Entrepreneurship @CWRU

When you have an idea, and you'd like to build it into a new business–or enter a new market–this guide can help you identify the best industry for your idea or new product, and get you started.

Whether you have a new idea or you're still designing your product, it helps to know the current industry and  competition, and also potential markets and audiences for your idea. CWRU and government databases can help you cover other aspects of bringing a product to market, and entrepreneurial news sources & sites can stimulate your ideas and energy, as well as keep you informed.

Using this guide, you'll be able to get a good start in learning about:

• identifying similar or competing products or services
• companies in the industry & then market forecasts for opportunities
• size of a market, and potential buyers and/or users of your product  
• sources for being informed about company, industry and market news
• identifying what consumers might be using or wanting–and demographics of consumer interests
• if there any government and/or industry regulations
• finding initial funding

We hope this guide will help to get you started on exploration and research, through knowledge that is necessary to take a new idea and make it successful. The guide will continue to evolve – let us know what else you'd like to see here!

TIP: Coming Soon, new databases licensed by the Kelvin Smith Library:

• Crain's Cleveland Business, a weekly business newspaper for over 40 years in NE Ohio, with business news, analysis, reports and data to stay informed about the region. The daily digital news also keeps you up to date on regional news, people, events and opportunities.
• PitchBook, a robust database with news, data, and tools for analysis of venture capital & private equity to follow a changing financial landscape. Research, reports, and analysis will provide superior content in a suite of tools.

Watch for news on these new licensed resources in the coming weeks!

This guide will continue to develop, so send us comments about content you'd like to see here.

Designed by research liaisons at the Kelvin Smith Library, this guide can get you started on your entrepreneurial ideas, using CWRU-licensed resources and notable government information data sites.

Let us know if you are interested in other topics, and we'll explore & add information to this guide.  We welcome inquiries and hope you enjoy your entrepreneurial journey!