To start your own business is hard enough work as it is. Sometimes money just does not stretch far enough.  If you can prove your idea works and will be successful, venture capital may be an option for getting extra finance for your business. It is not an easy decision to make as venture capitalists will require up to 40% equity in order that when the business grows, but unlike a loan, you may not have to pay the money bank. Thanks to the wonders of television, we get a glimpse of how venture capitalists actually think.

Dragons Den is a BBC series that sees entrepreneurs and inventors applying for finance from five multi-millionaire investors listen to bids for support, they decide what they will take on, and if necessary will compete and bid for the products they like. The show has been on our screens for five years and in that time we have been given a glimpse of all sorts of inventions and ideas some very good and some that frankly need to go back to the drawing board. It is extremely hard as we notice to impress these millionaires but not impossible. [Read more...]