What Do Investors Look For In A Startup Business Plan?

Authors

DOI:

10.14211/regepe.v8i3.1365

Keywords:

Business Plan, Startup, Business Angels, Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Objective: To synthesize the information that private investors favor in the business plan of a startup. Discuss the preferences that different types of investors have regarding the elements that should compose a business plan and compare their approaches to that plan.

Methodology/Approach: Based on an extensive online search of terms such as business plan, startup, venture capital, entrepreneurship, business angels, we identify and analyze the relevant scientific papers published on the subject, with emphasis on two types of investors, business angels and venture capital companies.

Main results: In general, both types of investors seek similar information and follow similar decision processes. However, the literature suggests that business angels have a less-structured investment decision process and attach greater importance to information about the entrepreneurial team, while venture capital companies stand out in the relevance given to the market in which the business operates.

Theoretical/methodological contributions: A comparative overview of the positive and negative aspects of business angels and venture capital companies in startup business plans.

Relevance/Originality: The business plan is the essential element of planning and communication of the business idea, so matching the informational expectations of potential investors is a contribution to the success in obtaining financing, which is particularly relevant in the case of young businesses with a reduced (or non-existent) track record in the market.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Chan, C. R., & Park, H. D. (2015). How images and color in business plans influence venture investment screening decisions. Journal of business Venturing, 30(5), 732-748. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2014.12.002

Croce, A., Tenca, F., & Ughetto, E. (2017). How business angel groups work: Rejection criteria in investment evaluation. International Small Business Journal, 35(4), 405-426. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242615622675

Delmar, F., & Shane, S. (2003). Does business planning facilitate the development of new ventures?. Strategic management journal, 24(12), 1165-1185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.349

Der Foo, M., Wong, P. K., & Ong, A. (2005). Do others think you have a viable business idea? Team diversity and judges' evaluation of ideas in a business plan competition. Journal of Business Venturing, 20(3), 385-402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2004.04.001

Feeney, L., Haines Jr, G. H., & Riding, A. L. (1999). Private investors' investment criteria: insights from qualitative data. Venture Capital: An international journal of entrepreneurial finance, 1(2), 121-145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/136910699295938

Fried, V. H., & Hisrich, R. D. (1994). Toward a model of venture capital investment decision making. Financial management, 28-37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3665619

Hall, J., & Hofer, C. W. (1993). Venture capitalists' decision criteria in new venture evaluation. Journal of business venturing, 8(1), 25-42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0883-9026(93)90009-T

Harrison, R. T., Dibben, M. R., & Mason, C. M. (1997). The role of trust in the informal investor's investment decision: An exploratory analysis. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 21(4), 63-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879702100405

Harrison, R. T., & Mason, C. M. (2007). Does gender matter? Women business angels and the supply of entrepreneurial finance. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(3), 445-472. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2007.00182.x

Hax, A. C., & Majluf, N. S. (1984). Strategic management: an integrative perspective.

Hoenig, D., & Henkel, J. (2015). Quality signals? The role of patents, alliances, and team experience in venture capital financing. Research Policy, 44(5), 1049-1064. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2014.11.011

Honig, B. (2004). Entrepreneurship education: Toward a model of contingency-based business planning. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 3(3), 258-273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2004.14242112

Honig, B., & Karlsson, T. (2004). Institutional forces and the written business plan. Journal of Management, 30(1), 29-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jm.2002.11.002

IAPMEI: Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas Industriais https://www.iapmei.pt/PRODUTOS-E-SERVICOS/Empreendedorismo-Inovacao/Empreendedorismo/Apoios-e-Incentivos/Business-Angels.aspx [Consultado a 15 de junho de 2018]

IAPMEI: Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas Industriais https://www.iapmei.pt/PRODUTOS-E-SERVICOS/Incentivos-Financiamento/Financiamento-para-PME/Capital-de-Risco.aspx [Consultado a 19 de julho de 2018]

Kaplan, S. N., & Strömberg, P. E. (2004). Characteristics, contracts, and actions: Evidence from venture capitalist analyses. The Journal of Finance, 59(5), 2177-2210. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2004.00696.x

Kirsch, D., Goldfarb, B., & Gera, A. (2009). Form or substance: the role of business plans in venture capital decision making. Strategic Management Journal, 30(5), 487-515. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.751

MacMillan, I. C., & Narasimha, P. S. (1987). Research notes and communications: Characteristics distinguishing funded from unfunded business plans evaluated by venture capitalists. Strategic Management Journal, 8(6), 579-585. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250080607

Mason, C. M., & Harrison, R. T. (1996). Informal venture capital: a study of the investment process, the post-investment experience and investment performance. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 8(2), 105-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985629600000007

Mason, C., & Rogers, A. (1996). Understanding the business angel's investment decision. Univ. Southampton, Department of Geography.

Mason, C. M., & Harrison, R. T. (2002). Barriers to investment in the informal venture capital sector. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 14(3), 271-287. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620210142011

Mason, C., & Stark, M. (2004). What do investors look for in a business plan? A comparison of the investment criteria of bankers, venture capitalists and business angels. International small business journal, 22(3), 227-248. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242604042377

Mason, C. M. (2006). Informal sources of venture finance. In The life cycle of entrepreneurial ventures (pp. 259-299). Springer, Boston, MA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-32313-8_10

Mason, C. M., & Harrison, R. T. (2015). Business angel investment activity in the financial crisis: UK evidence and policy implications. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 33(1), 43-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1068/c12324b

Mason, C., Botelho, T., & Zygmunt, J. (2017). Why business angels reject investment opportunities: Is it personal?. International Small Business Journal, 35(5), 519-534. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242616646622

Sahlman, W. A. (2008). How to write a great business plan (No. E70 90). Harvard Business School Press.

Paul, S., Whittam, G., & Wyper, J. (2007). Towards a model of the business angel investment process. Venture Capital, 9(2), 107-125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13691060601185425

Tyebjee, T. T., & Bruno, A. V. (1984). A model of venture capitalist investment activity. Management science, 30(9), 1051-1066. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.30.9.1051

Van Auken, H., & Carraher, S. (2012). An analysis of funding decisions for niche agricultural products. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 17(02), 1250012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/S1084946712500124

Van Osnabrugge, M., & Robinson, R. J. (2000). Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies--The Guide for Entrepreneurs and Individual Investors. John Wiley & Sons.

Published

2019-09-02

Métricas


Visualizações do artigo: 1303     PDF (Português (Brasil)) downloads: 624 PDF downloads: 230

How to Cite

Geraldo, J. V., & Gama, P. M. (2019). What Do Investors Look For In A Startup Business Plan?. REGEPE Entrepreneurship and Small Business Journal, 8(3), 231–255. https://doi.org/10.14211/regepe.v8i3.1365

Issue

Section

Research article (Theoretical-empirical)

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.