Generally, the only realistic chance an investor has of liquidating their holding in a start-up investment is if the company survives until a public float.
It targets companies that have established themselves with demonstrable international customers and have passed the initial first stage start-up investment stage.
Police at the time figured the cost to convert the vats -- wiring them with power and installing irrigation systems -- required a start-up investment in the area of $3 million to $5 million.
This scattergun approach belies the very ethos of start-up investment in which more cash is given to start-ups that are more advanced and are a lower risk.
Crowdfunding, civic or otherwise, and alternative forms of collaborative financing arguably reflect a drive to democratise financial markets -- from venture capital and start-up investment markets to community bonds.
The firm also invests through minority investments, corporate partnerships and industry consolidations, and occasionally, start-up investments in new entrants into existing industries.
Start-up investment managers need to find innovative ways in which to test their investment strategies and establish a track record while maintaining strict controls over their cost base.