Ideation and Concept Development

Ideation is the process of generating and refining new business ideas. This section provides tools and resources to help you develop your concepts into viable business plans.

Courses & Workshops

CCSF's Introduction to Entrepreneurship (ENTR 101) – An introductory course to starting your own business.

– "Turning Your Idea into a Business": A free online course that guides you through the process of transforming an idea into a business.

Books & Articles

Creative Confidence


Tom Kelley and David Kelley

Explores how to unleash your creative potential to develop innovative ideas and solutions.

The Innovator's Dilemma


Clayton Christensen

Discusses how companies can stay innovative and avoid being disrupted by new ideas and technologies.

Design a Better Business


Patrick Van Der Pijl, Justin Lokitz, and Lisa Kay Solomon

Provides tools, skills, and a structured approach to generate new business ideas and design successful business models.

Online Resources & Tools

: An online mind mapping tool that helps organize and visualize your ideas.

: Offers a collection of methods and tools for human-centered design, ideal for developing and testing new concepts.

: A one-page business plan template that helps you quickly outline and validate your business idea.

Videos & Presentations


David Kelley TED Talk

A talk that explores the importance of creativity in the innovation process.


IDEO U

A recorded webinar that delves into how design thinking can generate and refine business ideas.

Video Series: A series of videos that walk through the process of running a design sprint, which can be used to develop and test new business ideas quickly.

Templates & Worksheets

: A visual tool that helps you map out your business idea and explore its potential.

: A tool to help you understand your target audience’s needs and preferences, guiding the ideation process.

: A structured worksheet to facilitate idea generation and organization.