot of control over what's already in the fruit cup, but there are a few different mixes available--that one has strawberries, but that one over there uses kiwi, and the other one that way has pineapple--and you can pick which mix you want. It's a pretty small fruit cup, and it's predesigned, but you can choose the one you want without having to pool money with everyone else. You just first have to let someone else design the fruit cups you choose from, and you don't know which ones are probably going to survive the best to lunch time unless you ask a chef (which defeats the purpose of buying a fruit cup instead of pooling your money, and asking the chef costs money).

That's the ETF. The ETF is the fruit cup.

The upside is that you can now just track the prices of your fruit cup, instead of tracking the prices of four different fruits, and so if the price of one fruit drops, you can just... let the other three buoy it.

Of course, in the real world, there are more than just four stocks involved in an ETF. This part of the Investopedia article lists a few examples, and they're usually themed and involve anywhere from 30 (DOW Jones) to thousands (Russell) of shares by stock type, or by commodity/industry. So with the ETF, you can invest in an entire industry, like technology, and just keep track of that single "stock" in the industry game.

They do cost less in brokerage/management fees than regular mutual funds, and they have a slightly lower liquidity (slower to cash out). There also exist actively managed ETFs, which are basically mutual funds for ETFs. You are paying the chef to buy you premade fruit cups.

(Prompt me on ko-fi!)

[foxnangelseo]

Investment Options in India: Diversify Your Portfolio in 2024

Diversification is a fundamental principle of investing, essential for managing risk and optimizing returns. In 2024, as investors navigate an ever-changing economic landscape, diversifying their portfolios becomes even more critical. India, with its vibrant economy, diverse markets, and growth potential, offers a plethora of investment options for both domestic and international investors. In this comprehensive guide, we explore various investment avenues in India in 2024, from traditional options like stocks and real estate to emerging opportunities in startups and alternative assets.

1. Equities: Investing in the Stock Market

Investing in equities remains one of the most popular ways to participate in India's economic growth story. The Indian stock market, represented by indices such as the Nifty 50 and Sensex, offers ample opportunities for investors to capitalize on the country's booming sectors and emerging companies.

- Blue-Chip Stocks: Invest in established companies with a proven track record of performance and stability.

- Mid and Small-Cap Stocks: Explore growth opportunities by investing in mid and small-cap companies with high growth potential.

- Sectoral Funds: Diversify your portfolio by investing in sector-specific mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) targeting industries such as technology, healthcare, and finance.

2. Mutual Funds: Professional Fund Management

Mutual funds provide an excellent avenue for investors to access a diversified portfolio managed by professional fund managers. In India, mutual funds offer a range of options catering to different risk profiles and investment objectives.

- Equity Funds: Invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks, including large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies.

- Debt Funds: Generate stable returns by investing in fixed-income securities such as government bonds, corporate bonds, and treasury bills.

- Hybrid Funds: Combine the benefits of equity and debt investments to achieve a balanced risk-return profile.

- Index Funds and ETFs: Track benchmark indices like the Nifty 50 and Sensex at a lower cost compared to actively managed funds.

3. Real Estate: Tangible Assets for Long-Term Growth

Real estate continues to be a popular investment option in India, offering the dual benefits of capital appreciation and rental income. While traditional residential and commercial properties remain attractive, investors can also explore alternative avenues such as real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate crowdfunding platforms.

- Residential Properties: Invest in apartments, villas, or plots of land in prime locations with high demand and potential for appreciation.

- Commercial Properties: Generate rental income by investing in office spaces, retail outlets, warehouses, and industrial properties.

- REITs: Gain exposure to a diversified portfolio of income-generating real estate assets without the hassle of direct ownership.

- Real Estate Crowdfunding: Participate in real estate projects through online platforms, pooling funds with other investors to access lucrative opportunities.

4. Startups and Venture Capital: Betting on Innovation and Entrepreneurship

India's startup ecosystem has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, fueled by a wave of innovation, entrepreneurial talent, and supportive government policies. Investing in startups and venture capital funds allows investors to participate in this dynamic ecosystem and potentially earn high returns.

- Angel Investing: Provide early-stage funding to promising startups in exchange for equity ownership, betting on their growth potential.

- Venture Capital Funds: Invest in professionally managed funds that provide capital to startups and emerging companies in exchange for equity stakes.

- Startup Accelerators and Incubators: Partner with organizations that support early-stage startups through mentorship, networking, and access to resources.

5. Alternative Assets: Diversification Beyond Traditional Investments

In addition to stocks, bonds, and real estate, investors can diversify their portfolios further by allocating capital to alternative assets. These assets offer unique risk-return profiles and can act as a hedge against market volatility.

- Gold and Precious Metals: Hedge against inflation and currency fluctuations by investing in physical gold, gold ETFs, or gold savings funds.

- Commodities: Gain exposure to commodities such as crude oil, natural gas, metals, and agricultural products through commodity futures and exchange-traded funds.

- Cryptocurrencies: Explore the emerging asset class of digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, which offer the potential for high returns but come with higher volatility and risk.

Conclusion

Diversifying your investment portfolio is essential for mitigating risk, maximizing returns, and achieving long-term financial goals. In 2024, India offers a myriad of investment options across various asset classes, catering to the preferences and risk profiles of different investors.

Whether you prefer the stability of blue-chip stocks, the growth potential of startups, or the tangible assets of real estate, India provides ample opportunities to diversify your portfolio and capitalize on the country's economic growth story. By carefully assessing your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon, you can construct a well-diversified portfolio that withstands market fluctuations and delivers sustainable returns in the years to come.

This post was originally published on: Foxnangel

[nando161mando]

So what you're saying is, you don't have a business.

You have a bunch of venture funded criminals looking to eventually sucker teacher pension funds and other investors with an IPO and laugh all the way to the bank.

[ludocrow]

Well not that I was using it a lot anymore but with Tumblr apparently now opting-in by default everyone's blogs to be shared with AI bullcrap, I think this is now officially my very last personal post. (btw you should totally go ASAP in your blog settings to deactivate third party sharing, among other stuff; not that I expect it to do much with the lack of caring for boundaries/intelectual property/etc AI folks have but it's the one thing we were 'granted' ugh) You can find my at these places(though Cohost is the more active of the two tbh in term of actually getting art): https://cohost.org/Ludocrow?page=0 https://bsky.app/profile/fringecrow.bsky.social https://www.furaffinity.net/user/fringecrow

I might outright delete this blog in coming weeks tbh.

[firesideventures]

Fireside Ventures is a leading venture capital firm in Banglore, India. We are a Venture capital firm in India providing private equity funding to consumer brand startups. Fireside Ventures believes in sparking ideas into successful businesses. Join us and let's ignite your startup's potential. The fund aims to invest in consumer brands across sectors such as food and beverages, personal care, kids & education, Lifestyle, and home products etc. 

[zelthq]

UK-based Zelt raises $3.5M seed funding to streamline HR, payroll operations

[iamidentical]

autostraddle... yikes

[tourismday]

Venture capital funding in travel and tourism between 2019-2022 reached above $32 billion.

 Celebrate World Tourism Day 2023 on September 27th with us as we address crucial topics for the industry!

Join us in exploring how governments can promote international and private investments while improving regulations and incentives for human capital development.

World Tourism Day 2023 | “Tourism and Green Investment”

[max1010]

Fireside Ventures Team: Diverse Experts Driving Purposeful B2C Brands

Meet the dynamic team behind Fireside Ventures, a leading venture capital firm dedicated to nurturing purpose-driven B2C brands in India. With a mission to enhance consumer experiences and create meaningful societal impact, Fireside Ventures is at the forefront of supporting innovative ventures.

 About Fireside Ventures 

Fireside Ventures is a visionary venture capital firm that is reshaping the consumer landscape in India. By identifying and supporting purpose-driven B2C brands, Fireside Ventures is not only investing in businesses but also in the betterment of society.

 Nurturing Purpose-Driven Brands 

Fireside Ventures has carved a niche as d2c investors in India, recognizing the potential of brands that are not only commercially viable but also aligned with a larger societal purpose. By investing in these brands, Fireside Ventures is facilitating a positive shift in consumer experiences.

 Expertise in Consumer-Focused Ventures 

With a deep understanding of the consumer market, Fireside Ventures is one of the premier consumer venture capital funds in India. The team's expertise lies in identifying brands that resonate with consumers and have the potential to make a significant impact on the market.

 Rooted in Bangalore, Impacting India 

Based in Bangalore, the heart of India's startup ecosystem, Fireside Ventures is at the epicenter of innovation. The venture capitalist team at Fireside Ventures is dedicated to identifying and nurturing ventures across India, contributing to the growth of the startup ecosystem.

 Investing in Visionaries 

Fireside Ventures is more than just a venture capital firm; it's a partner to visionaries and innovators. The team understands the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs and provides not just financial support, but also mentorship and guidance.

 Driving Societal Impact through Ventures 

Fireside Ventures believes in the power of businesses to drive positive change in society. By supporting purpose-driven ventures, Fireside Ventures is not only creating successful brands but also contributing to a more conscious and impactful consumer culture.

 Collaborative Ventures, Collective Impact 

Through strategic collaborations and investments, Fireside Ventures is fostering a community of ventures that collectively contribute to a better consumer experience and a more impactful society. The team at Fireside Ventures understands that true change comes through collective effort. Fireside Ventures and its diverse team of experts are at the forefront of the venture capital landscape in India. By investing in purpose-driven B2C brands, Fireside Ventures is not only shaping the consumer market but also making a tangible impact on society. With their deep expertise and collaborative approach, Fireside Ventures is set to lead the way in driving meaningful change through ventures in India.