Re:Ask HN: How to get funding when I'm over 2000 miles from SV?
by bennyg on Tuesday April 16, 2013 @05:54PM
(#5561184)
Yeah I know what you mean about the idea, that's why I'm working on said prototype - but I can see that now, even with a bootstrapped launch, it's gonna' need more money to get to where I want it to be and where it needs to be. My buddy and I have already built a proof-of-concept in Objective-C but now we're working on a port into JS cause the browser is where the magic is going to need to happen.
I guess I didn't phrase my question correctly - I'm thinking along the lines of this:
A) I have a prototype to show.
B) I have a business plan.
C) I don't have plane tickets, the time, or the money to spend a month raising funds in SV.
-- How do I go about acquiring the funds?
Re:Ask HN: How to get funding when I'm over 2000 miles from SV?
by SurfScore on Tuesday April 16, 2013 @06:15PM
(#5561293)
One of the most important qualities of an entrepreneur is resourcefulness. I'm not sure what your idea is or why it needs so much money, but thats a hurdle you'll have to jump yourself. Traction is most important, so find a way to get that. Start networking, and find a way to do this stuff cheap.
Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Look into the Lean Startup methodology (don't just blindly follow, seek to understand). Then, talk to people that seem to know what they're talking about in the industry. Do some customer discovery, validate the idea.
The good thing is that the internet doesn't know anything about mileage. You can just as easily email someone in SV as you can someone next door. If this is your first-time starting a business, the chances of getting "blow your socks off" money from an investor is about the same as winning the lottery. Contrary to what TechCrunch would lead you to believe, it doesn't really work like that in the Valley either. You've gotta make something worthwhile first.