UNAIR NEWS – Getting investment in the early days of starting a start-up business often becomes main focus of start-up founders. However, it can actually cause them to experience mental blocks.
Dr. Achsania Hendratmi, SE or Achsania explained that many histories of start-ups in Silicon Valley used their own capital in advance or by borrowing funds from other parties such as family and friends.
At the beginning of the business, the start-up founders did not depend on the presence of investors. They focus on how their products match the target market, get acquisitioned and get revenues.
“Then, start-ups that are ready to be accelerated or scaling up to get bigger need investors or venture capital,” explained the Head of Business Incubator and Technology BPBRIN UNAIR .
An opinion saying investors or parties that invest capital are required in the early stages of establishing a start-up may prevent the business from starting immediately. Achsania emphasized that the opinion that says it is difficult to establish and run a business without capital is an incorrect opinion.
If the start-up is ready to be accelerated and requires investor funds, then the start-up team, especially the CEO, needs to learn from experience and learn from various experienced parties.
There are several ways to get investors according to Achsania, some of them are attending business matching, participating in various hackathon events, pitching presentations in front of investors or venture capital.
Sharing her experiences while assisting student start-ups, Achsania feels that so far there have been many students who have business ideas and have followed various grant schemes, both internal and external grants such as business plan competitions. But unfortunately, they could not continue the business for various reasons.
“So it is as if they are only grant-preneurs. They only pursue grants, then it is not used purely to develop its business, ” she continued.
Achsania also feels there is still mentality among them that in the beginning the business, they must have capital and get investment, otherwise the business cannot run. This mentality is still a common mental block among students.
Therefore, Achsania emphasized that the most important thing for students to set up a start-up is not capital, not a business link, but strong mentality, high fighting spirit, perseverance, always looking for a way out, high determination, and intention to be a businessman or entrepreneur from the start, not only trying their luck.
“So, in my term, when it comes to start-ups, there is natural selection. If from the beginning they just want to try or follow the trend, as soon as problems arise on their way, they immediately give up and stop, choosing to become employees who are more considered safe or secure, “ she concluded. (*)
Author: Galuh Mega Kurnia
Editor : Binti Q. Masruroh
