Patrick Horsman on raising money during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for businesses of all sizes, including difficulties accessing capital. With economic uncertainty and widespread job losses, investors became more cautious and banks tightened their lending standards, making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to access the capital they needed to grow their businesses.

I wanted to explore the various causes and consequences related the pandemic’s affect on entrepreneurs being able to raise capital. I’ve broken it down here.

Economic uncertainty

As most people know, the pandemic created a high level of economic uncertainty, causing investors to become more cautious with their money. This led to a reduction in investment activity, making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to secure funding from venture capitalists and angel investors.

Tightened lending standards

Banks tightened their lending standards in response to the pandemic, making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to secure loans. With less access to capital, entrepreneurs were more likely to struggle to cover their operating costs and fund their growth initiatives.

Increased competition

The pandemic also increased competition for funding, as more businesses sought capital to keep their operations running and fund their growth initiatives.

This made it more challenging for entrepreneurs to stand out from the crowd and secure the funding they need.

Despite these challenges, entrepreneurs found new ways to reach investors and secure funding, including crowdfunding, alternative lending platforms, and grants. With the right approach and mindset, many entrepreneurs were able to successfully navigate this challenging environment and access the capital they needed to grow their businesses.