People investing in people. The overview on investment methods in technological start-ups at different stages of growth

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore different funding sources for young technology-based companies at different stages of their development, taking into consideration their characteristics. The study uses data from an extensive literature review on the start-up literature and a desk research analysis. The first part of the article focuses on the explanation of the concept of start-up with an emphasis on internal and external risks it can bear for a potential investor. The middle part of the article offers an overview on various division concepts into phases of a start-up. The final part explains characteristics of different kinds of investors in order to match them with specific phases of growth. The author’s findings reveal that the new technology-based firms demonstrate different financing patterns at different stages of development. The article may serve as an interesting overview for start-ups planning their development path as it attempts to reconcile different points of view. However, being based only on existing literature sources, further research is necessary for more profound conclusions.