Every year hundreds of businesses raise capital on Seedrs. There are many reasons founders choose to raise funds on Seedrs; to raise their brand profile, expand their international footprint or to engage their current customer base. Ultimately though, it’s a great way to raise capital quickly without the institutional hurdles.
Whilst the individual length of fundraising from an institution is hard to predict, a general rule of thumb is to allow around 6 months of active fundraising. With a tough economic climate it can potentially take even longer. Whilst there is undoubtedly a lot of dry powder around following record years of LP fundraising, VCs are more conscious of keeping cash at hand and increased economic pressure. That means even more investment discipline, and VCs being more picky about the investments they’re making.
Raising a primary round can be a good alternative way to raise quickly. Over the years, Seedrs has established itself as a market leading platform for renewable energy businesses to raise funds successfully. 95% of sustainable businesses that go live on Seedrs raise the funds they need and they do so within 31 days (based on 2022 data from private live to campaign close date).
Raising Funds within 3 months With Seedrs
So how do you raise funds successfully as a renewable energy business and more importantly, how can you raise funds quickly? Below we’ll talk you through all the important phases and steps you need to take in order to raise funds within 3 months.
Phase 1: Pre Launch
Campaign Prep
Getting all of your marketing collateral in place is key to a strong campaign. Our team are here to work on your campaign plan, and make sure you have what you need. That can include:
- Digital assets – banners, logos and content to educate the community about what the business does
- A campaign page with the elevator pitch on the business, the team and milestones achieved
- Producing a 3 minute video (with our support) to introduce the founders to explain what the business does and invite people to crowdfund.
Pre-Registration lead generation
The Pre-Registration page is a Landing Page with limited information about the business which will help you get pledges from people within your personal network. It’s the perfect time to get small ticket investors involved with the business. We typically have the pre-reg page live for 1-2 weeks before launch.
Phase 2: Launch
Launch typically happens in two phases — private and public. That allows you to control the narrative and reward past investors and those who committed during pre-reg with early access to the round.
Private launch
During the Pre-Reg stage we collect information on investment interest in the campaign. The Private launch usually lasts a week and during that time we are able to receive investments from those who registered during the pre-registration phase.
Public launch
This is it: the big day!
Seedrs will list the business officially on the website among other brands for 30 days and start targeting our investor base, community and spreading the word far and wide on our marketing channels.
Our team will have worked closely with you to develop a strong marketing plan that can include email marketing, events, social media promotion and demand generation. Our playbook can help ensure that your campaign runs smoothly, and that you’re managing comms with your investors to maximise their investment.
Phase 3: Campaign close
Once your campaign comes to an end the fun really begins. Here’s what you can expect:
- Dispersal of funds
As soon as the campaign comes to a close we’ll be working to get your investment into your hands so you can continue to build your business. We try to make this as quick as possible, but it all depends on how easily we can align legal required documents which can impact the official close date.
- Engaging your new community
Your investors are not just investors. Congrats, you’ve just acquired a team of super-engaged brand ambassadors who are ready to shout about your business. Making sure you have a post campaign comms plan is a great way to maximise the word of mouth that comes with crowdfunding.
And it’s a wrap! Following these outlined steps will enable you to be prepared for each phase of your campaign. However, just like every business is unique, the same counts for funding campaigns. Hitting your target and closing your round in a timely manner will therefore also depend on your own efforts. You need to ensure that your team has the capacity and time to dedicate to the round. It is going to take a reasonable amount of time from your management team and they’ll need to be available in order to be successful. Furthermore, you’ll need to have your lead investment confirmed otherwise this can also result in a delay of your launch date. Conclusion, you can never start planning too soon.
Post Campaign and Future Growth Opportunities
Seedrs can continue to support your business after the campaign closes via a number of our unique servies. Whether you’re looking to raise follow-up capital, reach the US market, or connect with sophisticated investors, Seedrs can help.
- Private Deal Room
The Seedrs Private Deal Room gives you access to high net worth and sophisticated investors. This is a great way to engage existing investors, and open up limited rounds of investment on a first come, first served basis.
- Reach US investors with Republic
In 2022, Seedrs joined Republic. As a part of the Republic ecosystem, we are building the world’s first global private investing platform. This gives companies raising with Seedrs access to US investors, and specialised services offered by Republic including a crypto advisory.
- Follow on rounds
Companies like Ripple and QED Naval have raised multiple rounds on Seedrs. Ripple has raised 5 times on Seedrs, raising a total of £4,702,428 from 3904 investors. Find out more about the benefits of raising multiple rounds on Seedrs.
- Secondary Market
Get your investors the chance to trade their shares without needing to wait for an IPO or exit event with the Seedrs Secondary Market. This is a great incentive for investors who might have shorter investment horizons.
Are you interested in raising funds with Seedrs?
We are the UK’s most active and dynamic investor, with our services rigorously put through their paces by hundreds of founders every year. Apply to raise with Seedrs now or get in touch to discuss your fundraising plans in more detail.
