Innovation Compass
Practices
Compass Quiz
Glossary
Stories
About
Community
Impact
Entrepreneurship
Community Connection
Get Involved and Share with the Innovation Community
Participate Actively in Your Community of Impact
Supportive Guides
Connect with Experts, Mentors, and Partners in Your Area of Impact
Identify Innovator Support Organizations That Can Help You Grow
Compatible Collaborators
Connect with Like-Minded Companies in Your Space
Form Mutually Beneficial Collaborations with Other Companies
Public Presence
Develop Your Brand Identity and Positioning
Write and Speak about Your Innovation Publicly
Foundational Vision
Fall in Love with a Problem
Define a Vision and Purpose for the Innovation
Map Out Stakeholders
Define a Unique Approach to Solving the Problem
Sketch Out Your Theory of Change
Proof of impact
Interview Relevant People Relentlessly
Conduct Secondary Research
Develop a Plan for Proving Your Impact
Track Your Assumptions and Pivots
Signature Strength
Define the Unique Value Proposition
Build and Iterate on Your Minimum Viable Product
Conduct Competitive Analysis and Define Key Differentiators
Select a Name for Your Business
Develop and Fine-Tune Your Elevator Pitch
Organizational Culture
Identify the Core Values that Drive Your Work
Set up Internal Systems for Collaboration
Create a Company Well-being Strategy
Leadership Capacity
Practice Telling Your Story
Learn How to Identify Skill Gaps and Fill Them
Reflect on Your Leadership Style and Goals
Set up and Engage an Advisory Board
Practice Clear and Persuasive Communication
Startup Tactics
Build and Refine Your Business Model
Create Your Business Strategy with Your Team
Learn about Product Development Best Practices
Develop a Library of Useful Templates and Tools
Sustainable Funding
Learn about the Innovation Funding Landscape
Identify Funders That Share Your Values
Operating Infrastructure
Register Your Business as a Legal Entity
Acquire Necessary Equipment and Materials
Protect the Intellectual Property of Your Business
Develop a Summary of Your Revenue, Costs, and Expenses
Practices
Community
community Connection
Get Involved and Share with the Innovation CommunityParticipate Actively in Your Community of Impact
supportive guides
Connect with Experts, Mentors, and Partners in Your Area of ImpactIdentify Innovator Support Organizations That Can Help You Grow
Compatible Collaborators
Connect with Like-Minded Companies in Your SpaceForm Mutually Beneficial Collaborations with Other Companies
Public presence
Develop Your Brand Identity and PositioningWrite and Speak about Your Innovation Publicly
Impact
Foundational Vision
Fall in Love with a ProblemDefine a Vision and Purpose for the InnovationMap Out StakeholdersDefine a Unique Approach to Solving the ProblemSketch Out Your Theory of Change
Proof of Impact
Interview Relevant People RelentlesslyConduct Secondary ResearchDevelop a Plan for Proving Your ImpactTrack Your Assumptions and Pivots
Signature Strength
Define the Unique Value PropositionBuild and Iterate on Your Minimum Viable ProductConduct Competitive Analysis and Define Key DifferentiatorsSelect a Name for Your BusinessDevelop and Fine-Tune Your Elevator Pitch
Organizational Culture
Identify the Core Values That Drive Your WorkSet up Internal Systems for CollaborationCreate a Company Wellbeing Strategy
Entrepreneurship
Leadership Capacity
Practice Telling Your StoryLearn How to Identify Skill Gaps and Fill ThemReflect on Your Leadership Style and GoalsSet up and Engage an Advisory BoardPractice Clear and Persuasive Communication
Startup Tactics
Build and Refine Your Business ModelCreate Your Business Strategy with Your TeamLearn about Product Development Best PracticesDevelop a Library of Useful Templates and Tools
Sustainable Funding
Learn about the Innovation Funding LandscapeIdentify Funders That Share Your Values
Operating Infrastructure
Register Your Business as a Legal EntityAcquire Necessary Equipment and MaterialsProtect the Intellectual Property of Your BusinessDevelop a Summary of Your Revenue, Costs, and Expenses
Compass Quiz
Glossary
Stories
About
Changemakers and founders, get the tools to launch an idea with impact!
Take the Compass Quiz to identify your strengths and opportunities for growth in pursuing innovation. Get personalized recommendations backed by experts on how to chart your path forward.
Start the Quiz
Meet Innovation Compass, designed by and for a broad range of early-stage founders.
12
Building Blocks
A framework to help you learn what matters most for your company’s success
40
Practices
A curated set of steps that breaks down the complexity of starting a company
201
Resources
Hand picked resources to provide you with the best learning opportunities
Explore the Innovation Building Blocks
Accelerate your venture’s success through 12 innovation building blocks across community, impact, and entrepreneurship, co-defined with other innovators.
Community
Impact
Entrepreneurship
Community Connection
Supportive Guides
Compatible Collaborators
Public Presence
Foundational Vision
Proof of Impact
Signature Strength
Organizational Culture
Leadership Capacity
Startup Tactics
Sustainable Funding
Operating Infrastructure
Read Innovator Stories
Be inspired by the stories of other undercapitalized innovators and tap into their wisdom along your own journey.
Leveraging Technology to Support Survivors of Gender-Based Violence
“Company D” innovates gender-based violence support by connecting survivors with resources and easing service delivery, overcoming initial skepticism and financial challenges through a flexible, low-impact model.
Read More
Future-Proofing Agriculture with Effective Runoff Management Solutions
“Charcoal Catalyst” extends nutrient runoff management systems' lifespan to 20 years with a durable, containerized filtration solution, improving efficiency and sustainability in agriculture compared to current short-lived models.
Read More
Empowering Entrepreneurs through an Innovative Learning Platform
“C Labs” empowers low-income communities to launch businesses through its interactive learning platform, to overcome challenges by forging strategic partnerships, and to secure funding that supports entrepreneurial growth.
Read More
Browse Resources
Explore templates, articles, videos, and more created by experts in the innovation space and compiled by other innovators. Find more on each of the 40 practice pages.
Engaging with Evidence
Template
Nesta
Engaging with Evidence
Template
Nesta
Lean Canvas
Template
Lean Foundry
Lean Canvas
Template
Lean Foundry
How to Define your Vision, Values, Purpose, and Mission Statement
Article
NOBL
How to Define your Vision, Values, Purpose, and Mission Statement
Article
NOBL
IP Checklist for Startups
Article
Knobbe Martens
IP Checklist for Startups
Article
Knobbe Martens
Authentic Community Engagement Fact Sheet
Article
Urban Institute
Authentic Community Engagement Fact Sheet
Article
Urban Institute