You've found a business opportunity that interests you. You understand the concept, see potential in your city, and have the experience to manage it. However, when you review the required investment, you realize that your available capital isn't enough to develop the project on your own.
This is a common situation when evaluating businesses that require a significant initial investment, such as an entertainment center or a virtual reality franchise.
Your first reaction might be to rule out the opportunity. But there's another possibility: starting a business with partners who contribute capital, experience, or complementary skills.
Bringing in partners can make a project viable when it would otherwise be out of reach individually. It also changes how decisions are made, responsibilities are distributed, and the business is managed.
When you start a business alone, you have greater autonomy to decide how to use resources, organize the team, and develop the commercial strategy. You also take responsibility for financing the project and its results.
In a business that requires specialized facilities, operational staff, technology, and a considerable investment, concentrating all these responsibilities in one person can be difficult.
Starting a business with partners allows you to distribute these responsibilities, provided there is a clear agreement on each person's involvement.
For example, one partner may be responsible for operational management because they have experience managing venues. Another may contribute financial expertise, while a third may participate primarily as an investor.
This distribution makes it possible to bring different capabilities together within the same project.
However, sharing ownership also means sharing decisions. If responsibilities and approval mechanisms are not clearly defined, disagreements may arise that affect operations.
One of the main reasons for seeking partners is to raise the capital needed to start a business.
Suppose someone identifies a franchise opportunity, but their savings cover only part of the investment. Instead of giving up on the project, they can explore the possibility of bringing in other investors.
These may be friends, family members, or people interested in participating in a business venture.
In the case of EVA, an entertainment franchise based on free-roam virtual reality experiences, the initial investment includes different components, including the franchise fee and territorial exclusivity, as well as step-by-step guidance on how to establish the franchise.
In Spain, the total reference investment ranges approximately between €450,000 and €650,000 for one arena, depending on the characteristics of the project and the conditions of the premises. The minimum required equity contribution is €100,000.
This means that a candidate who does not individually have the necessary capital can explore a structure that combines their own resources with contributions from partners and potential financing options.
For example, someone could contribute part of the capital and look for partners to help complete the required equity.
The remaining investment could be considered for bank financing, always subject to the relevant terms and approvals.
Bringing in partners expands financing possibilities, but it does not guarantee the project's financial viability or approval.
Not all partners need to participate in the same way.
A company may have individuals who contribute capital and others who, in addition to investing, are directly involved in managing the business.
This distinction is particularly important in businesses that require specialized day-to-day operations.
An EVA arena, for example, needs to coordinate gaming sessions, manage bookings, supervise staff, serve customers, and develop commercial activities to attract visitors.
Although EVA provides training and operational support, each location needs local management capable of handling these responsibilities.
That's why EVA's franchise model is designed for active operators with business experience and the ability to develop the business in their local market.
This does not prevent the involvement of partners who participate primarily as investors. What matters is having someone responsible for leading operations and ensuring that the ownership structure is compatible with the franchise requirements.
One partner may contribute financial resources, while another takes responsibility for day-to-day management. Both participate in the project, but their responsibilities must be clearly established.
Sharing ownership of a company requires establishing rules before operations begin.
One of the first agreements should define who makes day-to-day decisions and which decisions require approval from the other partners.
For example, hiring staff or managing suppliers may fall under the operating partner's responsibilities. On the other hand, requesting additional financing, bringing in new investors, or making major investments may require a joint decision.
It's also important to establish how profits will be distributed, what will happen if the business requires additional capital contributions, and the conditions under which a partner may sell their ownership stake.
These agreements should be formalized with appropriate legal and financial advice.
A well-defined ownership structure allows operations to move forward without constantly requiring approval from every participant.
The answer depends on the type of business, the resources available, and the experience of those involved.
Starting a business alone can offer greater independence and a simpler decision-making structure. However, it also means individually assuming the capital requirements and business responsibilities.
Having partners makes it possible to combine resources and complementary expertise, although it requires coordination and clear agreements.
In specialized projects, such as an entertainment franchise, this collaboration can make opportunities accessible that initially seem beyond the reach of a single entrepreneur.
The starting point is identifying what you can contribute to the project and which resources you need to complement.
If you have experience managing businesses, understand your local market, and are interested in opening an EVA arena, not having the entire investment available individually doesn't mean you have to rule out the opportunity.
Exploring a structure with financial partners, combining capital contributions, or considering financing alternatives can help you assess the project's viability.
Discover the requirements for opening an EVA franchise and learn how you can develop your business project.