Today there are a number of different financing options but few of them are suitable for start-up companies. Business angels are in that case an exception and a suitable investor in these companies. Business angels are individuals who invest in young companies and differ from other financiers in the sense that the collaboration with the company is closer. Business angels are although few in numbers while the young companies often tend to be in most need of funding and has the greatest potential to grow. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the cooperation between entrepreneurs and business angels and to identify which effects the financial gap have on these financial associations. Business angels and entrepreneurs collaboration are hard to interpret and therefore demanded a deeper examination. We thus used a qualitative method consisting of six different interviews in three different cases. The study shows that established collaborations between entrepreneurs and business angel’s seem to be affected by the financial gap to a great extent, which has been expressed in negative consequences. The financial gaps effects on the cooperation mainly takes form in the initial assessment process where the contractors expressed difficulties in the search of funders due too the limited number of stakeholders. We have identified communication problems and grievances between the entrepreneurs and business angels in the form of wills and we see these problems as a result of the initial problem.

Licentiatavhandling, Växjö : Växjö universitet.

Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2005.

Diss. Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2005.

Diss. Uppsala : Univ., 2003.