Raising cash without new equity

When a company needs cash and does not want to sell equity, the options fall into four groups: money you are owed by the government (such as the R&D tax credit), grants (such as SBIR and STTR awards), borrowing (bank and SBA loans, revenue-based financing) and selling or licensing assets you already have, which includes equipment, IP and, for some companies, de-identified business records. Each has a different speed and cost.

Steps to find cash fast

1. Work out how much you need and by when. Grants take months; credits arrive with tax filings; loans take weeks.
2. Claim what you are already owed: R&D credits, tax refunds, unpaid invoices.
3. Cut recurring costs, including unused software seats, without deleting data you may need.
4. Look at assets you can sell or license: equipment, IP, domain names and, for some companies, de-identified records.
5. Compare borrowing options last, once you know the gap that is left.

Where company records fit

Licensing records is not a loan and does not dilute owners. It works for a narrow group: established companies with 20 to 30 or more employees and several years of email, chat, documents, tickets or CRM history. It is not fast money either: buyers pay after they receive and accept the data, which takes weeks to months. Check fit before you count on it.