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Funding is one of the most essential considerations for a startup’s success, among a handful of other important factors, including market timing and a fine-tuned idea. But no matter how great the business idea, entrepreneurial dreams can be dashed if you fail to secure the financial backing necessary to launch and grow your company.
When you’re looking to obtain growth capital, there are Canadian government grants and funding programs available to small business owners and startup entrepreneurs nationwide. However, when you include government funding in your business plan—and you require the money before the resources are available to you—you’ll need to explore financial services that are able to support the gap in your funding.
Old Kent Road Financial (OKR) provides bridge financing to small and medium-sized companies that are either applying for expect to receive funding from the Canadian government’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development Credits (SR&ED) tax credit and/or grant programs, loan programs, financing programs and repayable contribution programs.
The Old Kent Road Financial fund specializes in these highly profitable bridge loans to finance government funding. Its non-dilutive financing solutions help companies manage their cash flow needs and let them focus on growing their business without giving up control. To date, OKR has performed roughly 120 loans with zero defaults.
Leading OKR Financial are founders and managing partners Jason Neale and Randy Thompson, finance and early stage growth and technology experts who understand the needs of growing companies.
“We saw a need, and we are happy with how the fund has created a win for both investors who are getting quarterly yield and the companies that get early access to capital they can’t get anywhere else,” Thompson says.
With a minimum investment of $10,000 and minimum two-year investment commitment, investors can expect low risk and consistent high return opportunities. Over the last three and a half to four years, OKR provided quality distributions to all its investors with an average return of 16.5 percent annually.
“What makes us unique is that the fund is run by former entrepreneurs who understand the balance between risk for the investor and achievable milestones by the entrepreneur,” Neale says.
OKR has been delivering solid returns for investors and novel, flexible financing solutions for Canadian entrepreneurs since 2015. OKR raised $10 million in the fund in its first year, which currently sits at $60 million+ and is growing consistently.
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