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Fund your business | U.S. Small Business Administration Skip to main content Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Fund your business It costs money to start a business. Funding your business is one of the first — and most important — financial choices most business owners make. How you choose to fund your business could affect how you structure and run your business. Content Determine how much funding you'll need Every business has different needs, and no financial solution is one-size-fits-all. Your personal financial situation and vision for your business will shape the financial future of your business. Once you know how much startup funding you’ll need, it’s time to figure out how you’ll get it. Fund your business yourself with self-funding Otherwise known as bootstrapping, self-funding lets you leverage your own financial resources to support your business. Self-funding can come in the form of turning to family and friends for capital, using your savings accounts, or even tapping into your 401(k). With self-funding, you retain complete control over the business, but you also take on all the risk yourself. Be careful not to spend more than you can afford, and be especially careful if you choose to tap into retirement accounts early. You might face expensive fees or penalties, or damage your ability to retire on time — so you should check with your plan’s administrator and a personal financial advisor first. Get venture capital from investors Investors can give you funding to start your business in the form of venture capital investments. Venture capital is normally offered in exchange for an ownership share and active role in the company. Venture capital differs from traditional financing in a number of important ways. Venture capital typically: Focuses high-growth companies Invests capital in return for equity, rather than debt (it’s not a loan) Takes higher risks in exchange for potential higher returns Has a longer investment horizon than traditional financing Almost all venture capitalists will, at a minimum, want a seat on the board of directors. So be prepared to give up some portion of both control and ownership of your company in exchange for funding. How to get venture capital funding There’s no guaranteed way to get venture capital, but the process generally follows a standard order of basic steps. Find an investor Look for individual investors — sometimes called “angel investors” — or venture capital firms. Be sure to do enough background research to know if the investor is reputable and has experience working with startup companies. Share your business plan The investor will review your business plan to make sure it meets their investing c
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Last verified: 4/7/2026
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