Is starting up just for the rich?

LOOK at lots of entrepreneurs, and you'll notice an interesting, little-exposed common trait. It's neither that extraordinary passion to change the world nor an admirable penchant for risk. It's access to financial capital - be it family wealth, an inheritance, or connections to the rich and influential. This thus begets a loaded question: Is starting up just for the rich?

The obvious answer is no. But it's a no with reservations, because not everyone can be an entrepreneur. Even with the expertise, one needs money, or a partner with money (and the connections) to start up, regardless of industry. Researcher Adam Grant has found that having a sense of security in one realm (for example, financial) gives one the freedom to be entrepreneurial and original in another.

Market observations reinforce this: Ride-hailing app Grab's co-founder is Anthony Tan; his family owns Tan Chong Motors. Co- working space The Working Capitol was founded by siblings Saranta and Benjamin Gattie; the latter runs boutique real estate firm The Bamboo Group. Social WiFi startup Nimbus & Co, which targets F&B (food- and-beverage) clients, was co-founded by Donovan Goh; his parents own Catalist-listed restaurant group Katrina.