Starting Up Your Startup: Resources to help with funding

Starting a company is no easy task. Creating the idea might be the easiest part of the process. However, once you have the idea, how do you make your vision come true? One of the most important steps in getting organized is to start with your vision and work backwards to figure out what milestone markers are necessary to get the idea off the ground. One of the biggest obstacles with starting a business is finding sufficient funds to push your plan forward. Many start-ups turn towards crowd funding, angel investors, or venture capitalists to provide the money needed. According to The Crowdfunding Industry Report by Massoultion, “Crowdfunding platforms raised $2.7 billion and successfully funded more than 1 million campaigns in 2012.” 1851 broke down some of the top resources that can be used to help kick-off your startup:

• Kickstarter – One of the most recognizable and popular sites for crowdsourcing. With Kickstarter, entrepreneurs are able to put forth their startup profile in front of the digital world. The website allows entrepreneurs to give constant updates to rally more support to help raise money for their business. Project creators are able to post pictures and videos to further enhance the experience for those interested in supporting them. It is important to note that the Kickstarter team evaluates proposals and gets the final say in what companies will be able to display their profile on the site.

• AngelList – AngelList is a website used to find venture capitalists and investors who are interested in certain startups. AngelList works two-fold as it can also connect entrepreneurs to companies and individuals that can help with all forms of marketing.

• Startup Weekend – A unique experience where entrepreneurs, tech, and marketers get together for a weekend workshop to bounce ideas, educate each other, and create teams to push startups forward. The weekend kicks off with an open mic where entrepreneurs pitch their idea and encourage attendees to join their team. Once a team is decided, members spend the weekend discussing ways to turn the startup into a viable business. From there, it is up to the entrepreneur to keep the team going and to use the ideas to ensure that their vision gets lifted off the ground.

• Indiegogo – Indiegogo is similar to Kickstarter, however, it accepts a wider variety of startups. Startups range anywhere from businesses to play productions. Also similar to Kickstarter, Indiegogo allows startups to showcase their profile and constantly update investors.

• Invested.In – Invested.In is a “white-label” provider that allows startups to create the direction and market for their investment needs. Invested.In points startups down the right path for creating crowdsourcing platforms and then provides tools to help entrepreneurs grow their business.