The Flight Centre Corporate Travel Grant 2026 is now open for applications.  Under this, your business could have the chance to claim a share $30,000 grand “prize” or a portion of $10,000 in runner-up travel credits.”

Note it is called a prize as this deemed to be a competition or promotion and not a formal grant application process that you usually see.  It is defined by Flight Centre as “a game of skill and will be judged on the most creative answer”.

Eligibility

To be eligible you must:

• Own or be employed by a Small or Medium business (1-250 employees)
• Sign up (if not already a member) to Virgin Australia’s Business Flyer program by midnight, 13 April 2026
• Answer 3 questions (see below)
• Be an Australian resident over the age of 18.

The 3 Questions

The 3 questions you must answer are:

• Your Business Story – Tell us who you are, what you do and what makes your company great.
• Business Travel Impact – How does business travel fit into your overall strategy and shape the bigger picture of your business?
• Travel Grant Triumph – Imagine the corporate travel grant in hand, what exciting doors do you see opening for your business, and how do you plan to make the most of this opportunity?

Note you are being “judged” or assessed on your creativity in answering these questions.

Learn More

To learn more and apply for the Flight Centre 2026 Corporate Travel Grant click here.

Note applications close 13 April 2026

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

The Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) Round 2 Devices can provide up to $1m non-dilutive investment to help SMEs, accelerate into practice promising medical devices that reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and complications of diabetes for patients, carers, families and communities.

The TTRA is delivered in conjunction with MTPConnect and forms part of the Federal Governments, Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).  And along with the financial support also comes other support provided by other accelerators.

There is a funding match requirement. 

TTRA funding of between $200,000 – $500,000 requires matched funding of 1:4.  For example, TTRA Investment = $450,000, requires at least $112,500 in funding for a total project of $562,000

TTRA funding of between $500,001 – $1,000,000 requires matched funding of 1:2.  For example, TTRA Investment = $750,000, requires at least $325,000 in funding for a total project of $1,175,000.

Eligibility for Round 2 Devices 

Eligible applicants include SMEs, start-ups, and spin-out companies that are working on medical devices to prevent, diagnose, treat or manage cardiovascular disease or complications of diabetes.   Key requirements include:

• being a for profit business with ess than 200 employees with an ABN.
• the product/solution must be a medical device that addresses cardiovascular disease or the complications of diabetes (type 1 or 2).
• The device must meet the Therapeutic Goods Administration definition of a medical device and be at least entering TRL4.
• control or have the legal right to access and use the relevant know-how and/or existing and/or potential intellectual property.

Application process

There are multiple phases in the application process.

Phase 0 Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI)

Phase I Expression of Interest (EOI)

Successful applicants will move to Phase II Due Diligence Consultation. 

Successful applicants will then move to Phase III Full Proposal:

Learn More

Click here to learn more and lodge you Notice of Intent for the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) Round 2 – Device Funding

Note applications close 30 March 2026

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

This round of the NSW MVP Ventures Program 2025-2026 Round 2 provides matched funding of between $20,000 and $75,000 to support businesses to commercialise innovative products, while attracting and retaining commercialisation activities in NSW.

Available Funding

Funding for the 2025-2026 year is $3m in total spread across 3 rounds

There are now 2 streams of funding.

Stream 1 has funding between $20,000 and $50,000 with a minimum co-contribution of 50%.

Stream 2 is targeted at majority Women-owned and managed businesses, regionally headquartered and operated businesses, Aboriginal and/or Torres Islander majority owned and managed businesses.  This stream has funding between $25,000 and $75,000 with a minimum co-contribution of 25%.

​

Funding Rounds

There are 3 competitive funding rounds this year. They are:

There are 3 competitive funding rounds this year. They are:

Round 1 1-28 September 2025 now closed

Round 2 24 November to 21 December 2025 now closed

Round 3 9 March to 5 April 2026 opening 9 March

Eligibility for the MVP Ventures Program

To be eligible for Stream 1 of the MVP Ventures Program, your business must:

• Be a non-tax-exempt company with an ABN (insolvent companies, individuals, trusts, partnerships and unincorporated bodies can’t apply)
• be an entity with less than or equal to 10 FTE including founders.
• have an aggregated turnover of less than A$400,000 for each of the three financial years prior to the lodgement of your application.
• hold intellectual property (IP) or rights to commercialise.

Also you must demonstrate why the project would not proceed in NSW without government support.

In addition to the above, to be eligible for Stream 2 (higher grant amounts), your business must:

• For women-owned and managed businesses must provide evidence that the CEO (or equivalent) is a woman, and the majority of officeholders are women and have held these roles for at least 6 months prior to applying or since the business commenced operations if it has been operating for less than six months; and women beneficially own the majority of shares
• For Regionally Headquartered and operated businesses must provide evidence that the registered office and principal place of the business is located within Regional NSW for at least six months prior to applying, or since commencement if the business has been operating for less than six months; and the majority of officeholders must be based in Regional NSW for at least six months prior to applying, or since the business commenced operations if it has been operating for less than six months. And must also commit to deliver the project from Regional NSW.Under the Program regional NSW locations are defined as locations outside of the metropolitan areas of Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong.
• For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander majority owned and managed businesses must provide current appropriate registration documents.

To be eligible for both streams, businesses must provide the ASIC company extract that demonstrates the:

• Registered office and principal place of the business is located within NSW for at least 6 months prior to applying, or since commencement if the business has been operating for less than six months
• The majority of listed office holders must be based in NSW for at least 6 months prior to applying, or since commencement if the business has been operating for less than 6 months

Eligible projects

To be eligible, your project must:

• be directly related to the pre-market development and commercialisation pathway of your product
• involve progressing your product along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale between 3 and 9 (see below for what this means)
• demonstrate why the project would not proceed in NSW without government support
• undertake funded activities in NSW
• be completed within 12 months of funding, minimum project period is 3 months
• include only eligible expenditure (see below).

Eligible projects could include:

• prototyping and piloting studies
• demonstrating the commercial viability of an innovative product or process to a customer or investor
• completing the development of an innovative product
• demonstrating a product in an operational environment.

Eligible projects do not include:

• basic research or technical experiments
• developing a product or process for internal use only (i.e. not for sale)
• commercialising the next version or iteration of an existing product in the market

Eligible expenditure

Funding will only be provided to projects where at least 80% of the expenditure is incurred within NSW and directly supports the pre-market development and commercialisation pathway of a product.

Eligible Expenditure, includes the following:

• wages (no more than 50% of the total grant)
• consultant fees (no more than 50% of the total grant)
• project materials
• patent filing or regulatory compliance (limited to $7,500)
• domestic travel costs (limited to $2,000)

All suppliers must be engaged at arm’s-length and must not be related parties. The costs of materials and labour used directly on your project are considered Eligible Expenditure only if they are purchased from third parties.

Eligible project material costs include the purchase or hire of equipment, tools, and materials necessary for undertaking the project. This encompasses expenses such as laboratory and workshop hire fees, provided they are directly related to the project activities.

These costs must be:

• incurred and paid for during the project period
• specifically identifiable as being purchased or hired for the project’s activities; and
• reasonable in scale to demonstrate the project’s underlying concepts or establish its commercial viability

Single item equipment purchases, computing and smart devices including, but not limited to, computers, laptops, servers, tablets, iPads, mobile phones, smart watches, and fitness trackers are not eligible under the Program.

Co-Contribution Evidence

This year they are being very strict on what is needed to Co-Contribution evidence.  You need a business bank account with the necessary funds in it at the time of the application and at the time of signing the funding agreement.  You can’t use personal bank statements, letters of intent from investors or from a SMSF.

Application Process

The 2025-2026 application process now requires each business to address all the assessment criteria (see below for more on these).  Every applicant will have to provide much more information than they would have had to lodge their expression of interest for the 2024-25 funding round.

Each application will be firstly reviewed for eligibility (see below for the eligibility rules) and then each application will be assessed against the assessment criteria noted below.

The highest ranking of these will then go to an independent review panel for final submission for funding.

Note this whole process will be conducted based on what you submitted in your application.  There will be no request for any further clarification or additional information.  So, make sure your application covers everything.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application along with the reasons why your application.  You can submit a new application in the next round for the same (or similar) project, as long as you include new or more information to detail how you addressed the feedback.

Assessment Criteria

Your application under the MVP Ventures Program is reviewed against the following assessment criteria: innovation, commercialisation and deliverability.

Innovation – You must clearly demonstrate that your product:

• addresses a realistic and well-defined problem backed by industry research
  • is new, innovative or significantly different to what already exists, and
  • provides a solution that meets a market need

To demonstrate genuine market interest and validate that the product addresses a real and identified need, you need at least one letter of intent.  This is a formal, non-binding document from potential customers (business end-users) or distribution partners that expresses a willingness to trial the product, provide feedback, and/or support its market adoption.

Commercialisation – You must clearly demonstrate that your product:

• is commercially viable
• supports NSW Industry Policy Missions (see below comments on these), and
• will deliver economic, environmental and/or social benefits to NSW

Deliverability – You must clearly detail how you intend to deliver your project by outlining:

• the project outcomes, milestones, key activities, and risks
• the project team has the capacity, along with appropriate management, commercial, professional, and technical expertise to deliver the project.

NSW Industry Policy Missions

Under the commercialisation assessment criteria, the application asks you to “clearly demonstrate” that your product supports the 3 current NSW Industry Policy Missions being: housing, net zero & energy transition, and local manufacturing. 

This implies that if you don’t do this, then your application will be rated low.  But, from what I can see from the publicly announced recipients of Round 1, there were business who did not tie directly to any of these policy missions who were still offered grants.

If your product does not support these, you tick the “other” box on the application form. 

Grant Payment Structure

Milestone 1 – 40% on signing the grant agreement

Milestone 2 – 30% can be claimed a minimum of 6 weeks after the Milestone 1

payment, or as otherwise agreed in writing. And is subject to:

• Satisfactory completion of a progress report, and
• Submission and approval of the Milestone 1 acquittal report and financial evidence

Milestone 3 – 30% can be claimed a minimum of 3 months after executing the Funding Agreement, or as otherwise agreed in writing.  And is subject to:

• Satisfactory completion report, and
• Submission and approval of the Milestone 2 acquittal and financial evidence of expenditure of up to 100% of the total project costs

Learn More

To learn more and apply click here

Note application opening and closing dates for the NSW MVP Ventures 2025-2026 round 3 program are 9 March to 5 April 2026

Technology Readiness Levels Index (TRL)

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

You wouldn’t see a team at this weekend’s Formula 1 in Melbourne start a race without knowing exactly how much fuel they need to finish.

In business, cash is your fuel.
But many business owners are still racing without knowing how much is left in the tank.

Do you know:

• how long your cash will last?
• when pressure points are coming?
• what decisions today mean for cash in three or six months?

If you want to build a simple cashflow forecast to see how much cash is really in your tank, send me a message.

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

The NSW Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (ETCF) is designed to push deep tech and emerging technology companies further along the commercialisation pathway, particularly those stuck in the “too technical for investors, too early for revenue” gap.

Grants range from $500k to $2m (but there is no indication of what matching requirements).

Eligibility

To be eligible for the ETCF you must:

• Be a company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), or an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
• Be a for-profit entity with an active ABN.
• Be headquartered in NSW and as at 1 January 2026, have more than 65% of your Full Time Equivalent Employees employed in NSW.
• Have revenue of less than $2.5 million per year in the last financial year (FY2024/25).
• Own the IP or have an exclusive license to commercialise the IP in Australia and globally.

You can not be listed on any public stock exchange or a subsidiary of another company

What Projects Qualify?

This is not for project ideation.  Is to for projects in the Technical Readiness Levels (TRL) 3-7 at application date who are either progressing along the TRL scale:

• an existing physical prototype of a device, technology, or product, or,
• a proof-of-concept of a biological or life sciences innovation.

The project must be completed within two years and you can’t have received other grant funding for the activities specified in the application.  And you can’t be eligible for the Medical Devices Fund (MDF) funded by NSW Health.

Example projects include:

• prototyping, product development and piloting studies
• manufacturing and/or scaling
• conducting market research, testing and trials
• regulatory approvals and other relevant certifications
• salaries and access to external expertise that is directly related to delivery of the project 
• commercialisation strategies and commercial feasibility studies 
• project consumables directly related to delivery of project outcomes
• specialist equipment and/or infrastructure necessary to progress the project
• intellectual property protection or advice

Application process

It is a 2-step application process.

Step one is a preliminary application where you submit a pitch video pitch (no longer than 5 minutes).  An ownership / cap table and an 0rganisation Chart

The pitch video should address the five Preliminary Application assessment criteria in the Program Guidelines (which we are yet to see).  

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

Learn More

Click here to learn more and apply for the NSW Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (ETCF).

Note applications close 29 April 2026

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

Not all growth funding requires giving up ownership.

Debt funding allows you to access capital while retaining equity, but it must be repaid and places pressure on cash flow.

Debt is best suited to businesses with predictable and stable revenue.

Venture Debt

Common structures include:

• Term loans
• Revolving credit facilities
• Revenue-based loans

Typically provided by:

• Family offices
• Angel investors
• Specialist venture debt funds

Often used to:

• Extend runway
• Bridge funding rounds
• Support short-term growth initiatives

Advantages of Venture Debt

• Can be a stop gap between equity rounds
• Less equity dilution
• Interest is tax deductible
• Often fewer control rights than VC
• May not require personal guarantees

Disadvantages of Venture Debt

• Requires revenue to service debt
• Higher interest rates
• Secured over business assets
• Must be repaid regardless of performance
• May want a slice of the equity upside via a warrant (bit like an option)

Click here to learn more about Venture Debt

Bank and Non-Bank Lending

Banks provide:

• Overdrafts
• Equipment and asset finance
• Invoice finance
• Business loans

Non-bank lenders offer similar products but with typically:

• Faster approval times
• More flexible credit assessment
• Higher pricing

Debt funding is best suited to businesses with predictable and stable cash flow.

Click here to learn more about Bank and Non Bank Lending

FYI Westpac currently do offer start up loans, learn more here 

Platform-Based Loans

Many digital platforms (such as Shopify, PayPal, Stripe) now offer funding to businesses using their systems, with repayments linked to sales.

Pros
• Very fast approval
• Minimal paperwork
• Repayments flex with revenue

Cons
• Higher effective cost
• Limited to businesses on those platforms

Want to learn more about platform based loans, click here.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

Institutional capital can accelerate growth dramatically, but it is not designed for every business or every stage. Venture capital funds, family offices and private equity firms each invest for different reasons and look for very specific business profiles. Choosing the wrong funding source can create pressure and misalignment long before the money runs out.

Family Offices

Wealthy families often invest through private investment vehicles to:

• Diversify their wealth
• Invest in industries they understand

They usually prefer:

• Larger deal sizes
• Strategic alignment
• Meaningful ownership positions

They are generally not interested in small funding rounds unless there is strong strategic relevance.

Private Equity

Private equity firms raise funds from investors to buy or control businesses.

They typically focus on:

• Established and profitable companies
• Operational improvements
• Eventual exit opportunities

For most small businesses, deal sizes are too small to attract private equity interest.

Venture Capital (VC)

VC funds operate on a portfolio model where only a few companies must deliver very large returns.  Some people talk about the Double Triple, Triple Double (being Year 1 growth: 3x, Year 2 growth: 3x, Year 3 growth: 2x; Year 4 growth: 2x, Year 5 growth 2x)

As a result, they look for:

• Very large addressable markets
• Highly scalable business models
• Often international expansion potential

If a business cannot realistically achieve this scale, VC is usually not the right funding path.

Read my post “Why VCs Need High-Potential Returns” to learn more about this.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Institutional Capital

Advantages

• Access to large capital pools
• Credibility and investor signalling
• Extensive networks

Disadvantages

• Preference shares and control rights
• Board influence and reporting obligations
• Pressure to grow rapidly and exit
• Possible misalignment with founder goals

Institutional capital is not just funding, it is a long-term strategic commitment.

If you want clarity on the right funding path for your business, send me a message.

Wayne Wanders is an experienced Business Advisor and Outsourced CFO who can help to scale and grow your business profitably.  

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

Venture debt is not cheap bank money.  And it is not replacement equity.

Used properly, it is a strategic tool to extend runway, reduce dilution and increase founder leverage.

Used poorly, it creates pressure at the worst possible time.

Here’s what founders and business owners need to understand.

What Venture Debt Actually Is

Venture debt is typically provided to businesses that already have some form of equity investors.

It usually structured as:

🔹 Term loans
🔹 Revolving credit facilities
🔹 Revenue-based loans

Providers are often specialist venture debt funds, private credit investors or family offices.  This includes  Partners for Growth, OneVentures, Mighty Partners, Tractor Ventures and Lighter Capital.

This is not your local bank overdraft.

Why Founders Use It

There are usually three reasons:

1. Extend Runway – You are 9–12 months from your next raise and want more time to hit milestones.

2. Bridge to a Higher Valuation – You believe another 6–9 months of growth materially improves valuation.

3. Fund Growth Without Further Dilution – You want to preserve equity while accelerating expansion.

If growth continues, venture debt can improve return on equity.

If growth stalls, it magnifies stress.

How It Is Structured

Venture debt usually includes:

🔹 A defined loan term
🔹 Interest payments, sometimes partly capitalised
🔹 Security over business assets
🔹 Financial covenants
🔹 Often warrants or a small equity upside component (debt providers may want a slice of upside in exchange for risk).

The Advantages

✅ Reduces immediate dilution
✅ Extends runway without a priced round
✅ Can improve negotiating position for next raise
✅ Interest is generally tax deductible
✅ Typically fewer control rights than new equity investors

In the right circumstances, it buys time and leverage.

The Risks

⚠️ Must be repaid regardless of performance
⚠️ Adds fixed obligations to a growth business
⚠️ Higher cost than traditional bank lending
⚠️ Can complicate future equity raises
⚠️ Security may include IP and core assets

Venture debt assumes future growth.  If that growth does not materialise, the pressure compounds quickly.

When It Makes Sense 

Venture debt tends to work best when:

📈 You have strong revenue momentum
📊 You are close to profitability or clear milestones
🤝 You have supportive existing investors
⏳ You are raising again within 6–18 months

It is a strategic bridge.  It is not survival funding.

When It Doesn’t

It is usually a mistake when:

🚨 Cash burn is accelerating without visibility
❌ You are struggling to raise equity
🌫 There is no clear path to the next milestone
🧱 The debt is being used to delay hard decisions

Debt does not fix a broken model.  It amplifies it.

Final Thought

Venture debt is a capital efficiency tool.

It can strengthen founder position and reduce dilution when used intentionally.

But it increases risk and reduces flexibility.

Before taking it on, the real question is: “Will this debt increase enterprise value more than it increases financial risk?”

If the answer is not clear, it is not the right time.

 If you are considering venture debt, the structure matters more than the headline rate.

I work with founders and business owners to model:

📊 Runway impact
⚖️ Covenant risk
💰 Dilution comparisons versus equity
🔎 Downside scenarios if growth slows

If you are weighing up venture debt versus raising equity, reach out.

Wayne Wanders is an experienced Business Advisor and Outsourced CFO who can help to scale and grow your business profitably.  

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

If you’re a Canberra-based startup working on proving your concept, validating your market, or building a prototype, the Innovation Connect (ICON) Grant through the Canberra Innovation Network may be worth serious consideration.

This program is designed specifically for early-stage businesses moving from idea to commercial validation.

What funding is available?

The ICON program provides dollar-for-dollar matched funding between $10,000 and $30,000.

With 50% of the grant funding is paid upfront

Eligibility

To be eligible you must:

• Have an ABN
• Be registered and primarily operating in the ACT
• Have annual turnover under $2 million

This program is aimed at genuine early-stage businesses, not established operators looking for expansion capital.

What can the grant funding be used for?

The objectives of the program are to:

• Move innovative ideas toward market readiness
• Prove technical or commercial feasibility
• Develop prototypes or functional software
• Support early marketing validation
• Obtain legal, IP or patent advice

You can use the grant funding for the following activities:

• Product development
• Resources and consumables specific to the project activities
• Development of marketing plans and strategies (excluding advertising costs and content)
• Website development or upgrades
• Staff wages and salaries specific to the project activities
• Technical feasibility testing
• Market testing and customer validation exercises

But does not include, general admin costs, major capital expenditure or costs already incurred.

The Application Process

This is not a simple online form submission. It’s a staged process:

Step 1 – Attend a mandatory ICON Introduction Meeting with CBRIN
Step 2 – Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
Step 3 – If shortlisted, pitch to a panel

Want to learn more about the 2026 ACT Innovation Connect (ICON) Grant – Round 1?

Click here to learn more about the ACT Innovation Connect Grant and to book your intro meeting

Note Applications close 10 April 2026.

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052

When founder and customer funding is not enough, many businesses turn to early external investors.

Family, Friends and Fans (the 3Fs)

These investors are backing you, often more than the business model itself.

They can invest as:

• Shareholders, subject to legal limits
• Lenders
• Via SAFE or convertible notes

Advantages

• Faster and less formal
• Lower pressure than institutional investors

Disadvantages

• Can damage personal relationships
• Limited business expertise
• Still requires proper legal documentation

While common in early stages, the 3Fs usually do not have capacity to support later growth rounds.

Angel Investors

Angel investors exist largely because venture capital rarely invests at very early stages.

They are typically:

• Former founders
• Business executives
• High net worth individuals
• Investing their own money

They often invest in industries they understand and are willing to take risks that larger funds will not.

Cheque sizes are usually smaller, which can raise shareholder number issues for private companies.

Angel Syndicates

Many angels now invest through syndicates, which:

• Pool smaller investments
• Simplify cap tables
• Reduce shareholder count challenges

Some angel investments are made via SAFE or convertible notes to avoid early valuation disputes.

Pros and Cons of Angel Funding

Pros

• Will invest earlier than many VCs
• Often provide mentoring and networks
• Growing and active market in Australia

Cons

• Some want heavy involvement in operations
• Can distract founders
• Usually insufficient for later-stage growth

Choosing the right angels is just as important as raising the money itself.

Final Thought

Capital is easy to raise.
The right capital is harder.
If you want help choosing the right structure, message me or book a call.

Wayne Wanders is an experienced Business Advisor and Outsourced CFO who can help to scale and grow your business profitably. 

Contact Wayne on wayne@arealcfo.com.au or 0412 227 052.

Click on the below buttons to access other free Resources developed by Wayne Wanders, A Real CFO to help your business scale and grow profitably

Want a confidential discussion on your business situation, help with your grant application or to learn more about my Outsourced CFO Services, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052