Startup/Seed Stage Investment by Venture Capital

In order to raise capital for the venture, I would first need to determine what funds are available, which ones who be best for the venture, and how I would go about obtaining those funds for the venture. Carter explains that there are two key issues or factors that come into play when determining which kind of capital is the best for a new venture: (a) Usually the search for financing is precipitated by a rejection of an existing bank relationship, and (b) understanding why the company needs capital will determine what type of financing is most appropriate. (Carter, April 2011, pg. 47)

These entrepreneurs start a company knowing from day one that their vision could change the world. They attract investment from equally crazy financial investors – venture capitalists. They hire the best and the brightest. Their job is to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.  When they find it, their focus on scale requires even more venture capital to fuel rapid expansion. Steve Blank acknowledged that scalable startups in innovation clusters (Silicon Valley, Shanghai, New York, Bangalore, Israel, etc.) make up a small percentage of entrepreneurs and startups but because of the outsize returns, attract almost all the risk capital.

Walnut Venture Associates are a group of angel investors. In 1997 the club had around a dozen individual investors, forming an “angel group”. Their primary targets are investments ranging from $250,000 to $1,000,000. This is due to the gap of capital funds initiated by the VC’s from not considering investments bellow $1 million. Also, angel investors can acquire significant equity at low cost, and help the growth of the company with their knowledge and expertise. By selecting only the most exceptional people and ideas, investments in startups can lead to massive returns on relatively small investments. As unexperienced entrepreneurs, they are a key resource to have in order to achieve quick growth, and secure the company’s early stages.

Hart Venture Capital (HVC) specializes in providing venture capital for software development and Internet applications. Currently HVC has two investment opportunities: (1) Security Systems, a firm that needs additional capital to develop an Internet security software package, and (2) Market Analysis, a market research company that needs additional capital to develop a software package for conducting customer satisfaction surveys. In exchange for the Security Systems stock, the firm has asked HVC to provide $600,000 in year 1, $600,000 in year 2, and $350,000 in year 3. In exchange of their stock, Market Analysis has asked HVC to provide $500,000 in year 1, $350,000 in year 2,

Before now, only entrepreneurs in a few select areas with the right connections could be funded, and only then if their vision matched a VC or Angel Investors criteria or schedule. Consequently, only a few thousand VCs in the world could decide which entrepreneurial

Angel Investors: An angel investors are group of people who has high net worth and lend the funds to the company in exchange for ownership stake in company. Angel investors first scan the the growth of the business present as well as the future projection before lending the funds. Sometimes angel investors lend money on collateral

Exhibit 4 shows that over 300 Venture Capitalists out of 441 retain 20% of the profits their investments generate and the rest is in the 20/25% range except for the odd outliers at 10, 15 and 30%. Exhibit 5 indicates that the correlation with the size and age of the Private Equity organisation is rather weak and that the objectives of the funds and historical trends are no better predictors.

Venture capitalists who cared for the computer industry right when it was starting were well know because of their risk taking and for their hands-on operating experience, but things are different in today’s age. Today's venture capitalists are more cautious and timid than the VC risk takers in the past. These not so timid venture capitalists have created a new niche in the capital markets. They are the foundation for meeting the needs of investors looking for high returns,

Angel Investors - The main business angels vary from venture capitalists in their motives and level of involvement. Often angels are more involved in the business, providing ongoing mentorship and advice based on experience in a particular industry. For that reason, matching angels and owners is critical. There are substantial easily locatable networks of angels. Pitching to them is no less demanding than to a venture capitalist as they still review hundreds of proposals and accept only a handful. Often the demands around exit strategies are different for an angel and they are satisfied with a slightly longer term investment (say 5-7 years compared to 3-4 for a venture capitalist).

Venture capital, a financial innovation of the twentieth century, is a long-term liquid investment, which can be in the form of equity, quasi-equity and sometimes debt in new and high-risk ventures. Venture capital became better known after the famous legend of Apple Computers, which started out in the US in 1977 with the capital firm, Arthur Rock & Co. Apple Computers then made it to the Fortune 500 and Arthur Rock & Co. attained height in Venture capital industry. However the success of Venture Capital in USA stimulated world countries to practice on Venture capital.

Corporate venture capital (CVC) is the act of investing in companies with a variety of equity and licensing deals. CVC has two goals. First, is to improve the strategic position and core competence of the parent company. Second, is to create financial returns for the parent company through new products, procedures and services.

Angel investors are those investors that are particularly interested in investing in companies early stage companies. Their investment capital is generally limited and if relevant, it has been advantageous for them to pool their funds as a group to not only participate in larger deals but also to diversify risk. They invest in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt.

Historically venture capital represented a small portion of alternative assets, which in turn represented a small, but sizeable, portion of the global financial asset base. (INSERT CITATION). Prior to the semiconductor boom in the 1960s, venture capital was closer to what today is described as angel investing. During this period, the majority of new venture financing originated from individual investors, and often financed by the entrepreneur or his or her family and acquaintances. (INSERT CITATION).

investors exist for larger amounts of capital such as VC funds and banks, entrepreneurial initiatives that require much smaller amounts to start with need to rely on friends and family or own savings. They then also make extensive use of bootstrapping techniques to mitigate their financial constraints, by boosting their short-term profits.

The last one Venture capitalists. It is finance provided for an equity stake in a potentially high growth company.