The role of advisors in the venture capital investment process

Despite the extensive research on venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, there is at least one group of actors whose role has been overlooked, namely advisors that specialise in helping entrepreneurs raise venture capital funding. This explorative study aims to fill this gap. Based on qualitative case study data, this paper shows that the activities of advisors have several benefits for entrepreneurs seeking funding. Advisors appear to accelerate the process of acquiring funding and improve the terms and conditions of the funding. By participating in the preparation of written documents that are required when approaching investors advisors can contribute to increasing the investment readiness of an entrepreneurial venture. They also typically participate in investment negotiations. This may reduce the possibility that negotiations between the venture capitalist and the entrepreneur become confrontational which could, in turn, adversely affect the venture capital--entrepreneur post-investment relationship. The findings in this study strongly suggest that using advisors increases the likelihood that entrepreneurs will successfully obtain venture capital funding. This paper recommends that inexperienced entrepreneurs in particular should seek support from advisors when seeking to raise venture capital.