With this year's slow pace of private funding, it has become more important than ever for businesses to be able to illustrate how they are different in terms of their operating efficiency, management, and most importantly the execution of the business plan to potential investors. Despite this tepid investing environment, deals are still getting done for companies that can deliver on the following points:

• A reality-based business plan that presents exactly how the business will achieve its objectives – Your business plan will have to cover a lot ground while clearly delineating how the company's solution addresses a specific need or problem, direct competitors, finances, execution of the business model, the ROI for investors when the company reaches its objectives, and other specifics. Avoid the temptation to overstate and exaggerate your business' position in any of these categories.
• Management personnel that have the skills and experience to drive the company's results – The ability of the business to execute the plan will rely on a management team that has been there before. While investors have always prioritized quality at the management level, they are far more willing now to move on to the next deal if the CV's of your business' management team don't meet their standards. To attract investment, your team will need track records that show how they guided their respective companies to successful results. Respected outside advisors can be a big plus as well, especially if they're willing to vouch for the investment quality of your company.

Raising capital has taken on the Darwinian principle of "survival of the fittest". To have the best chance at receiving funding, take these steps to ensure that your business sits at the top of the food chain in its respective jungle.

Dmitrij Harder, currently Principal at Solvo Group, Inc., is an international finance expert with over 15 years of experience in both investment banking and insurance brokerage. He is fluent in three languages (Russian, German, and English) and proficient in French. Mr. Harder has played roles in a variety of multi-million and multi-billion dollar transactions.

These deals have occurred in countries around the world including China, Russia, Belgium, Egypt, Angola, Azerbaijan, and others, and across a wide spectrum of industries including:

Power generation
Liquefied natural gas
Oil & gas
Petrochemicals
Water treatment
Pipelines
Aircraft financing
Mr. Harder's deal highlights include:

Secured structured loans linked to synthetic indexes totaling $575 million in Russia
Financing for companies in Russia during financial crisis involving multilateral institutions of over $200 million in debt and over $200 in equity
An exports receivables rights loan in Angola for $2.5 billion $ 670 million facility in Egypt
Since buying out his former employer Komposit Americas, where he was Managing Director in 2005, Mr. Harder has acted as the principal of Solvo Group, Inc. At Solvo Group he has continued his work, participating in large scale investment banking and insurance brokerage transactions. Solvo Group, Inc. is located in Southampton, Pa., USA.