Finding Ideas for a Startup

Finding Ideas for your Start-up Venture

Where can I find ideas that I may pursue for a start-up venture?

If you are already working on a specific start-up idea, that's great! The E-Hub looks forward to supporting you.
Here are some great sources of ideas you may consider
- discussions in a class related to entrepreneurship
- a class project (for a class that may not be about entrepreneurship)
- a project you presented in an E-Hub supported faculty-led competition in your class
- an idea you presented in an E-Hub supported student-club led competition (e.g. the BES Falcon's Nest)
- the work you developed for the entrepreneurship fourth credit option to commercialize a patented research invention
- your project for the entrepreneurship honors pathway course
- your project in one of the experimental classes (e.g. CS 399: Innovating with AI in Spring 2026)
- your ongoing participation in the Founders Circle
Start-up.ai (Caution: This is outside Bentley, Read up to ensure your ideas are protected)
You may also join a team with an idea you find compelling. Browse the Bentley community by visiting the Orbit Platform (a sandbox implementation for Bentley from MIT). Use your Bentley email to create an account.

Where can I get help to refine a startup idea?

Start-up Idea Refinement Partner (From the Bentley E-Hub). Try these prompts:
- Suggest a startup idea related to sustainability (great when you know what you are passionate about)
- Help me recast a client solution to a startup idea (great if you did this for a class)
- Help me turn my concept into a crisp startup idea (great when you have a broad concept)
- Interview me so I can articulate my startup idea (great when you have a general idea in your head)
- Help me connect my startup idea to UN SDGs (great when you want to consider social impact)
You may also use platforms such as Orbit (from MIT Martin Trust Center, open to all at Bentley simply with your email address), Foundry (from HBS Rock Center, requires activation based on a conversation with the Bentley E-Hub and collaboration with your class instructor) and Altitut (from UC Davis, easily available but useful with an activation guide). As you can see, the access rules and privileges can be different for you as a member of the Bentley community. Each platform has strengths. The easiest is to start with the Bentley E-Hub platform above.

Where do I get help to execute my start-up idea?

The start-up community often describes it thus: An idea is worth a dollar. Execution is worth millions.
Another version that shows up is this: Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.
So, yes, a good idea is important. But - without great execution, it remains just that, an idea.
Derek Sivers: Ideas are just a multiplier of execution (one short page, worth a visit)
The E-Hub Incubator is designed to help you start on this execution path.