200+ Ways to Raise Money for Tech, AI, Data, and Cross-Industry Innovation Businesses
Innovation thrives on momentum—but getting that momentum often starts with funding. Whether you’re building an AI startup, a data-driven SaaS platform, a decentralized Web3 service, or offering cutting-edge solutions across industries, raising capital is a critical step.
This guide of 200+ proven strategies to raise money for your technology or services-based company will help you along your path. It’s divided into 10 core funding categories, with action-ready methods and explanations under each.
Category 1: Strategic Funding for AI, Data, and Emerging Tech
These methods are designed for high-growth tech businesses pushing the frontier of innovation.
- Apply to AI/ML-focused venture capital firms
- Pitch to tech startup angel investors
- Join an AI-specific accelerator (e.g., AI2 Incubator, Berkeley SkyDeck)
- Submit to corporate venture arms (e.g., Intel Capital, Google Ventures)
- Join a university-affiliated innovation hub
- Use SAFE notes for early-stage tech investors
- License proprietary algorithms to raise revenue
- Approach sovereign wealth funds investing in deep tech
- Apply to moonshot or frontier tech grant programs
- Launch under a university spinout program
- Approach family offices with a history in tech
- Partner with incubators tied to national labs
- Develop a pilot with a tech-forward government agency
- Seek out cross-border VC firms targeting AI startups
- Attend AI-specific demo days
- Form a data syndicate to co-raise with other startups
- Use open-source monetization models to attract funders
- Pitch to high-net-worth individuals interested in AI ethics
- Connect with climate-tech investors if relevant
- Collaborate with academic researchers on funded projects
Category 2: Global & Government Innovation Grants and Programs
These are non-dilutive funds available to businesses tackling big problems with tech.
- Apply for SBIR or STTR grants (U.S.)
- Pursue Horizon Europe innovation grants (EU)
- Join EIC Accelerator program
- Apply to Canada’s IRAP program
- Look into Innovate UK grants
- Apply for NIH/NASA/NSF grants if applicable
- Tap into Smart City tech pilot funds
- Use Grants.gov and SAM.gov for federal grant search
- Leverage state-level R&D tax credits
- Seek DOE or ARPA-E energy tech grants
- Pitch your solution to United Nations innovation funds
- Explore World Bank digital inclusion funding
- Submit to national innovation funds in your home country
- Find regional development grants (e.g., APAC, Africa, LATAM)
- Apply to the Global Innovation Fund
- Seek smart manufacturing grants
- Partner with university researchers on funded projects
- Apply for minority or women-owned business funding
- Use the European Space Agency’s innovation programs
- Track innovation grant databases and newsletters regularly
Category 3: R&D and Intellectual Property-Based Capital
Use your assets—such as patents, data, or trade secrets—to generate funding.
- Apply for R&D tax credits
- Secure IP-backed loans
- License your software or algorithms
- Create a joint patent with a research partner
- Seek valuation of your IP to support investment
- Sell access to anonymized datasets
- Offer royalty-based investment options
- Partner with a law firm for deferred IP legal fees
- Launch a spinout around one specific patent
- Use your IP in a joint venture agreement
- Monetize niche patents through licensing networks
- Submit to IP-rich competitions and awards
- Get support from innovation banks or IP lenders
- Utilize “design rights” for industrial and UI design
- Create a white-label version of your IP
- Apply for patents in global markets to attract partners
- Use trade secrets as leverage in investor conversations
- Leverage open innovation platforms for funding
- Build a portfolio to attract corporate buyers
- Seek IP commercialization partnerships with universities
Category 4: Cross-Industry Co-Funding & Strategic Partnerships
Partnering with industry players can unlock capital and growth opportunities.
- Form joint ventures with healthcare networks
- Partner with logistics firms for AI pilot programs
- Collaborate with fintech firms to develop custom tools
- Work with agritech firms on data integration
- Partner with government agencies as a tech provider
- Offer co-branded solutions with large corporations
- Sell into established industry platforms via APIs
- Integrate with industry SaaS marketplaces
- Develop white-labeled products for specific sectors
- Join trade associations with grant programs
- Apply for manufacturing innovation funding with OEMs
- License tech to educational institutions
- Collaborate on smart city solutions with local governments
- Work with NGOs on funded tech programs
- Partner with defense agencies on data/AI research
- Develop cybersecurity solutions for underserved sectors
- Offer AI for compliance/legal tech in regulated industries
- Target industry-specific hackathons
- Pitch to cross-industry venture studios
- Work with regional economic development coalitions
Category 5: Service-Based Revenue to Fund Product Development
Monetize your skills and expertise while building out your core innovation.
- Offer AI consulting for startups or enterprises
- Build MVPs or prototypes for other founders
- Create custom dashboards or data tools
- Sell research reports or data analysis as a service
- Teach online courses or workshops
- Build an audience through thought leadership
- Develop technical documentation for others
- Freelance in AI, ML, or analytics
- Host webinars with paid sponsors
- Build micro-products (scripts, plugins, datasets)
- Create a B2B SaaS pilot for a client
- Get paid for proofs-of-concept in key industries
- Offer digital transformation audits
- Design sandbox environments for clients
- Develop use-case templates
- Offer fractional CTO services
- Create revenue-generating newsletters
- Launch private communities or memberships
- White-label your tool to enterprise users
- Bundle service with future equity/royalty agreement
Category 6: Community & Creator-Led Fundraising
Harness your network, community, and content to raise capital organically.
- Start a paid newsletter on Substack
- Create educational content on YouTube or Medium
- Use Patreon or Ko-fi to support development
- Run a pre-sale for your upcoming product
- Launch a crowdfunding campaign (Kickstarter, Indiegogo)
- Use Buy Me A Coffee for micro-supporters
- Launch community NFTs as support tokens
- Launch a beta program with early access fees
- Offer community-built features
- Gamify feedback with supporter rewards
- Build a Discord/Slack for contributors
- Offer free trials for testimonials
- Host free AMAs and upsell workshops
- Use paid surveys and community insights
- Offer team consulting for backers
- Share project roadmap and upsell community tools
- License your community-built tools
- Create certification programs
- Use LinkedIn to share progress and attract micro-backers
- Launch affiliate programs with community members
Category 7: Competitions, Events, and Visibility Tactics
Exposure and credibility often attract capital on their own.
- Enter MIT Solve or XPRIZE challenges
- Apply to startup pitch competitions
- Present at tech meetups or conferences
- Join innovation showcases or tech fairs
- Submit your product to awards (e.g., Fast Company, CES)
- Get featured on innovation podcasts
- Pitch to innovation scouts at accelerators
- Host a virtual demo day
- Publish research in open journals
- Get featured on Product Hunt
- Join hackathons and win prize money
- Host founder fireside chats
- Submit to entrepreneur magazines or blogs
- Publish your case study in trade journals
- Contribute to AI ethics panels or webinars
- Get media coverage with PR campaigns
- Run giveaways or contests with sponsors
- Host a digital innovation summit
- Apply for export-ready tech showcases
- Publish your founder story in startup newsletters
Category 8: SaaS, Data, and Licensing Models
Monetize your innovation with recurring or licensing-based models.
- Offer tiered SaaS pricing
- Charge per-seat or per-user fees
- Launch usage-based billing models
- Create a freemium-to-paid funnel
- License APIs to developers or firms
- Offer custom dashboards to enterprises
- White-label your backend
- Launch a data-as-a-service subscription
- Sell access to analytics reports
- Offer per-integration or per-deployment pricing
- Launch a platform-as-a-service model
- Create a private SaaS marketplace
- License software to government contracts
- Sell API keys as digital assets
- Offer flat-rate customizations
- Bundle consulting with license fees
- Sell vertical-specific toolkits
- Integrate with enterprise procurement systems
- Partner with resellers and VARs
- Launch industry-specific pricing
Category 9: Web3 and Decentralized Finance Tools
Use blockchain-based capital models for global, community-led funding.
- Create and sell project NFTs
- Launch a governance DAO
- Tokenize future access to your product
- Launch a community token
- Use quadratic funding grants (e.g., Gitcoin)
- Launch a bounty-based buildathon
- Launch on Web3 incubators (e.g., Outlier Ventures)
- Get funded by decentralized protocols
- Use mirror.xyz for token-based fundraising
- Use blockchain smart contracts to secure investments
- Use stablecoin-based fundraising
- Apply to Web3 grant pools
- Use metaverse demos for exposure
- Launch a decentralized IP vault
- Tokenize fractional ownership in your IP
- Crowd-own datasets through blockchain
- Launch an AI NFT collection
- Monetize prediction markets for AI models
- Use DAOs for feature development voting
- Launch hackathons with token bounties
Category 10: Smart Financial, Legal, and Operational Tools
Reduce friction and raise working capital without losing control.
- Use revenue-based financing platforms
- Set up early bird pricing for clients
- Offer milestone-based payment plans
- Apply for low-interest business loans
- Apply for minority entrepreneur funding
- Defer supplier or service payments
- Use equipment financing
- Offer employee equity in lieu of cash
- Open lines of credit with flexible terms
- Launch a convertible note round
- Get funded through microfinance platforms
- Use payment advances on contracts
- Leverage tax refunds or credits
- Use invoice factoring
- Bundle services to increase deal size
- Accept crypto payments
- Launch an employee stock option plan (ESOP)
- Optimize cash flow with subscription billing
- Restructure equity with advisory help
- Partner with a fractional CFO for investment readiness
Closing Thoughts
Funding an innovation-driven business doesn’t require chasing only traditional VCs. With over 200 options—from community building and productizing your expertise to grants, government programs, IP deals, and decentralized models—you can custom-fit a fundraising strategy that aligns with your vision and timeline.