The tools for starting a business

A pile of WORLDFACTORY notebooks on a table.

THE TOOLBOX HELPS TO PLAN THE START-UP PROCESS

When developing business ideas and prototypes, there is much to consider. If you structure your thoughts and put them into words, it’s easier to stay on top of things. In our Toolbox, we provide you with tools – more precisely, templates, guidelines and checklists – to help you develop ideas and guide you through the start-up process. The toolbox will continue to grow: keep checking back and feel free to let us know what you need.

Inside the Toolbox

WSC-Guide

Your start-up guide with useful information about founding a start-up at RUB and in the Ruhr region.

To provide the best support for those interested in founding a company at RUB, a start-up guide was developed in cooperation between start-up teams and the WORLDFACTORY as well as partners and experts from the start-up ecosystem. This guide is designed to encourage interested parties to deal with the topic of start-ups and provides useful information and relevant contact points on campus and in the Ruhr ecosystem in a condensed form.

Lean Canvas

Sketch your business model for business plans, pitches and your own overview.

Persona Canvas

Differentiate your target groups and get a better feel for who you are actually dealing with.

3 Design Canvas

- 3 Design Canvas: Develop and design your ideas or preliminary prototypes step by step and incorporate your customers’ feedback directly.

  • The Design Research Canvas can be used to clearly define and analyse problem areas in no time at all.
  • The Design Ideation Canvas can be used to visualise, describe and assess initial ideas in order to derive potential solutions.
  • The Product Design Canvas can be used to test analogue and digital products and services in a user-centred way and to develop them to series-0 prototypes.

Canvas for Sciencepreneurs

Present your research work in a structured overview and check whether you have thought of everything.

How to pitch

Prepare for your first pitches and pitch training with our guideline by Jules Banning.

Checklist for funding programmes

Check whether your application for an EXIST start-up grant has a chance of success.

Find out more here