Financing of Start-ups. A financing framework for technology start-ups in the UK for the seed & start-up round

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND & PROBLEM FORMULATION
• PURPOSE & RESEARCH QUESTION.
• LIMITATIONS
• STRUCTURE
• LITERATURE REVIEW
• THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.
• STAGES OF FINANCIAL NEED
• MOST COMMON FINANCING OPTIONS...
• EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
• DTI FRAMEWORK..
• METHODOLOGY.
• RESEARCH DESIGN..
• COLLECTION OF DATA..
• SECONDARY EMPIRIC DATA - CASE STUDY APPROACH.
• SECONDARY EMPIRIC DATA - BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE STUDIES
• SECONDARY EMPIRIC DATA - HOW THE CASE STUDIES ARE ANALYSED?
• SECONDARY EMPIRIC DATA - SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE
• VERIFICATION AND GENERALIZATION OF EMPIRICAL DATA
• VALIDITY
• RELIABILITY..
• GENERALISATION OF CASE STUDIES
• RESEARCH FINDINGS & DISCUSSION..
• LANDBAY
• JUST PARK
• KANO COMPUTING
• EXTERNAL FUNDS REALLY NEEDED?
• DOJO LIMITED
• DISCUSSION
• IS A GRANT A POSSIBILITY?
• HIGH-CLASS MANAGEMENT TEAM OR EARLY TRACTION?
• IS YOUR BUSINESS ABLE TO CREATE MOMENTUM?
• IS YOUR BUSINESS IN A HIGH GROWTH SECTOR?
• ARE YOU WILLING TO SHARE CONTROL?
• DO YOU NOT ONLY NEED MONEY?
• DO YOU HAVE THE SECURITIES TO GET A BANK LOAN OR OVERDRAFT?
• OUTCOME: THE FINANCING FRAMEWORK
• FURTHER REMARKS...
• CONCLUSION
• WHICH KIND OF FINANCING IS NEEDED IN THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF A START-UP BUSINESS?
• WHAT SOURCES OF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TECHNOLOGY START-UPS?
• WHAT SOURCES OF FUNDS ARE USED IN THE REAL WORLD?
• HOW TO IMPROVE AN EXISTING FINANCING FRAMEWORK TO MAKE DECISION MAKING EASIER?
• LIMITATIONS
• FINAL REMARKS

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation aims to create a framework to assist entrepreneurs in making informed financing decisions for technology startups in the UK, particularly during the seed and startup stages. The study combines existing literature with a case study approach to understand the practical aspects of funding acquisition.

• The financing needs of technology startups at various stages of their life cycle.
• Available funding sources for technology startups in the UK.
• Practical application of funding sources by real-world technology startups.
• Development of a financing framework to improve decision-making for entrepreneurs.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed financing framework.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter sets the context for the dissertation by highlighting the importance of startups for economic growth and the challenges they face in securing funding, particularly technology startups. It outlines the research gap and the main objective of this study, which is to develop a financing framework for UK technology startups.
• Literature Review: This chapter reviews the existing theoretical and empirical research on startup financing. It explores different stages of financial need, common financing options, and provides insights from prior studies on startup funding sources. The chapter also introduces the DTI financing framework as a basis for comparison and further analysis.
• Methodology: This chapter describes the research design and data collection methods employed in the study. It details the case study approach, the selection of case companies, and the data sources used. The chapter also discusses the verification and generalization of empirical data, including the validity and reliability of the findings.
• Research Findings & Discussion: This chapter presents the findings of the case studies, analyzing the financing strategies used by four technology startups: Landbay, Just Park, Kano Computing, and Dojo Limited. It examines the factors influencing their financing decisions and explores the effectiveness of the DTI framework in the real-world context. The chapter then discusses the key takeaways from the case studies and their implications for developing a comprehensive financing framework.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This dissertation focuses on the financing of technology startups in the UK, examining the seed and startup funding rounds. Key concepts include financing framework, case studies, technology startups, venture capital, business angels, bank loans, grants, crowdfunding, equity financing, debt financing, and the DTI financing framework.