Competitive Proposal Workshop: Information Sources and Databases for Researching Venture Capital
General Information
Feldberg Library's Web site presents important engineering and business information sources and library services catered to Thayer and Tuck. See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~feldberg/ and ...
- Engineering Information
- The Business Database Wizard and the Business Knowledge Base in Business Information
- Venture Capital Industry – An Overview (by National Venture Capital Association)
Not all venture capitalists invest in "start-ups." While venture firms will invest in companies that are in their initial start-up modes, venture capitalists will also invest in companies at various stages of the business life cycle. A venture capitalist may invest before there is a real product or company organized (so called "seed investing"), or may provide capital to start up a company in its first or second stages of development known as "early stage investing." Also, the venture capitalist may provide needed financing to help a company grow beyond a critical mass to become more successful ("expansion stage financing"). (quoted from VCI overview)
- Venture capital (Wikipedia)
Library Catalog Searches
Selected Sources for Venture Capital & Grant Funding Research
- Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), Dartmouth College
Serves as a central resource to support the research enterprise at Dartmouth by providing guidance and stewardship for the research community
Some useful web sites given by OSP:
- Community of Science
- GrantsNet
- Guides to Writing Competitive Proposals
- Internal Sources Of Funding For Dartmouth Investigators
- SBIR/STTR
(Summary: National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency of the Federal Government, invites (by solicitation) eligible small business concerns to participate in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. NSF will support high quality projects on important scientific, engineering, or science/engineering education problems and opportunities that could lead to significant commercial and public benefit if the research is successful.
The significant difference between the SBIR and STTR programs is that the STTR requires researchers at universities and other research institutions to play a significant intellectual role in the conduct of each STTR project. These university-based researchers, by joining forces with a small company, can spin-off their commercially promising ideas while they remain primarily employed at the research institution.)
- Research.gov
- Foundation Directory (updated weekly)
"The Foundation Directory Online Platinum is the Foundation Center's most comprehensive online service, comprising two searchable databases. The Grantmakers database houses a collection of data on the entire universe of over 76,000 foundations, corporate giving programs, and grantmaking public charities. The Grants database is a collection of more than 350,000 grants awarded by foundations in the United States. Both databases are searchable and are designed to give researchers access to information on each foundation's funding interests and giving history."
My FDO provides access to and enables you to manage your tagged grantmaker records and enables you to manage and load your saved grantmaker and grant searches.
Notes:
- Search Grants:
Keyword search: biofuel* or you could use Subjects: engineering/technology and energy
Types of Support: Seed money or Research
sort by year, descending
**browse by clicking on "view index" under field label
**re-sort by selecting column header
Click on the Recipient Name to view the grant description.
Type of Support: Seed money or Research
Keyword search: biomechanical
sort by year, descending
**notice how many under Subject: biomedicine research
- Search Grantmakers:
browse fields of interest... engineering/technology
browse types of support... Research or seed money
sort by total giving, descending
**you can exclude grantmakers not accepting applications
990's for each foundation are viewable by choosing the 990 tab from the grantmaker's record.
(Demystifying the 990-PF | How to Read the 990
& Find Out What it Means)
"provides fiscal data for the grantmaker/foundation, names of trustees and officers, application information, and a complete grants list; may be the only source where one will find complete grants lists for smaller and mid-sized foundations; larger foundations often issue annual reports, which provide descriptions of the grants awarded during the year for which the return is filed, and some have Web sites." See GuideStar Premium below for historical 990's.
Remember to logout!
- Pratt's Guide to Private Equity Sources (Use Internet Explorer)
(also in print at Feldberg Ref. HG65 .G86; the first 123 pages of the print version covers the background of private equity, how to raise private equity, and sources of business development financing.)
A directory of venture capital firms, setting out their areas of investment.
Notes:
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From the top right pull-down menu select Pratt's Guide
Login when prompted
Click on Industry Preferences
Choose Biotechnology or Biotech Related Research or Energy (choose "include selected" tab)
Stage Preferences
Research and Development or Seed or Startup or Start-up financing ...
Geographic Preferences
All U.S.
Execute Search
Select more than one – generate selected profiles tab; can view or download profiles
Can also download mailing list to spreadsheet
remember to logout!
- Search Grant Synopses from Grants.gov (see also Grants.gov @ Dartmouth)
"Grants.gov allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov is THE single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies."
- FedBizOpps.gov
"The single government point–of–entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet. Through one portal – FedBizOpps (FBO) – commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community."
- GuideStar Premium
"GuideStar, produced by Philanthropic Research, Inc. (PRI), is a searchable directory that provides detailed information on more than 850,000 nonprofit organizations. The database covers 'IRS-registered 501 nonprofit organizations that may accept tax-deductible contributions'. Profiles cover mission and programs, financials, leaders, and most importantly, full text via PDF of the charity's IRS 990 filing from 1998 forward in most cases. Form 990 provides information on revenues, expenses, programs, activities, executive salaries and board members. Be aware that information not drawn from the 990 is self-reported by the organization to PRI."
- Chronicle of philanthropy
- Additional sources
- Annual register of grant support
Baker Berry AS911.A2 A67 ; Latest in Reference
- Associated Grant Makers directory
Baker Berry Ref. HV89 .A88 Latest ed. only
- Business plans handbook : a compilation of actual business plans developed by small businesses throughout North America.
Feldberg Ref. HD62.7 .B865 v.12 2007
- The Corporate finance sourcebook
Feldberg Ref. HG4057 .A156 latest ed. only
- Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network (DEN)
"DEN fosters the spirit of innovation by helping people in the Dartmouth community learn and implement entrepreneurship. Drawing on an extensive pool of expertise, the Network offers a wide range of services – from strategic advice, one-on-one mentoring and networking opportunities to infrastructure and office space. THE DEN is a resource for Dartmouth and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center faculty and staff, undergraduates, Tuck, Thayer and other graduate students."
- TheFunded.com
Allows entrepreneurs to research, rate, and review venture funds from around the world, providing invaluable information and guidance to other entrepreneurs looking to raise critical growth capital.
- Galante's Venture Capital & Private Equity Directory on CD–Rom
Located in Feldberg Library, computer carrels 1 & 2.
Also available in paper
Feldberg Ref. HG4961 .V36 Latest edition only
Galante's is a guide to every type of risk capital for private, entrepreneurial companies including: over 2,000 venture capital, leveraged buyout, management buyout, and mezzanine firms. You can search by name, location, investment size, transaction size, type of capital, and preference for funding stage, geography or industry.
- Getting science grants : effective strategies for funding success / Thomas R. Blackburn
Kresge Q180.55.G7 B53 2003
- Journal of private equity
dedicated to in-depth analysis of innovative strategies and effective techniques for venture investing... from seed capital to later stage and mezzanine financing to when is technology ready for commercialization.
- MoneyTree Survey
A quarterly study of venture capital investment activity in the United States
- Patents (To start review the PDF Overview of Patents & Patent Searching)
What ideas have already been patented? And by which companies?
- Public venture capital : sources of government funding for technology entrepreneurs / Henry Etzkowitz, Magnus Gulbrandsen, Janet Levitt.
Feldberg HG4027.6 .E89 2001
- Research projects and research proposals : a guide for scientists seeking funding / Paul G. Chapin ; with a foreword by Alan I. Leshner
Baker Berry Q180.55.G7 C44 2004
- Venture Capital Handbook: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Raising Venture Capital, by David Gladstone and Laura Gladstone.
Feldberg HG4965 .G57 2002
Selected Sources for Company Research and Searching the Business Literature
- Global Business Browser
(Requires a login/password)
Global Business Browser (GBB) provides information on 13 Million+ public, private, and nonprofit companies worldwide. GBB provides access to information on industries and executives. Find news stories, corporate overviews, detailed financial data, market research reports, analyst reports, executive biographies, SWOT analysis, significant developments, strategic initiatives, industry norms, market share, and more. The advanced company menu option can be used to screen the database for companies that match a given set of criteria (a great tool for job hunting).
Notes:
-
Find Companies using their Business Description
Select "Advanced Financial Analysis – Global Public Companies" from the Companies menu
Click on "Lines of Business" and then click on the field "Business Description"
enter: biomass
129 companies were found; click on "Run Reports" to view company names.
To view a single company, highlight its name and click on "Get Info".
Or select one of the Multi-Company Reports.
Use "Refine Search" to add more search restrictions
Click on "Location" and then "North American Region"
Choose "New England"
3 Companies found; View "Verenium Corporation"
In Verenium Corporation's profile click on "Peer Analysis" or "Competitors Report" to see a list of similar companies.
- Factiva (search for articles, remember to logout!)
A wealth of global sources including 10,000+ sources in 22 languages, influential local, national and international newspapers, leading business magazines, trade publications, and newswires, 20,000 company reports, and 8,500 editorially selected business Web sites.
Notes:
-
Subject – Corporate/Industrial news – Funding/capital
Industry – Energy – Alternative Fuels
Date: in the last year
exclude Republished news and Obituaries, sports, calendars...
There are 638 results.
Now add Free-text query – "venture capital" or funding
and search for free-text terms in Headline and Lead Paragraph
There are now 57 results.
click to remove a search limit/filter
Company/Markets tab
Company – Get Company Snapshot – Verenium
Peer Group, Nearest 10 by Sales.
News pages – Factiva pages – use pulldowns
WSJ, NYT, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Barrons, Forbes and Fortune
- ThomasNet (Web version of the Thomas Register)
Comprehensive resource for industrial information, products, services, CAD drawings ...
- ABI–Inform Global (search for articles)
(NYT and WSJ historical archives can be chosen via Databases Selected link)
Search for articles on companies, industries, and business topics, e.g. business conditions, management techniques, business trends, management practice and theory, corporate strategy and tactics, and competitive landscape, marketing, product development, and industry conditions worldwide. ABI-Inform Global also contains: Going Global Career Guides (Comprehensive overview for evaluating, selecting, and transitioning into a successful career in a foreign country) and Business Cases from Ivey, Thunderbird, Idea Group, and Darden.
Notes:
- Business Source Complete (search for articles)
Provides access to complete articles for 8,800+ scholarly, business, and trade publications in nearly every area of business including management, marketing, MIS, POM, economics, finance, accounting, international business, and more. In addition to articles you will also find: case studies, investment research reports, industry reports, market research reports, country reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses and more.
Notes:
How to get help beyond what's provided here ...
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