PONTE Vol. 78 No. 4, 2022 Florence, Italy ISSN: 0032-423X E-ISSN:0032-6356 International Journal of Sciences and Research 47 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7265955 STRATEGIC FINANCIAL RESOURCES PROVISION FOR START-UP SMALL ENTERPRISES TO AVERT SMALL BUSINESS FAILURE: A LITERATURE OVERVIEW Samson Nambei Asoba, Walter Sisulu University Nteboheng Patricia Mefi, Walter Sisulu University ABSTRACT Small business start-up face viability challenges and most of them fail to survive in their first few years. Among the many factors leading to failure is lack of or limited provision of financial support for start-up enterprises. Research into the financial challenge among SMEs has been numerous and there is a large of literature that explores the financial dimension of small business start-ups. The study adopted a literature over to establish themes for strategic financial resources provision among start-up enterprises to avert small business failure. The study established four themes related to strategic financing among small business startups. These are: (1) scarcity of finance, (2) centrality of the financial concept, (3) strengthening support institutions, (4) simplifying the funding process and (5) simplifying the funding procedure. The study found that addressing the stated themes can result in survival and viability of small business start-ups. In particular, the centrality of the finance concept implied that the provision of adequate financial resources had the capacity to lead to the improvement of all other business success criteria. The study recommends for the improvement of the funding process and also aiding the acquisition of vital skills for small business administration. Relevant government institutions are recommended to strengthen their support to small business start-ups. Keywords: Small business, financing, entrepreneurship, business incubation, business accelerator. INTRODUCTION With the worldwide recognition that small businesses and entrepreneurship in general contribute significantly to economic development, small enterprises often fail in their start-up phases (African Development bank Group [AfDB], 2021; Acheampong & Esposito, 2014). Due to this recognition research into the viability of entrepreneurial ventures has been immense over the years. This study provides an overview of literature on strategic financial strategies for averting the failure rate of small enterprise start-up. While there are many factors that influence the success and failure of start-up enterprises, funding has often been recognized as a critical component within small business literature. Obtaining small business start-up finance in many African countries tend to be a challenge partly when considering that entrepreneurship is risk taking and possible financiers may not appreciate the emerging enterprise during its formative years (AfDB, 2021). The financing model normally start with the founder and co-founder and then later investors may be involved and as confidence on the successes of an enterprise rise stock financing may then emerge. As