Does your business need external finance. We chat to investment fund manager Iain Nairn about the different sources of funding. In particular look at the business models that are suited to attracting venture capital investment and what you need to do to secure those funds.


About Iain Nairn
Iain Nairn hails from Chester-le-Street in the North East of England. He works as an investment manager for Northstar Ventures who provide venture capital to businesses in North East England. Iain has spent a career as an insolvency practitioner. He has run his own small business. He helps small businesses get on the growth path.

Iain is a captain of an English cricket team.......Iain had his leg amputated at 16. He pursued his passion for cricket. Iain has captained the England Physically Disabled Team for 2 years or more. He won the inaugural multinational cricket tournament for people with disabilities. Iain is also a frustrated Sunderland AFC supporter and golf player.

Venture Capital with Iain Nairn
When is Venture Capital right for your business?
Traditional routes of funding have taken a knock since the financial crisis in 2008, and other ways of funding are becoming more common.

If you are starting to look for money from a venture capital providing business, Iain starts by asking what you are looking to do with your business and the sector you are in. Check the other options before heading down the venture capital route. Look for those websites that direct you at start-up loans, especially for a lifestyle loans - £25k per director. A source of comfort. A lot of these are personal loans, so do you have the confidence and can you repay that loan over 4 or 5 years?

Depending on the fund you are looking for a venture capital business tends to look at businesses less than 7 years of age.
Grant funding
For start-up businesses, particularly in the first 2 years there may be funding available. So, look for those grants, but also get the right advisors to help you. Don’t miss out on opportunities.

Where are you setting up? Look for grants and investments specifically aimed at your locale.

Grants – enabling grants. They don’t necessarily need to be paid back. Grant is a broad term. It might be a capital contribution.

Advice – find the right people to help you in your area.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a new and exciting opportunity. The kick-starter for B2C. The funds can help you start-up. These seem less successful for B2B. Investors are not on those platforms looking to buy things. Look out for SEIS and EIS schemes for High Net Worth individuals willing to offset investments for what otherwise be taxation.

Is crowdfunding a good way to find finance? It can be. Everything comes down to the risk appetite with those risking their money. People have a varying risk appetite. Often that will be about trust in the individual. In B2C, a new product Kick-starter is a good idea. You can see whether people like and will buy your product.

The Funding Circle letters. Kevin and Graham regularly get pre-approved offers by mail. They are a venture capital provider backed by a Govt underwritten insurance scheme. They are source of funding.
What do Venture Capitalists look for?
High Net Worth (HNW) individuals are not getting returns from banks, so they invest against their otherwise tax bill.

If you are an SME, and they are looking for venture capital, what are the questions they ask you?

They want an understanding of your business. Who is your team. They rarely invest in sole founder businesses. They are looking at the strength of all skill sets within or around the business to get growth.
What traction do you have? Existing customers, a good pipeline, who knows about you? Helps the Venture Capital company to have confidence in you.
Your marketplace – sell directly, through a channel, distributors etc. All have different levels of challenge.
Don’t fall into the trying to perfect your...

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