This thesis investigates the pre-seed funding process for technology start-ups. Furthermore, it aims to investigate, how the process of acquiring pre-seed funding is, and which challenges entrepreneurs are facing during this process. The data of this thesis were collected through semi-structured interviews with tech start-ups that recently have gone through the funding process and where therefore able to contribute with perspectives of the pre-seed funding process. After analysing the data from the interviews, we investigated how entrepreneurs experience the process of acquiring early-stage funding. We found that the pre-seed funding process for tech start-ups first of all is time consuming. The applications to funding-organisations takes up valuable time for the start-up. Furthermore, entrepreneurs should consider the framing and pitching of the business when applying for funding. The entrepreneurs face several challenges during the process, including limitations on how the money can be spent. Many of the funding programme applications are very bureaucratic and demanding, and some startups require external assistance just to fill out these applications. The lack of network for early-stage entrepreneurs is a challenge, when applying for funding for the company. For entrepreneurs, credibility is also an important part when applying for early-stage funding. These are the areas this thesis will touch upon, as they are central aspects to processes and challenges that entrepreneurs are facing during the pre-seed funding phase. Since this thesis comprises a small group of tech start-ups from Uppsala and Stockholm in Sweden, it is not able to say anything about the possible differences in the pre-seed funding processes in other countries. However, this study gives an initial view about the process of acquiring pre-seed funding in these cities and should stimulate for further research addressing this subject in Sweden and abroad.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-324927 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Sipari, Joonas, Mundbjerg, Victor |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Företagsekonomiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet, Företagsekonomiska institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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