{"id":4975,"date":"2019-02-21T17:17:32","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T15:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lending-express.com\/blog\/?p=4975"},"modified":"2021-01-07T13:28:13","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T11:28:13","slug":"critical-startup-fundraising-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/critical-startup-fundraising-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Startup Fundraising: A 2021 Guide to Startup Funding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve come up with a great idea for a business. It\u2019s taken time for you to polish your rough idea, design your product or service, sketch out your business model, and create a plan to put it all into motion. But there\u2019s one big problem &#8211; you don\u2019t have the funds to get the wheels turning!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s normal to wonder how to raise funds for startup businesses and on top of that, there are a number of fundraising mistakes you\u2019ll want to avoid making in your efforts to obtain funds. Here, we\u2019ll answer the following questions (and more).<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the best fundraising strategies for aspiring business owners?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where should you look to get small business fundraising?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can you navigate the early startup funding stages effectively?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find everything you need to know about funding strategies for startups below&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is startup fundraising?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first, what is \u2018startup fundraising\u2019? Startup fundraising is the process of generating the money you need to turn your company from an idea into reality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most entrepreneurs will tell you that fundraising is probably the most difficult step towards starting your business. Unless you\u2019ve got the next big, hot thing, your journey will be filled with painful no\u2019s and empty promises. Startup fundraising is no walk in the park and anyone who says it is, is simply lying. But that\u2019s what makes it so gratifying when you get there in the end, and with a little determination and the right guidance &#8211; you will.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a popular misconception that you\u2019ll need a ton of money up-front in order for your startup to lift off. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The truth is, every business has to start <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">somewhere<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Bootstrapping:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no reason to wait for a huge investment if you can put some personal funds towards your startup. In the world of entrepreneurs, this is known as \u2018bootstrapping\u2019. As a matter of fact, putting your own money into the company will be proof to potential investors that you are serious about your business. Learning to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/top-10-ways-to-save-money-in-your-startup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">save money in your startup<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is also a useful tactic to up your funds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But it goes without saying that if you personally had the money to start your own business, you probably wouldn\u2019t be reading this in the first place. So it\u2019s a good thing that you\u2019re here!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep reading to discover pro tips on how to raise funds for a startup&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>One important note:\u00a0<\/strong>Of course, the type of business will affect the kind of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/loans-by-industry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">industry loans<\/a>\u00a0a business needs,\u00a0as well as the specific circumstances that business finds itself in. Be sure to weigh your options carefully in order to choose the right funding solution for your business.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The different startup fundraising stages<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The road to establishing a successful startup has many steps along the way that need to be taken on one at a time. Within each step there are several stages. Each of those stages presents a unique challenge that you\u2019ll need patience and determination in order to complete. For your convenience, we give you the breakdown of the startup fundraising process just below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The four startup funding stages:<\/b><\/p>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Seed capital<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initial funding that your business receives in order to get started is known as \u2018seed capital\u2019. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seed capital is oftentimes overlooked despite the fact that it\u2019s the first of the key startup funding stages because it is such an obvious idea to most new business owners.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, seed capital will come from personal savings, friends, or family members. The amount that the investor is willing to contribute will depend on several factors. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those factors include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your business<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial history<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professional skill<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Track record of business management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality of services and so on<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4980\" src=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Startup-Fundraising2-21.2-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"755\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Startup-Fundraising2-21.2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Startup-Fundraising2-21.2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Startup-Fundraising2-21.2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Startup-Fundraising2-21.2-405x270.jpg 405w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 755px) 100vw, 755px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seed capital is normally used to conduct product development, market research, prototype development, and basically any steps that are necessary for planning the smooth launch of the business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most venture capitalists will stick to investing in businesses that have already proven their ability to do well. As such, it isn\u2019t often that venture capitalists make investments in companies that are still in their early stages of development.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offer your seed capital investor equity in your business or a position in the administration as a way to reduce the risk on their end. This might encourage them to make a larger investment, and it doesn\u2019t always mean having to sign a formal legal contract.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Venture capital<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After an investor assesses your startup and determines that the important factors are up to par, they may determine that there is potential for your business to succeed in the long run.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Venture capital investors may offer you funds, expertise, or other resources in exchange for equity in your company. Keep in mind that with equity, they\u2019ll have some pull in your company\u2019s decision-making process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give this careful consideration, particularly if you intend on remaining the principle decision-maker of your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successful small business fundraising means finding investors who have the means to make a sizeable contribution to your startup. These investors are referred to as \u2018angel investors\u2019, and many of them started off as entrepreneurs themselves &#8211; so they know what it takes for a business to make it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obtaining startup funding from venture capitalists means you\u2019ll have to prove your business\u2019s worth and viability. In other words, you\u2019ll need to write up your business plan and proposal so the investor recognizes the ability for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/expert-advice-how-to-survive-your-first-six-months-in-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your business to not just survive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but to thrive!<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Before pitching your idea to a venture capital investor, do your research on: <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Who<\/strong> they are<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What<\/strong> their previous accomplishments were<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Where<\/strong> they tend to focus their investments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Which<\/strong> industries they have expertise in<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Mezzanine financing<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re new to the world of small business fundraising, then mezzanine financing is likely an alien term to you. Basically, mezzanine financing is a form of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/start-up-loan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">startup loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that a business can take without putting forward any collateral. Though there are pros and cons, mezzanine financing is still recognized as one of the fundamental funding strategies for startups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Risks of mezzanine financing:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, they normally have a high interest rate &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/m\/mezzaninefinancing.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">typically between 12% and 20%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second, if the business defaults on the loan, there are what are referred to as \u2018warrants\u2019 or \u2018options\u2019 which give the investor the choice to take equity in exchange for the outstanding balance on the loan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Third, if you do default on the loan, the lender will reserve the right to sell their share of your business at their discretion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><b>Advantages to mezzanine financing:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll be able to obtain startup fundraising very quickly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is very little due diligence on the part of the lender (although that is because the risks are so high for the borrower).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mezzanine financing stands as a lower priority compared to \u2018senior debt\u2019 when it comes to the company\u2019s loan repayment obligations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mezzanine financing is normally made available to companies that have already proven their ability to perform well in their industry. Before exploring mezzanine financing options, be sure to have a solid plan for the future of your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Initial public offering (IPO)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/ipo-process-complete-guide-to-going-public\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">initial public offering<\/a>, or IPO, is the process of \u2018going public\u2019 that you\u2019ve likely heard before. The IPO is the process of offering shares in your company for the public to buy for the very first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well-established companies see IPO\u2019s as one of the most desirable forms of fundraising strategies. If you\u2019re a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/what-is-the-difference-between-a-startup-and-a-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">startup or small business<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> owner and you\u2019re not familiar with the process, we provide the steps involved in an IPO below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Steps to begin an IPO:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A team of underwriters, lawyers, CPA\u2019s (certified public accountants), and SEC (Securities &amp; Exchange Commission) professionals is assembled.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team compiles and assesses information pertaining to your company\u2019s financial history and potential for future growth. This report, known as the company prospectus, is then shared and reviewed among the team.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team generates an opinion of how many shares should be sold, at what price, and within what time window.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You file your company\u2019s prospectus, and all other forms, to the SEC for official review.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Advantages of an IPO:<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><b>Disadvantages of an IPO:<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easing the process of acquiring or merging other businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going public means you\u2019ll have to give the SEC access to documents, which may give your competitors an advantage over you<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ability to offer stocks as a form of compensation to employees.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stock prices go up, and stock prices go down. The constant changes in valuation may distract you and other decision-makers in your business structure.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chance for future startup fundraising by having secondary offerings to the public.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The act of buying back stock and selling those shares at a higher price to make a profit will be tempting but may be risky in terms of it causing instability<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 Innovative funding strategies for startups<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be curious to know what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/bank-loans-vs-online-loans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">alternative fundraising strategies<\/a> are at your disposal. There are several non-traditional ways to get the startup fundraising you need to get your business off the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here are three innovative startup fundraising strategies you can employ:<\/b><\/p>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Take partners early on<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of pitching your business proposal to a bank or investor, first you may want to see what entities already exist that can make use of your products. Finding a company in your industry that can utilize your services is one great way to get hands-on feedback; you\u2019ll also be getting advice from someone who cares about the quality of your services and not simply getting a return on their investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/how-to-find-business-partner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right partner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one who has as much to benefit from your success as you do.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-4984 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Business-Partners-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"749\" height=\"499\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Business-Partners-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Business-Partners-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Business-Partners-1-405x270.jpg 405w, https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Business-Partners-1.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Research available grants<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many industries there exist grant programs that are meant to spur on the development of businesses in specific sectors. These grants may be offered at the federal, state, or city level, and many are specifically aimed at startup fundraising. Do some digging, you may very well find that your business qualifies for a grant that even exceeds the amount you were aiming at obtaining.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Qualifying for a government grant usually requires having a clear and concise business plan, a list of milestones you plan on achieving, and the timeline of when you plan on reaching those goals. Make sure to have all of that squared away before beginning the application process for a grant, including a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/business-disaster-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">business disaster recovery plan<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Explore alternative lenders<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the past few years, online lending solutions have established themselves among the top funding strategies for startups. Whether it\u2019s in the form of a line of credit, equipment financing, or SBA loans, the process of obtaining <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/business-loans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business loans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from alternative lenders has become increasingly simple as financial technology has continued to revolutionize the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/fintech-lending\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">business lending process<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to an analysis of our own data, applying for a business loan through <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Become<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means an average 15% approval rate compared to the alternative lending industry average of 2-3%.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Research the different loan options made available by online lenders. Some options will fit your business profile and needs better than others. Be sure to do your due diligence on the loan options, loan sizes, interest rates, repayment requirements, and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 3 worst startup fundraising mistakes<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It requires a sharp eye and careful consideration on your part to avoid the common fundraising mistakes that can stand in the way of successfully obtaining startup fundraising. Here we\u2019ll list the top three startup fundraising mistakes, and provide guidance on how to avoid them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Three fundraising mistakes to avoid:<\/b><\/p>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Making unrealistic projections<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Investors will want to know that you\u2019re serious about your business before making any contributions, monetary or otherwise. Part of their evaluation will be how you project the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/how-to-scale-your-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">scaling up<\/a> of your company. As a startup you likely still haven\u2019t started making profits; if you project that in five years you will be earning $250 million in revenue, that will raise some eyebrows, to say the least.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better to be realistic than to try selling a pipedream to someone who makes a living on assessing the likelihood of your business\u2019s success. An investor will feel more confident in providing your startup with funds if you show competence and sensibility in assessing the future of your company.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Being out of touch with your audience<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When approaching a potential investor, you may want to appear attractive by providing them with flashy numbers and impressive projections. If the raw numbers at your disposal don\u2019t quite cut it by your standard, you might even inflate them a bit in order to have a stronger impact on the investor. This is not the recommended way how to raise funds for startup\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chances are, if the potential investor has any amount of experience and resourcefulness, they will have done all of their research before even sitting down with you. Don\u2019t lie to them. Honesty is the policy, and humbleness will be just one more way that the investor will be able to tell that you\u2019re serious and realistic about your efforts to build a strong, long-lasting company.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Not knowing your competition<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As noted above, your potential investor will have done all of the relevant and necessary research prior to meeting with you. One of the first questions they\u2019ll ask is who your main competitors are, and what makes them strong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may want to stand out, or at least convince the investor that you stand out, and so you might tell them there\u2019s little or no competition in the market you plan on entering.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Pro-tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your product or service has its unique features, but more often than not there will be companies that either directly or indirectly compete with you. Don\u2019t tell your investor that there\u2019s no competition! All that will do is show that you haven\u2019t done enough research into your industry. Do your research, be realistic, and stay honest.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrapping it up<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve got everything you need to know about:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What startup fundraising is<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the startup funding stages are<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which alternative funding strategies for startups are worth considering<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common startup fundraising mistakes that you should work to avoid<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this knowledge, you\u2019ll be able to take your business idea and turn it into a business reality. Yet, even with all of the information above, it can still prove to be a difficult road to navigate. Feel free to revisit this page in the future for a refresher. And if there are any questions that have been left unanswered, please leave us a comment below and we\u2019ll be sure to answer.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best of luck with your small business fundraising!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve come up with a great idea for a business. It\u2019s taken time for you to polish your rough idea, design your product or service, sketch out your business model, and create a plan to put it all into motion. But there\u2019s one big problem &#8211; you don\u2019t have the funds to get the wheels [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4978,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,79,1,12],"tags":[39,140,161,162,40],"class_list":["post-4975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aus-resources","category-business-guides","category-uncategorized","category-us-resources","tag-business-age","tag-funding","tag-fundraising","tag-investors","tag-startup"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Startup Fundraising: A 2021 Guide to Startup Funding - Business Funding Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.become.co\/blog\/critical-startup-fundraising-mistakes-to-avoid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Startup Fundraising: A 2021 Guide to Startup Funding - Business Funding Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You\u2019ve come up with a great idea for a business. 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