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Resources & References 

Financial Resources

Financial Resources

Funding Rounds

Securing Funding

Earnings Multiplier

Accelerators/Incubators
Loans

Company Valuation

Time Value of Money

Crowdfunding
Types of Funding
Funding Rounds
Calculating Startup Costs
Equity and Debt Financing
Dilutive and Nondilutive Funding
Securing Funding
Earnings Multiplier
Company Valuation
Time Value of Money
Discount Rate
Negotiating Term Sheets
IP Valuation

Other

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Startup Resources

Lean Startup Method
Considerations before starting a business

Considerations Before Starting a Business

Market Sizing

Target Market/Target Audience

Marketing Resources

Positioning

PR for Startups

Marketing Resources
Segment Sizing
Target Market
Marketing Strategy
UVP
Positioning
Brand Awareness
PR
Buyer Persona
Market Research

Lean Startup Method

Market and Segment Sizing
TAM

Business Model Resources

Value Proposition​

Customer Discovery Resources

Customer Discovery Interviews

Other Resources

Business Model Resources
Business Model
Value Proposition
Business Plan Resources
Customer Discovery Resources
Customer Discovery
Customer Discovery Interviews
Customer Validation
Customer Creation
Company Building Process
Business Model Canvas
Agile
Setting and Measuring KPIs
Launch Strategy
Product Launch
Iteration

Failure

Failure
Customer Pain Points
MVP
Scaling
Lead Generation
Target Market
Pivoting
Hiring

International Students and Researchers

Mergers and Acquisitions
Startup Pitch Deck
International Students and Researchers
Brand Loyalty

Legal Resources

Legal Resources

Corporate Structures

Miscellaneous

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References

References

Acknowledgment: This Startup Guide is adapted in part, with permission, from the University of Illinois’s Start-Up Handbook, Stanford University’s Startup Handbook, and Johns Hopkins’s Startup Guide. 

 

[1] WIPO. (n.d.). Technology transfer organizations. WIPO. https://www.wipo.int/technology-transfer/en/organizations.html 

[2] Pollman, E. (2023, September 29). Startup Failure. The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2023/09/29/startup-failure/ 

[3] Maybray, B. (2024, March 11). How many startups fail?. HubSpot Blog. https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-many-startups-fail 

[4] Austin, J. (2021). Customer Discovery Basics - Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. https://entrepreneurship.hbs.edu/Documents/Session%20Summary/HBSRock-Customer-Discovery-Final.pdf 

[5] Needle, F. (2023, December 5). How to create detailed buyer personas for your business [+free persona template]. HubSpot Blog. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyer-persona-research 

[6] De Backer, G. (2023, November 15). Customer Discovery: In 4 Steps from Idea to Validated product [guide]. Gust de Backer. https://gustdebacker.com/customer-discovery/ 

[7] Bostelaar, K. (2015, November 30). A quick guide to asking good customer questions. A Quick Guide To Asking Good Customer Questions. https://www.strategyzer.com/library/a-quick-guide-for-asking-good-customer-questions 

[8] Wray, H. (2023, December 5). Customer pain points: How to identify and resolve (+ examples). Zendesk. https://www.zendesk.com/blog/customer-pain-points/ 

[9] Semrush Team. (2023, October 9). What is total addressable market (TAM) and how to calculate it. Semrush Blog. https://www.semrush.com/blog/total-addressable-market/ 

[10] Needle, F. (2023, December 5). How to create detailed buyer personas for your business [+free persona template]. HubSpot Blog. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyer-persona-research 

[11] Chi, C. (2023, January 18). Total addressable market (TAM): What it is & how you can calculate it. HubSpot Blog. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/total-addressable-market 

[12] Austin, J. (2021). Customer Discovery Basics - Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. Rock Center for Entrepreneurship. https://entrepreneurship.hbs.edu/Documents/Session%20Summary/HBSRock-Customer-Discovery-Final.pdf 

[13] L Luo, L. (2023, September 16). 8 Tips for Conducting Interviews That Deliver Relevant Customer Insights. https://www.strategyzer.com/library/8-tips-for-conducting-interviews-that-deliver-relevant-customer-insights 

[14] Bostelaar, K. (2015, November 30). A quick guide to asking good customer questions. A Quick Guide To Asking Good Customer Questions. https://www.strategyzer.com/library/a-quick-guide-for-asking-good-customer-questions 

[15] Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., Smith, A., & Papadakos, T. (2014). Value Proposition Design. Wiley. pp. 106-107.  

[16] National Science Foundation. (2024, January 31). NSF’s Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM). NSF. https://new.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/i-corps 

[17] Airfocus. (n.d.). What Is Customer Development? Definition, Process, Concept, & FAQ. https://airfocus.com/glossary/what-is-customer-development/ 

[18] Cote, C. (2020, August 18). 5 steps to validate your business idea: HBS Online. Business Insights Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/market-validation 

[19] LinkedIn Community. (n.d.). How Do You Estimate The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for Your Early-Stage Startup?. How to Estimate TAM for Early-Stage Startups. https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-do-you-estimate-total-addressable-market 

[20] UNO. (2022, September 22). Plan Development. College of Business Administration. https://www.unomaha.edu/nebraska-business-development-center/business-start-and-growth/plan-develoment.php 

[21] Texas A&M University Libraries. (2024, May 6). Research Guides: MKTG 321 Principles of Marketing. Research Guides at Texas A&M University. https://tamu.libguides.com/c.php?g=492712&p=3371000 

[22] US Census Bureau. (2021, November 21). Industry and occupation data. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/data.html 

[23] Studio Zao. (2024, March 4). What Customer Discovery Questions to Ask to Validate Pain Points. studiozao.com. https://www.studiozao.com/how-to/customer-discovery-questions-to-validate-pain-points 

[24] MarketSplash Team. (2023, September 27). Customer Development Guide for Product Managers. MarketSplash. https://marketsplash.com/customer-development/ 

[25] Guthrie, G. (2023, March 22). Customer Creation: Turn Prospects into Purchasers. Nulab. https://nulab.com/learn/strategy-and-planning/customer-creation/#:~:text=The%205%20stages%20of%20customer,launch%2C%20demand%2C%20and%20loyalty

[26] Bhat, D. (2023, April). Setting KPIs And Goals : YC Startup Library: Y Combinator. YC Startup Library. https://www.ycombinator.com/library/Iu-setting-kpis-and-goals 

[27] The Hartford. (n.d.). Marketing for Startups | 5 Effective Marketing Strategies for Startups. www.thehartford.com/. https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/strategy/startup/marketing 

[28] Indeed Editorial Team. (2023, July 24). How to Create a Launch Plan Template (with Example and Tips). Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/launch-plan-template 

[29] How to Do A Brand Audit. SCORE. (2023, September 13). https://www.score.org/resource/article/how-do-a-brand-audit

[30] Adobe Express. (2023, September 26). How to Identify Your Target Audience in 5 Steps. https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/target-audience 

[31] Semrush Team. (2023a, September 22). Unique Value Proposition: What It Is & How to Create One. Semrush Blog. https://www.semrush.com/blog/unique-value-proposition/ 

[32] Spur Reply. (2024, April 23). Crafting The Perfect Messaging Framework: A Comprehensive Guide. https://spur-reply.com/blog/5-steps-to-a-killer-messaging-framework-that-will-save-you 

[33] Pearce, B., & King, R. (2024, May 15). What Is Positioning?: The Complete Guide. Product Marketing Alliance. https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/your-guide-to-positioning/ 

[34] Rodsevich, M. (2023, October 3). The Ultimate Guide to Public Relations for Startups. PRLab. https://prlab.co/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-public-relations-for-startups/ 

[35] Collins, A. (2024, April 4). How to Create a Successful Product Launch in 6 Steps (2024). Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/blog/product-launch 

[36] Wilkinson, D. (2019, January 23). New Product Launch Strategy + 5 Step Process. Paddle. https://www.paddle.com/resources/product-launch-strategy 

[37] Handley, R. (2023, March 3). The Marketing Funnel: What It Is & How It Works. Semrush Blog. https://www.semrush.com/blog/marketing-funnel/ 

[38] TheyMakeDesign. (2023, September 8). How to Create Brand Awareness for Startup?. Medium. https://medium.com/theymakedesign/startup-brand-awareness-2f6cd0db3dbc 

[39] Singh, O. (2023, November 24). 12 Best Lead Generation Strategies for Startups. B2B Lead Generation Services USA. https://revnew.com/blog/best-lead-generation-strategies-for-startups 

[40] Bhat, D. (2023, April). Setting KPIs And Goals : YC Startup Library: Y Combinator. YC Startup Library. https://www.ycombinator.com/library/Iu-setting-kpis-and-goals 

[41] Lacatis, M. (2024, January 31). The Ultimate Guide to Product Iteration. Digitalya. https://digitalya.co/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-product-iteration/ 

[42] TheyMakeDesign. (2023b, September 11). Brand Loyalty for Startups: Importance & Key Strategies. Medium. https://medium.com/theymakedesign/startup-brand-loyalty-5e48bfffc690#  

[43] De Backer, G. (2023, November 15). Customer Development Process: From Idea to Validated Business Model. Gust de Backer. https://gustdebacker.com/customer-development-process/ 

[44] Guthrie, G. (2023, March 22). Customer Creation: Turn Prospects into Purchasers. Nulab. https://nulab.com/learn/strategy-and-planning/customer-

[45] Luenendonk, M. (2019, September 23). Customer Development Model: Understanding Company Building. Cleverism. https://cleverism.com/customer-development-company-building/ 

[46] De Backer, G. (2023, November 15). Customer Development Process: From Idea to Validated Business Model. Gust de Backer. https://gustdebacker.com/customer-development-process/ 

[47] Lin, V. (2023, March 28). What is public disclosure? - patent trademark blog: IP Q&A. Patent Trademark Blog | IP Q&A. https://www.patenttrademarkblog.com/public-disclosure/  

[48] Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur , Y. (2010). Business Model Generation. John Wiley & Sons.  

[49] Ric, S. R., & Gumpert, D. E. (2014, August 1). How to Write a Winning Business Plan. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1985/05/how-to-write-a-winning-business-plan 

[50] Business Plan Template for A Startup Business. SCORE. (2024, May 24). https://www.score.org/resource/template/business-plan-template-a-startup-business 

[51] Fabregas, K. (2024, May 4). Simple Business Plan Template (2024). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/simple-business-plan-template/ 

[52] 8 Free Business Plans Templates & Examples. HubSpot. (n.d.). https://www.hubspot.com/business-templates/business-plans 

[53] Entrepreneur Staff. (2010, September 22). Self-Financing Your Startup. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/self-financing-your-startup/217376 

[54] CFI Team. (2023, October 15). Bootstrapping. Corporate Finance Institute. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/bootstrapping/ 

[55] Ganti, A. (2023, September 29). Angel Investor: Definition And How It Works. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/angelinvestor.asp 

[56] A Guide to Venture Capital for Startups. HubSpot. (2022, November 14). https://www.hubspot.com/startups/venture-capital-for-startups 

[57] Cote, C. (2023, August 17). Startup Incubator vs. Accelerator: Which Is Right for You?. Business Insights Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/startup-incubator-vs-accelerator 

[58] Grants. U.S. Small Business Administration. (n.d.). https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants 

[59] Parker, T. (2024, January 24). Small Business Financing: Debt or Equity?. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1112/small-business-financing-debt-or-equity.aspx 

[60] Feld, B., & Mendelson, J. (2016). Venture Deals. John Wiley & Sons Inc. 

[61] Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. (2019). The Johns Hopkins University Startup Guide. Baltimore, MD. 

[62] Indeed. (2023, March 10). How Startup Funding Works and the 8 Startup Funding Stages. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/startup-funding-stages 

[63] Misamore, B. (2017, April 21). How to Value a Company: 6 Methods and Examples: HBS Online. Business Insights Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-value-a-company 

[64] Majaski, C. (2021, April 30). Mergers and Acquisitions: What’s The Difference? Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/021815/what-difference-between-merger-and-acquisition.asp 

[65] Mergers and Acquisitions: Considerations for Your Company and Employees. Indeed. (n.d.). https://www.indeed.jobs/ 

[66] Corporate Structure. Corporate Finance Institute. (2023, November 29). https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/corporate-structure/ 

[67] Ries, E. (n.d.). The Lean Startup Methodology. The Lean Startup | Methodology. https://theleanstartup.com/principles 

[68] Product Plan. (2022, May 27). Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Minimum Viable Product - What Is a MVP and Why Is It Important? https://www.productplan.com/glossary/minimum-viable-product/ 

[69] Scalability. Corporate Finance Institute. (2023b, October 16). https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/scalability/ 

[70] Eisenmann, T. R. (2021). Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success. Currency. 

[71] Hayes, A. (2023, March 20). Exit Strategy Definition for an Investment or Business. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/exitstrategy.asp 

[72] Lawson, R. (2023, March 14). Top 10 best practices for identifying use cases in tech consulting: A guide to unlocking business value. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-best-practices-identifying-use-cases-tech-guide-ricky-lawson/ 

[73] Fernando, J. (2023, December 15). Time value of money explained with formula and examples. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/timevalueofmoney.asp 

[74] Aggarwal, A., & Bahl, N. (n.d.). Start-ups and Early Stage Companies. KPMG. https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/kw/pdf/insights/2021/05/valuation-startup-web.pdf 

[75] Startup Guide | Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, p. 22. (2019). https://ventures.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/JHTV_Startup_Guide.pdf 

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