While most companies seeking venture capital initially think about angel investors and venture capitalists, a large alternative source of financing is federal grants and loans. The two largest federal grant programs are run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and by Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs).
An SBA loan, regardless of whether it is a direct loan from the SBA, or, as is more common, a bank loan guaranteed by the SBA, is essentially a bank loan. The benefit of it versus a traditional bank loan is the rate. SBA rates are typically much less than traditional business loan rates.
In most cases, in a guaranteed SBA bank loan, the SBA guarantees 90 percent of the loan will be repaid to the bank. As such, banks are at much less risk than in most other loans, and are a bit more flexible with regards to who they offer these loans. However, the SBA usually requires the founders of the company to personally guarantee the loans, which makes them risky should the venture collapse.
Alternatively, Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are privately organized corporations that are licensed and regulated by the SBA. Small or emerging businesses which qualify for assistance from the SBIC program can receive equity capital and/or long-term loans from these companies. Essentially, these companies provide their own capital, which is supplemented by federal funds, to the companies they fund.
Interestingly, U.S. taxpayers benefits from the SBIC program as tax revenues generated from successful SBIC investments have more than covered the cost of the program. Likewise the program has created hundreds of thousands of jobs.
In summary, SBA and SBIC financing are viable alternatives to financing from angel investors and venture capitalists and should be considered in the capital raising process. Similarly to angel and VC financing, companies seeking SBA and SBIC financing need a strong management team and value proposition, and a highly professional and compelling business plan in order to raise the capital they need.
Alternative Venture Finance: Federal Grants and Loans
Alternative Investors Eye Private Companies
Q: Entrex has brought public market standards and disciplines to the private market. I understand the value of this to the alternative investment community, but what is the value to me as the owner of a private company?
- Craig Rutkai, business owner, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
A: It's the question I get more than any other. To answer, let's start with what Entrex is.
In broad strokes, Entrex is a brand-new market for the alternative investment community. It takes the compliance standards and reporting structures that have long been a part of the public investing market and applies them to private companies.
Until Entrex, there was no way to compare apples to apples and no way of knowing what you were getting yourself into when investing in a private company. Entrex has brought transparency to the process of private investing, giving the alternative investment community a new place to put their money.
So how does this benefit you and others like you? In a word: capital.
Today, roughly 80 percent of private companies receive their funding within a 50-mile radius of their home office. Essentially this means friends and family, country club colleagues, regionally focused venture capitalists and fellow businesspeople. To say these avenues for pursuing capital are limiting would be something of an understatement.
But alternative investors are chomping at the bit to invest in private companies. They simply require the means to do so - an entity willing to do the due diligence so that they may find, research, track, manage and trade their investments. Entrex is that entity.
Whether you're looking for capital, interested in being acquired or simply want to see how your business is valued for shareholders on a quarterly basis, Entrex can help. It brings private business owners' need for liquidity and the alternative investment market's need for fresh investment opportunities together in one place.
The revolution is beginning. You can be a part of it.
Levitra Alternative Cialis Lets You Have Sex Whenever You Wish
Summary:
It is not possible to predict when you will have an urge to have sex. Levitra alternative Cialis gives a user the much needed ‘flexibility in timing’ for having sex. He can have sex anytime, if he has taken the pill within the last 24 hours.
Keywords:
Levitra, Cialis, Erectile dysfunction, Online Levitra Prescriptions, Levitra alternative
Article Body:
You never know when your urge to have sex would be there. And if you take erectile dysfunction pills you must have it before the effects of the pill disappear so that you enjoy having sex. While other ED (Erectile Dysfunction) pills have effects for around 4 to 5 hours Cialis is the only ED pill which claims to have effect for 24 hours to 36 hours. That means you have no need to worry about the timing of having sex. You can enjoy it anytime you like.
The only difference between Levitra and Cialis is the above stated aspect of duration of the effectiveness of the drug onto your blood flow. It works by relaxing your penis muscles which in turn leads to flow of blood through the artery. And as the blood flows in the penis gets stiffer and you get an erection. At that juncture, the swelling of the penis blocks the flow of the blood from the penis through the vein and this in turn keeps the penis erect. And this process is maintained till the time the penis ejaculates.
Thus, it means that Cialis just helps in stiffening penis by relaxing penile muscles and increasing the blood flow to it. As the marketers of it Lilly ICOS LLC says, it should not be taken by women and children, the advice should be followed. A person with heart problems, diabetes, blood pressure or allergy should consult a doctor before taking the pill. Do not take the pill more than prescribed.
The common side effects are headache, muscle pain, stomach upset and back pain. Other minor side effects of Cialis include flushing and nasal congestion. In case of side effects it is recommended to visit your doctor.
Last but not the least, the point to be noted is that, Cialis which is an Alternative of Levitra does not differ from Levitra by much but by the duration of the effectiveness of the pill.