Startup funding
Funding structured for early-stage operators
Early-stage businesses do not fit the multi-year credit file that traditional lenders were built around. Startup funding is a set of debt programs structured for operators in the first few years of trading, including pre-revenue, early-revenue, and fast-growth profiles. It leans on the owner's credit, the plan, and early traction rather than years of financials.
- Programs for businesses under two years old
- Options supported by the owner's personal credit
- SBA Microloans up to $50,000
- Revenue-based programs once you have consistent sales
Illustrative example
CS · 2026Startup stack
$85,000
Microloan + line + equipment · indicative
Example only. Not an offer of financing, a quote, or a credit decision.
What is startup funding?
Startup funding is a category of debt programs built for operators in their first few years, before there is a long business credit history to underwrite. It includes SBA Microloans, business loans supported by the owner's personal credit, business credit cards and lines, equipment financing, and revenue-based advances once monthly revenue exists. The right program depends on your stage, your industry, and your personal financial profile. Note that this is debt financing, capital you repay, and is distinct from raising equity from investors.
What it gives you
Built for early stage
Programs designed for operators without years of business credit history.
Several paths
From microloans to owner-credit-backed loans to revenue-based advances.
Builds business credit
Programs that report to business bureaus help establish your profile from the start.
Growth-aware
Structures sized for a business building toward scale, not a static snapshot.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered plainly.
Is this the same as raising money from investors?+
No, and it is the most important distinction to get right early. Startup funding here is debt: capital you repay, after which you owe nothing and keep full ownership of your business. Equity is money from investors in exchange for a permanent share of the company and its future profits. Debt is rented and given back; equity is sold and gone. This path is for founders who want capital without giving up ownership.
What does a lender look at when the business has almost no history?+
With little business track record to underwrite, the weight shifts to you: your personal credit, your industry experience, any early revenue or signed contracts, and how much of your own capital you have put in. In effect, the owner is the application in the early days, which is why cleaning up personal credit before you apply pays off directly.
Can I get funding for a business with no revenue?+
Sometimes, through programs that lean on the owner's personal credit, a plan, or collateral, such as certain SBA Microloans and business credit lines. But be realistic: pre-revenue amounts are smaller and pricing reflects the risk. Often the smartest early move is a modest facility that establishes business credit, which then unlocks larger, cheaper capital once revenue arrives.
Example
A founder with strong personal credit might start with a $25,000 business line and a small equipment loan, use them well for a year, and on that track record qualify for a materially larger term loan once monthly revenue is consistent.
What credit score do startups need?+
Because there is little business history, owner personal credit carries more weight at this stage, and stronger credit widens the options and improves terms more than at any later stage. Exploring your options here does not affect your credit, so there is no downside to seeing where you stand first.
How much can a startup borrow?+
Generally less than an established business, and scaled to your stage and profile, from a few thousand on a microloan to larger amounts where personal credit or collateral supports it. The healthy way to think about early capital is the minimum that reaches your next milestone, not the maximum you can carry, since every dollar is repaid out of a business still finding its footing.
Do I need a business plan?+
Some programs require one, particularly SBA-backed structures, while revenue-based options lean on your sales instead. Even where it is not required, a clear plan and clean financials improve your terms, because they show the lender you understand how the capital converts into repayment.
Startup business funding: debt options for new businesses
Early-stage operators face a chicken-and-egg problem: the best financing wants history the business does not have yet. Capital Selector matches you to debt programs designed for your stage, so you are not asked to present three years of financials you cannot produce, and you keep your equity.
See what your business qualifies for.
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