Getting Started

Entrepreneur's Guide to Law and Strategy

Walks readers through the various stages of starting a business--from start-up and growth to an initial public offering--while highlighting the legal issues that go along with them. 

HBR's 10 must reads on entrepreneurship and startups

Collection of articles originally published in the Harvard Business Review focused on helping founders build companies for enduring success.  Featured contributors include Clayton Christensen, Marc Andreessen, and Reid Hoffman.

Mastering the VC Game: a venture capital insider reveals how to get from start-up to IPO on your own terms

Insights, stories, and practical advice gathered from HBS Professor Jeff Bussgang's own experience as well as from interviews with dozens of the most successful players on both sides of the game. Topics include how to get noticed, perfect a pitch, and negotiate a partnership that works for everyone.

Startup Owner's Manual

Silicon Valley expert Steve Blank's essential handbook for starting a business.

HOLLIS

Discovery platform for materials and resources available in the Harvard University libraries.

Search the Harvard Library catalog, HOLLIS, for more books on the topic.  Tip: try adding handbook or playbook to either startup or entrepreneur when searching.

 

Understand the Market

Industry Reports

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage

Detailed descriptions of companies, industries, and mutual funds.

Refinitiv Workspace

Features market quotes, earnings estimates, financial fundamentals, press releases, transaction data, corporate filings, ownership profiles and sell-side equity research. 

Use Refinitiv Workspace to locate industry analyst reports relevant to your venture.

Need a Refinitiv Workspace overview?  Check out our multimedia learning module, Learn with Baker Library - Refinitiv Introduction.

Market Research

BCC Research

Global reports on economic, scientific, and technological developments.

Frost & Sullivan

Reports and market trends encompassing various technology, energy, and manufacturing-related fields.

IBISWorld

Industry research reports for select US states, UK, Australia, Canada, and China.

Mintel Reports

U.S. consumer market studies and primary and secondary data analysis for topics including food, beverage, apparel, beauty, retail, and travel.

Passport

Market research reports on consumer products and industries worldwide from Euromonitor International.

 

Identify Funders and Competitors

Using the databases below, you can screen for venture capital firms based on a variety of criteria.  

You can also identify competitors by seeing who these firms are funding that are working in a similar space.

 

Capital IQ

Data on public and private companies, investment firms, capital transactions, and people.  Includes S&P RatingsDirect. 

Need a Capital IQ overview?  Check out our multimedia learning module, Learn with Baker Library - Capital IQ Introduction.  

Pitchbook

 Information on companies, deals, funds, investors and service providers across the private investment lifecycle.

CB Insights

Tracks global venture capital, angel investment, private equity, M&A, and IPO activity related to private companies. 

Preqin

Provides access to information on private equity and venture capital companies, funds, and deals.

Harvard Business School Alumni Angel Association

Educational and networking forum for Harvard Alumni and other participants who are interested in researching and investing in early stage companies on an individual basis.

Pitch Your Idea

Get backed : the handbook for creating your pitch deck, raising money, and launching the venture of your dreams

Startup veterans Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis outline how to create a compelling pitch deck and how to plan and execute a fundraising road show that will win financial support for new businesses. 

Business Insider

Multinational news site covering business and financial topics such as technology, politics, global affairs, healthcare, business, energy and sustainability.

Our Insider premium subscription includes access to their library of over 750+ startup pitch decks.  To access the pitch deck library, after you have created your account, click on your name in the upper right hand corner (which contains shortcuts to all premium content).

Startup Secrets: Getting Behind the Perfect Pitch

Michael Skok presentation at the Harvard iLab.  Outlines how to put together the perfect pitch that gets your venture the attention and the funding it deserves. 

Startup Grind Pitch Deck Archive

Get inspired by this collection of pitch decks compiled by Startup Grind.

Templates and Forms

National Venture Capital Association: Model Documents

Industry-embraced set of model legal documents that can be used as a starting point in venture capital financings.

UpCounsel Legal Documents

Free legal documents and templates drafted by UpCounsel Attorneys, including SAFE and other financing documents.

Business Plans Handbook

Sample business plans, templates, listings, glossary and bibliography.

Bplans

Guides and templates on how to write a business plan.

Blogs and News

A VC

VC Fred Wilson's blog.

a16z

Podcast from Adreessen Horowitz covering topics relating to technology and business & innovation.

Benedict Evans

Newsletter, essays and presentations covering tech by consultant and long-time analyst Benedict Evans.

First Round Review

Tech startup advice from First Round Capital.

Steve Blank

Blog from entrepreneurial expert Steve Blank.  His site also contains an excellent selection of practical resources & tools.