The Impact Starting Guides

A set of editorial guides designed to support entrepreneurship.

2024

The Impact Starting Guides were developed as two editorial resources designed to support the early stages of the entrepreneurial journey within Erasmus University. While both guides share the same goal, they are tailored to different audiences: academics exploring how research can move toward impact, and students taking their first steps into entrepreneurship.

This project required translating complex information into clear, structured publications that remain approachable to readers with very different backgrounds. Through editorial design, visual hierarchy, and data-driven elements, my aim was to make the process easier to understand while keeping the content engaging and practical to navigate.

Services

Editorial Design

Data Visualization

Digital & Print Materials

Pile of brochures titled 'The Impact Starting Guide' featuring a woman with curly hair speaking into a microphone on the cover.

The Impact Starting Guide
for Academics

The Impact Starting Guide for Academics was designed to introduce researchers to the process of turning academic work into entrepreneurial opportunities. Many of the readers come from research backgrounds where entrepreneurship is not always part of the usual path, so my focus was on designing the guide in a way that keeps the information structured and easy to follow.

While working on this guide, I focused on structuring the content so the journey from research to impact could be followed step by step. Clear sections, visual hierarchy and data-driven elements help break down the process into smaller pieces, making it easier for readers to navigate through the material. The visual direction followed the Erasmus University brand guidelines, ensuring the guide remains consistent with the university’s broader communication.

Cover of a book titled "The Impact Starting Guide" featuring a woman speaking into a microphone, with green design elements and logos, set indoors with blurred background.

Acknowledgments section of The Impact Starting Guide for Academics detailing thanks to various individuals and organizations for their support and collaboration.

Table of contents from The Impact Starting Guide for Academics, listing sections and page numbers with a white background and teal-colored headings.

Two-page brochure with text describing Erasmus University Rotterdam's commitment to societal impact, research activities, and their support network, with the Erasmus Enterprise and Erasmus University Rotterdam logos on the right side.

A diagram illustrating the five phases of an impact journey: Problem discovery, Solution development, Team and partner building, Funding, and Scaling, each with bullet points detailing specific tasks.

Page from The Impact Starting Guide for Academics with a puzzle piece background and large text reading 'PROBLEM DISCOVERY'; includes a section titled 'PROBLEM DISCOVERY' with paragraph text discussing problem understanding and a 'Learn more' button.

A SWOT analysis table with four key steps: 1. Research potential impact, 2. Identify the problem, 3. Validate the problem, 4. Define the problem and users. The table includes columns for key steps, important questions or criteria, and what can be don

Close-up of puzzle pieces with the word 'SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT' overlaid in white, on a teal background.

A detailed table titled 'Solution Development' with four key steps: 1. Ensure solution addresses user needs, 2. Validate solution, 3. Value proposition, 4. Develop a viable plan. Each step includes important questions/criteria and suggested actions o

Two business professionals giving each other a high-five in a modern office with charts and diagrams on a whiteboard in the background and "TEAM & PARTNER BUILDING" text above the image.

Close-up of multiple hands stacked together in a gesture of teamwork or unity.

A page from the Impact Starting Guide for Academics titled "Solution Development" with steps for team building. Each step includes key questions, criteria, and suggested actions in a table format.

A page titled 'Funding' with a photo of a person taking notes at a desk, surrounded by laptops and papers, and a section of text describing funding options, including bootstrapping, public subsidies, family and friends, and commercial sources.

Step-by-step guide for solution development, including key steps like identifying funding needs, establishing the organization, evaluating funding sources, and initiating fundraising activities, with corresponding questions, criteria, and actions out

Cover page of a section of Impact Starting Guide for Academics with a photo of a tall glass building reflected in the sunlight, titled 'SCALING', paired with text discussing scaling strategies and considerations.

A table from the Impact Starting Guide listing key steps, important questions, and actions for team and partner building, with instructions and benefits for founders and entrepreneurs on growth, strategy, execution, funding, and liquidity.

Close-up of a water droplet creating ripples on the surface of water, with text overlay reading 'Ready to make an impact?'

A person wearing a brown sweater using a laptop computer. Text about societal impact activities and a checklist of activities like professional training, academic consultancy, and public engagement.

A digital layout with the title 'RESOURCES' overlaying a close-up of a stack of colorful books and a stylized outdoor scene with a sunset sky and a signpost.

Page titled 'Resources for Problem Discovery' features five teal boxes, each representing a different resource: 'Massive Transformative Purpose,' 'Impact Pathways,' 'Root Cause Analysis,' 'Result Chain,' and 'The Mom Test.'

Page titled 'Resources for Solution Development' featuring various resource links, including 'Value Proposition Canvas,' 'Business Model Canvas,' 'PEST Analysis,' 'Ten Types of Innovation,' and others, with a header image of stacked papers.

Page titled "Resources for Team & Partner Building" showing typical pitch deck structure with item list and icons.

A page titled 'Resources for Funding' with eight sections for different funding programs, each with a 'Learn more' button. The page features a teal background with an image of stacked papers in the background.

Disclaimer page from the Impact Starting Guide for Academics with a 'Back to Top' button.

Green background with small white text at the bottom that reads 'Copyright © 2023 Erasmus University Rotterdam. All rights reserved.'

View the full guide

Pile of yellow booklets titled "The Impact Starting Guide" with a photo of three women and a man on the cover engaging in a conversation, placed on a black surface.

The Impact Starting Guide
for Students

The Impact Starting Guide for Students was designed to introduce entrepreneurship to students who are exploring how their ideas, studies or research might turn into something larger. The focus here was on defining a visual direction that feels closer to the student environment while still fitting within the same overall purpose of the guides.

While working on the layout, I kept the same structure as the academic guide but shifted the visual tone. In comparison, the imagery, graphic elements and quotes bring in visual references that are more familiar to students which shift the tone of the guide while keeping the same underlying structure. These choices helped the guide feel more aligned with its target audience while remaining consistent with the Erasmus Enterprise brand guidelines.

A thank you letter expressing gratitude for entrepreneurs and partners, mentioning gratitude for sharing knowledge, making impact, and supporting entrepreneurial process. Headline 'THANK YOU' at the top left, with the letter text below.

A table of contents page from the Impact Starting Guide for Students, listing sections and subsections with page numbers, including introduction, ideate, validate, match, fund, scale, exit, impact, partners, resources, and their guides.

Diagram illustrating six phases of an entrepreneurial journey: Ideate, Validate, Match, Fund, Scale, Exit, with brief descriptions for each phase.

A group of people sitting around a wooden table in a modern, bright, and open kitchen or meeting space, engaging in a discussion. The room features large windows with blinds, shelves with dishes and glasses, and contemporary decor.

A table with four key steps for problem-solving: 1) List problems, brainstorm without limiting thoughts, and structure thinking; 2) Estimate size and magnitude of problems; 3) Explore solutions and consider patents; 4) Prioritize problems fitting pas

Two people, a woman and a man, are having a discussion in front of a whiteboard with diagrams and notes, in a professional setting. The woman is explaining, using markers, while the man listens. A yellow graphic element partially covers the image wit

Page with infographic on problem-solving process on the left page and a woman sitting outdoors with another person on the right page with trees and the sky and a quote from Daniel Ek about listening to consumers.

A table from a guide outlining key steps in a process, including discover, explore, develop, and deliver. The table has columns for key steps, important questions or criteria, and actions to take, with some sections highlighted in yellow.

A group of people working on laptops at a wooden table in a cozy room, some wearing headphones, with a yellow diagonal banner and black text reading 'MATCH' on the left side.

A person climbing a rock formation in a canyon, with a small rocket graphic in the top right corner and a quote from Logan Green, Lyft, overlayed on the image.

A guide table with four key steps for team development: 1. Identify the required capabilities, 2. Define the right composition, 3. Recruit co-founders, 4. Identify potential partners and/or partnerships. Each step has detailed questions and criteria,

Two women sitting at a round table engaging in conversation in a modern office with large windows and city view, with the word 'FUND' overlapping a yellow graphic design element.

A guide table outlining steps for fundraising and organization. It includes key steps such as identifying needs, establishing the organization, evaluating funding sources, and initiating activities, with corresponding questions, criteria, and recomme

A group of four young adults, two women and two men, smiling and shaking hands during a meeting or team-building activity in an office with large windows, natural light, and modern decor. The image is overlaid with a yellow geometric shape with the w

A table with four key steps for business growth, including ensure team skills, align strategy, effective execution, and liquidity. It highlights connecting founders and entrepreneurs for advice and guidance, with yellow highlighting on the right side

Page titled 'EXIT' in bold black letters against a yellow background, with a person signing papers at a table. The right page contains text about exit strategies for companies, emphasizing the importance of passion over financial gain.

A business guide with steps for evaluating exit options, negotiating term sheets, and executing a sale. Highlights include supporting potential sale exploration, reviewing offers, and legal support.

Group of young people walking outdoors during sunset in a desert-like area, some wearing hats and jackets, with the words "READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?" overlaid on the yellow section of the image.

Page highlighting partner organizations including Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, Up!Rotterdam, YES!Delft, and Graduate Entrepreneur, with descriptions of their roles in supporting startups and entrepreneurs.

Close-up of a row of old books with worn spines on a shelf, with a yellow overlay on the left side containing the word 'RESOURCES' in bold black letters.

A digital infographic comparing resources for ideate and validate stages in a process, with yellow background sections, black text, and visuals of a mind map and a business model canvas.

Page titled "Resources for Validate" with yellow boxes presenting different analysis topics, each with a "Learn more" button, on a yellow background, and small clouds and rocket graphic in the top right corner.

Page titled 'Resources for Validate' with a yellow header and three yellow resource boxes and black arrows in the top right corners. The text explains patent database checks and protection strategies.

Page titled 'Resources for Validate' with yellow background and black buttons. Contains six cards about intellectual property rights and patent webinars, with 'Learn more' buttons, and a rocket illustration in the top right corner.

A digital infographic showing resources for a typical pitch deck structure, including core value proposition, problem and solution descriptions, technology description, market dynamics, financial forecasts, team, and funding plans, with icons represe

A digital infographic with two sections on a yellow background, left side titled "Resources for Match" showing details about legal documents related to IP, and right side titled "Resources for Fund" displaying various resource cards about IP subsidie

A two-page spread, with the left side titled 'Resources for Fund' featuring a chart of funding lifecycle stages, and the right side titled 'Resources for Scale' with four yellow boxes labeled 'Landscaping or IP mapping,' 'Patent monitoring,' and 'Inf

Disclaimer page from Impact Starting Guide for Students with a 'Back to Top' button.

Yellow background with small black text at the bottom that reads: 'Copyright © 2023 Erasmus Enterprise. All rights reserved.'

View the full guide

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