Doing a startup can be a challenging task. From building an idea to testing one to launching the same in the market, it requires rigor and making the right decisions. These decisions range from marketing and operations to strategy and fund-raising, and having all weapons on a founder’s bandwagon can be difficult. While the importance of each decision is paramount, this blog attempts to clear one major confusion in the minds of early-stage founders i.e. Angel Investors vs Venture Capital which one to choose
Lack of capital and mentorship is a common problem among several startup founders. Capital can be arranged from a variety of sources viz. Friends, family, relatives, etc., Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists are two important capital providers for any startup.
Who is an Angel Investor?
Angel Investors are high-networth individuals known for providing initial seed capital in a company. They generally invest in smaller cheque sizes and that too from their own personal money. Angel investors can be found among an entrepreneur’s friends and family or they can be involved in a number of initiatives only on a professional basis. An investor’s participation can take the form of a one-time seed investment or a continuous flow of funds to bring a product to market. Angel investors aren’t usually in the loan business. They are investing in an idea they find appealing, with the understanding that they will only get paid if and when the company succeeds.
Who is a Venture Capitalist?
A venture capitalist (VC) is a private equity investor who provides capital to companies with high growth potential in exchange for an equity stake. They are generally formed as limited partnerships (LPs) where the partners invest in the VC fund, with a committee being formed tasked with making investment decisions. Once a promising emerging growth company comes, the pooled investor capital is deployed to fund these companies, in exchange for a sizable stake of equity.
VCs are willing to risk investing in such companies because they can earn a massive return on their investments if these companies are a success. However, VCs experience high rates of failure due to the uncertainty that is involved with new and unproven companies.
Angel Investors vs Venture Capital
Though there is no hard and fast rule related to choosing between the two, there are some general thumb rules that are followed while deciding the right set of investors.
| Angel Investors | Venture Capital | |
| Right Choice For: | 1. Early-stage startups looking forward to market entry and late-stage technical development. 2. Startups looking for a cheque size of $25,000- $100,000 3. Startups looking forward to gain little or no strategic expertise from angels on different aspects for their business. 4. Startups which expect to generate a return of 25%-35%. | 1. Relatively more mature companies who have some track record of success. 2. Startups looking for a relatively larger cheque size. 3. Startups are looking forward to getting more expertise for their business. 4. Startups which expect to generate a return of 30%-40%. |
| Advantages | 1. More flexible terms of investment. 2. Faster decision making w.r.t investment making or not 3. Might connect you with industry experts helping you in your faster business growth. 4. Deploy relatively less pressure to scale quickly | 1. Typically invests money with a larger cheque size 2. Generally, provide more experience and expertise |
| Disadvantages | 1. Provide access to limited funding 2. May not be as experienced in running the business | Deploy more pressure to scale quickly Have a more formalisd investment process, hence decision making is quite slow. Relatively less flexible terms of investments. Deploy more pressure to generate high returns |
Conclusion
Both Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists come up with relatively high expectations of returns, while joining the cap table. The choice between the two would significantly affect any startup’s future returns and even business trajectory. Therefore, making the decision of whether to seek funding from angel investors or venture capitalists after carefully analyzing specific business needs and goals is important. Additionally, taking fundraising services can provide valuable insights and guidance throughout the fundraising process, helping startups make informed decisions aligned with their objectives.
