So your dream is to start your own business. But how do you know if it will work and how do you make it a reality? Start-up is a user guide for aspiring entrepreneurs and provides expert advice and guidance on every aspect of launching a new business. It will be of particular value if you are an academic wishing to exploit the commercial value of a new technology or business solution through the creation of a new company. Step-by-step, this inspiring and highly readable book covers how to evaluate the strength of your business idea, how to protect your invention, what legal steps and responsibilities are involved in forming a company, how to position your products in the market, how to create a business plan and raise finance. The case studies, practical exercises and tips in this book will help to demystify the process of starting a new business, give you the confidence to do it and greatly increase your chances of realising your dream.

Author Biography

Before setting up his own management consultancy business, Hi Consulting, in 2002, Tom Harris was a lecturer and led an academic research group in a top ranked university department, then spun-out a medical device company which went on to win awards for product innovation. Tom's current business supports and monitors funded R&D collaborations and assists start-up and developing businesses develop, grow and export.