Angel Funding vs Venture Capital

Are you in need of capital to fund your business idea? One of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs is securing funding. Unless you have a proven record of success, you may struggle to obtain funding. But without funds, you can’t necessarily run a successful business, so it’s somewhat of a catch 22. The good news is that entrepreneurs such as yourself have a wide range of business funding options from which to choose. Let’s take a closer look at angel funding vs venture capital, and which funding option may be best for your business?

Angel Funding vs Venture Capital

Angel Funding

Angel funding is a funding option in which an investor, known as an angel or seed investor, provides capital for new businesses and startups, typically in exchange for either convertible debt or equity ownership. Angels aren’t just your typical investors, however. They generally have first-hand knowledge and expertise in the industry or market in which they are investing. So, in addition to providing capital for your business, they can also help your business succeed by offering guidance. This is something that isn’t available with most other types of business funding options.

While regulations regarding angel funding vary from country to country, here in the United States they are required to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) regulations.

Venture Capital

On the opposite end of the funding spectrum is venture capital, which occurs when a group of inventors provides capital to a small business or entrepreneur, typically in exchange for equity ownership. Venture capital firms are comprised of many investors who, like angels, want to help your business succeed.

Both venture capital and angel funding involves the exchange of equity ownership for capital. This is in stark contrast to debt financing in which a business takes on debt in exchange for funding. So, what’s the difference between venture capital and angel funding?

There are several nuances between venture capital and angel funding, one of which is the timing. In the early stages of development, startup businesses typically use Angel funding, while venture capital is used for more established businesses. Furthermore, venture capital usually involves higher valuations and greater funding amounts than angel funding.

This article was brought to you by Intrepid Private Capital�Group � A Global Financial Services Company. For more information on startup and business funding, please visit our website.