Seed capital means the initial capital used to start a business. Seed capital often comes from the company founders’ personal assets or from friends and family. The amount of money is usually relatively small because the business is still in the idea or conceptual stage. Such a venture is generally at a pre-revenue stage and seed capital is needed for research & development, to cover initial operating expenses until a product or service can start generating revenue, and to attract the attention of venture capitalists.
Seed capital is needed to get most businesses off the ground. It is considered a high-risk investment, but one that can reap major rewards if the company becomes a growth enterprise. This type of funding is often obtained in exchange for an equity stake in the enterprise, although with less formal contractual overhead than standard equity financing.
Banks and venture capital investors view seed capital as an “at risk” investment by the promoters of a new venture, which represents a meaningful and tangible commitment on their part to making the business a success. Frequently, capital providers will want to wait until a business is a little more mature before making the larger investments that typify the early stage financing of venture capital funding.
Seed capital in other words can be said as money used as the initial investment for a new product or service launch. Seed capital enables businesses to launch a new product or service without depending fully on a business loan. The funds for this form of financing are typically provided by private investors who are looking for a high return on their investment of at least 30 percent. The investors look to invest in an industry with a market of at least $1 billion, and they also want an industry with few competitors for the business. Businesses that typically obtain seed capital are young companies around one year of age that have not produced a product or service for commercial sale yet. The companies are so new, so it can be difficult to obtain a regular commercial loan that is sufficient for covering all of the related start up expenses.