I only have a few thousand dollars available. I know I can make a good working prototype for that much. The problem is I need realistically around 100k to get the initial design completed for real manufacturing plus maybe another 25k-50k to make the first “batch” of my product.
Is it realistic to even try getting an investor for that much off just a prototype?
The entire business model of Venture Capital funds is investing in early-stage companies. They exchange their cash for equity in your company, even though your company may be nothing more than an idea.
Y Combinator is one of the country’s most renowned startup accelerators, and there are multiple cases of it investing in companies with no revenue and no products.
The application process is competitive, but some founders have received funding after nothing more than a 15-minute coffee chat.
Accelerators are different than most vc funding. For most vc funding, you need a million in annual sales. Yc will invest in ideas though.