International venture capital funds are essential to secure if you plan to do business outside of the US. To secure international venture funds, you need a solid understanding of the operations of international venture capital firms and the ability to establish a good working relationship abroad.

To obtain international venture capital funds for your business, you need to establish connections with reputable international venture capital firms. It's also imperative to keep current on news and trends of international venture firms in order to locate the best international investment capital for your unique business needs. When working with international venture capital firms and funds, you should:

1. Subscribe to publications that focus on international venture capital fund trends to stay up-to-date on international vc.

2. Work with reliable international venture capitalists who have experience working with foreign businesses.

3. Tailor your business plan to attract international venture capital companies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Subscribe to international venture capital publications and learn about regulations and guidelines

Publications with a focus on international venture fund opportunities and trends can keep you current on changes in international venture capital. You can also use publications to find international venture capital firms best suited to meet the financial needs of your unique business. Guidelines and regulations in international venture capital are also vital to understand when you seek international vc. You can also use publications to find international venture capital firms best suited to meet the financial needs of your unique business.

I recommend: Become familiar with the International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines when you seek international venture capital. Subscribe to the UK-based publication "Venture Capital: An International Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance" to stay current on vc trends abroad. For international venture partners is Asia, read the Asian Venture Capital Journal. The European Venture Capital Journal offers up-to-date information on vc on the continent.

Partner with the best international venture capital firm to meet your needs

You know that the vc you need for your business is out there, but you need to know how to pinpoint the best international venture partners for your needs. Work with a domestic company that has experience matching businesses with international venture capital firms that fit the needs of your business.

I recommend: Partner with American Capital Strategies, a firm with experience in international venture capital funds. Use JAFCO Ventures, a Japanese-based vc firm, for international investment capital in Asia.

Write a business plan to attract international venture capital funds

To secure international vc, a solid business plan is essential. Know how to tailor your business plan to attract international venture funds. Construct your business plan in-house or hire a company to write a plan to appeal to international venture capital companies.

I recommend: Hire Cayenne Consulting to construct a solid business plan for your international venture capital fund prospects. Rely on the expertise of Investors Resource Alliance to write your business plan.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Familiarize yourself with the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association for access to valuable resources and publications that highlight international venture capital funds in Europe.

International venture capital firms are desirable as investors in your product or service. Are you ready to take your business onto the international scene? You’re making a smart decision. There’s no question that economic growth has exploded in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. A lot of that growth can be attributed to venture capital funds.

You’ll have to convince the venture capitalists that your product or service stands to produce a high return on their investment. You must also show them how you plan to depart before their investing cycle ends. Here's how to persuade them to invest in your product or service:

1. Show enthusiasm and passion for your product when courting venture capitalists.

2. Create a solid business plan.

3. Build a solid management team.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find international venture capital firms online

You can search online for many international venture capital firms. Don't let the search overwhelm you. Limit your search to the countries you want to invest in, then make a list of venture capital firms that deal with that country.

I recommend: Check out Boxwood Partners and Partech International. Boxwood Partners is a venture capital firm in Richmond, VA. It has extensive relationships with global partners. Partech International is an international firm with offices in not only the United States, but in Europe and Israel. The firm has a web page for each country that contains an address and phone number.

Build a rapport with the international venture capital firm's management team

You want to contact the team member that develops and sells start up ideas to the international venture capital firm. You'll want to specifically look for team members who hold the title EIR (entrepreneur-in-residence), CTO (Chief Technology Officer) CEO, or partner. There's no guarantee you'll get funding. However, you will have met a valuable resource, and that resource can introduce you to other players in the international venture capital industry where you can get funding.

I recommend: Garage Canada is a venture capital firm in Canada; it does not list an EIR, but it shows the co-founders. American Capital Strategies, Ltd., a U.S.-based company, has more than 260 investment professionals in several countries. On its website, it has a section called European Capital where it invests in companies in Europe.

Look for international venture capital funds that are viable

Find international venture capital fund companies that have proven track records. You will want to find out who are the international venture capitalists that invest in these international venture funds. You also will want to study the international venture firms' financial information. Keep in mind that most international venture funds' investing cycle lasts approximately 3 to 5 years. The venture capitalists will invest aggressively in the product or service when times are good. So you'll want to consider the risk-taking environment when looking for international venture capital funds.

I recommend: Subscribe to the Dow Jones Financial Information Services. It is a good resource for finding international venture capitalists as well as statistics on international investment fund companies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep in contact with the people to whom you spoke at the international venture capital fund companies. You may not obtain funding from them, but you never know what other doors may open as a result of staying in touch.

You’re looking to do business with international venture capital companies. Your executive team has agreed it's time to expand operations in Europe. However, the business needs funding to execute this strategy. This is why you need to investigate the latest international venture capital firms and funds news and trends.

You need to know what firms are likely to invest in your business. Doing this research in advance will save you time and money. You can then focus on making a strong and solid presentation to get them to invest in your business. Find out about international venture capital firms and funds news and trends by doing the following:

1. Read blogs to get the latest on international venture capital firms.

2. Learn about international venture capital firms’ future investment plans.

3. Find out the latest deals that international venture capital firms make.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use blogs to get the latest news on international venture capital firms

Read about the current issues that impact international venture firms. For example, bloggers can discuss recent accounting changes, such as fair value versus mark-to-market. These affect international venture capitalists in how they value companies. Blogs are also great places for finding international venture partners. Get not only the names to these international venture firms, but the links to their websites.

I recommend: One of the blogs that provides listings to international venture capital firms is Kevin’s Corner. If a firm interests you, just click on its link to go to the website. Read the HEC Paris Private Equity and Venture Capital Club Blog to get the latest news on the industry. The blogger discusses current issues that affect the international venture capital firm, such as accounting changes.

Find out what international venture capital businesses plan to invest in through research reports

Use research reports as forecasts on sectors where international venture capital firms plan to make investments. For example, you can learn if international venture capital firms will be investing in biotechnology or other medical fields. Research reports will provide the name of the company, along with its contact information. You can also learn about international venture capital funds.

I recommend: Research and Markets provide comprehensive information on international venture capital firms. You will get the contact information, the countries where these businesses have headquarters, and their future investment plans. You’ll also want to check with Market Research. This website provides various reports that range from international venture capital fund news to global wealth predictions.

Read financial news websites to learn about international venture capital firms' strategies

If you want to learn about new technology with potential for high growth, consider reading the financial news websites. Many start-up companies rely on international venture capital investing for financing or funding to develop this new technology. Financial news websites usually disclose the firm's name and the amount of money it has pumped into the start-up company.

I recommend: Venture Capital Reporter provides information on international venture capital firms. This business is one of the leading sources in delivering the latest venture capital news. BusinessWire also reports news on international venture capitalists. You’ll not only read the amount of venture capital funding that entrepreneurs received, but how they plan to use it.

International venture capital firms provide a lot of the backing for a wide variety of innovative projects aimed at promoting businesses overseas and across multiple national borders. Domestic and international venture capital firms use their funds judiciously for the best chance at profiting from an investment while helping cash poor businesses to reach for a project that may not have been possible using just their own finances. Knowing about some of the key terms for these kinds of venture capital firms can help a business make a successful partnership.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Return on investment

An international venture capital firm will want to know about the possible return on investment from their contributions. The return on investment is the ratio between what has been invested and what will be returned to the investor.

I recommend: See more on return on investment from Investopedia.

Investment cycle

Many venture capital firms have investment cycles. Some range from three to five years, and others have different cycle periods. Investment cycles may be based on results from research tools regarding economic cycles and the most strategic times to get involved in additional investment.

I recommend: See more on investment cycles including a neat visual to demonstrate how cycles are broken down at this Confused Capitalist blog.

Entrepreneur in residence

A venture capital firm's entrepreneur in residence or EIR is a person that capital seekers will want to talk to. This individual handles a lot of the affairs of a venture capital firm's investments.

I recommend: See more on the entrepreneur in residence and how to approach this individual at Startable.com.

Chief technology officer

The chief technology officer in a firm often has a little less direct clout than the entrepreneur in residence, and a slightly different focus toward some of the specific technology and product aspects of investments. However, this individual can also be a resource for connecting with a venture capital firm.

I recommend: See more on the Chief Technology Officer role from Business Dictionary.

Business plan

Any company wanting to partner up with a venture capital firm will need a reasonable business plan. The business plan is the investor's guide or map to how they can expect their investment to work. It details all kinds of aspects of a beginning business or project.

I recommend: Find out more about writing a business plan at The Entrepreneur Network.

European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association

The European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association or EVCA is a trade association that assists VC firms in their international initiatives. It's good for potential international operators to be aware of this group and the resources they provide.

I recommend: Take a look at the EVCA website to learn more about how they observe VC work in EU countries.