Entrepreneur matchmaking sites
Is there a market for services that bring ideas and money together?
In this episode, we look at RaiseCapital and FundFindr, two companies seeking to match entrepreneurs with investors. This is a fun topic for me, as Vator is definitely a venue for both those seeking funds and those dispensing them. Keep in mind, however, that as much as people say Vator is a matchmaker between entrepreneurs and investors, we're not. We're just the platform for both sides to be found. Vator is mainly a place where entrepreneurs can share their own narrative, be discovered, be followed and build a reputation. Along with our newsroom, Vator is really a media, content company that is primarily built on participatory or user-generated content. To this end, we seek to partner with companies, such as RaiseCapital and FundFindr, if they can provide the matchmaking services for us.
Co-host Ezra Roizen (Vator Box regular and investment banker), and Lise Buyer, consultant to companies that want to IPO, filled this week's roundtable discussion.
The idea of bringing both sides together is something that is definitely needed, we all agreed. This is mainly because the Internet has enabled many people to build their own companies. And, in my view, it's because investors are becoming savvier and they're willing to take risks in private placements rather than penny stocks. Indeed, there were 57,000 companies that received angel funding last year. Angels invested $26 billion in funding. If one assumes that 3% to 10% of those seeking get funding, then the list of companies seeking funding is significant.
Now, all they need is access and money.
It's no wonder, these sites, as well as Ideablob, TheFunded, FundingUniverse, Fundability, Gensx, and YouNoodle, have emerged. The key to the success of these services will be in their business model. Will they charge entrepreneurs or investors? Will they charge a subscription fee, a success fee, a consulting fee, or will they go for advertising dollars?
We discuss all that in this week's Vator Box.
Bambi Francisco Roizen
Founder and CEO of Vator, a media and research firm for entrepreneurs and investors; Managing Director of Vator Health Fund; Co-Founder of Invent Health; Author and award-winning journalist.
All author postsRelated Companies, Investors, and Entrepreneurs
Ideablob
Startup/Business
Joined Vator on
ideablob.com is where entrepreneurs and small business owners can share and grow their business ideas – and have a chance to win $10,000 towards fulfilling them.
Great ideas are generated every day by people all across the country, and now these ideas have a place to live and grow. Eligible individuals can submit their business idea to ideablob.com, and based on votes from the ideablob.com online community – which includes other innovators as well as friends, family, colleagues, associates, teachers and mentors – one idea every month will win $10,000.
As individuals take part in ideablob.com’s growth, their business has the potential to grow right along with it.
Why ideablob.com? Advanta began in 1951 with an idea, less than $100 in seed money, and big dreams. Today, as a respected company with close to 1,000 employees and well over one million small business customers nationwide, we empathize with entrepreneurs and small businesses and support their growth.
RaiseCapital.com
Startup/Business
Joined Vator on
RaiseCapital.com is an online community, where entrepreneurs can showcase their business ideas and capital needs whether a start-up or existing business to investors.
The service is FREE.
The problem that has always challenged entrepreneurial individuals is where to locate capital. More times then not, some of the best investment ideas never come to market due to the limited access to capital. In addition, established businesses seeking capital to expand can face similar problems.
As a member, you will be able to market your venture to investors by posting a text description, pictures and/or a streaming video presentation. Whether you are a start-up or an existing business, our platform allows for maximum exposure of your business idea and funding needs.
RaiseCapital.com makes it possible for individuals and businesses to market their investment opportunities at no cost. Investors can find dynamic local, regional or nationwide investments opportunities with ease, using our database search tool.
YouNoodle
Startup/Business
Joined Vator on
YouNoodle helps people and groups that
are interested in startups and innovation do what they do better.
YouNoodle.com is a place to discover and get involved with the hottest startups and university innovation that's happening right now. Start exploring here or subscribe to the RSS news feed on our home page.
YouNoodle also provides business competition, event, networking and mailing list functionality for real-world groups that support startup communities; as well as technology for investors to help inform their decision-making.
YouNoodle is based in San Francisco, California.
fundfindr
Startup/Business
Joined Vator on
fundfindr is venture dating made easy. fundfindr is a social media company disrupting the global early stage funding and support systems. Entrepreneurs need a cost-effective venture dating mentor; investors need a convenient, quality deal flow filter. Enter The Pitchies and you could win over $20k in start-up swag.
Few entrepreneurs are good at the pre-date, grooming and relationship skills necessary to woo investors. fundfindr provides a "venture dating for dummies" suite of software applications that make learning, pitching, collaborating, advice and funding more efficient, convenient and cost-effective.
fundfindr.com is the platform matching ventures, investors and service providers. fundfindr.tv is the complimentary content, media, event and broadcast vehicle.
fundfindr is currently in beta and has been receiving a great response including being commissioned to vet deals for a national TV show in Canada called Dragon's Den on CBC. This is our first phase - social networking - we are now positioned to launch our premium product that will truly differentiate us, drive success stories and deliver on our mission of democratizing venture capital.
Ezra Roizen
Joined Vator on
Advisor-to and commenter-on emerging ventures
Lise Buyer
Joined Vator on
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March 9, 2008