Here's a look at manufacturing from the point of view of potential investors: At Nibletz ("The Voice of Startups Everywhere Else"), Jane Brown writes, "For an idea to be commercially viable it has to be in the Goldilocks zone—one that’s neither too old nor too new. And many manufacturing ideas fall within that ideal zone."
"While you need a large amount of money to start – we’re talking about paying for the high cost of men, materials, and machines," Brown writes, "it’s not impossible to raise the funds from crowdfunding, banks, or investors if you’ve done your due diligence, researched the market, benchmarked what the competition has done, and come up with a business plan that is grounded in the reality of marketplace dynamics."
She goes on to offer six ideas to consider before making the leap into manufacturing, including:
"Use the latest breakthroughs in material science. The right materials for your manufacturing processes can reduce downtime, prolong service life, and lower operational expenses."
"Understand the legal side of things. Manufacturing is heavily regulated and you want to make sure that you have all the right licenses and certifications."
"Establish mutually beneficial relationships with larger partners. In the beginning, you won’t be big enough to be taken seriously by larger manufacturers."
"When you start, do it in small steps. When you first start, you are too small, naive and vulnerable to have figured everything out."
