ollecting and compiling information about competitors is essential for developing and implementing a top notch business plan. The Intenet is an invaluable resource whether you plan to collect the information yourself, or have a information specialist provide the information on your behalf.

This article is the first in a series reviewing resources available on the Internet with particular focus on sources for developing a Company Profile. In future articles, we will explore company data found in industry overviews written by industry analysts and published market research reports. A handy summary of many of the referenced sites can be found listed at Biotactics Planning Page.

It is important to note that most "free" information found on the internet is provided by companies themselves.  While this can be valuable, critical data should be confirmed via sources from a third party (often fee based services). For this reason references are provided  for secondary sources. Most of the Internet links discussed can also be found sumarized in the planning section of the Biotactics site.

A company profile can be - and should be - derived from multiple sources:

• company directories, company websites, annual reports
• revealing news items: press releases, newspapers, and trade publications
• intellectual property sources : patents, trademarks and copyrights (applications, granted, registered)
• primary sources: discussions with experts, industry gurus, company executives, customers, colleagues

I. ompetitor Identification.

Identifying and monitoring competitors is relatively easy due to the abundance of online and print company directories. There are biotechnology-related and general compilations. In each directory you may find different ways of organizing the company lists: by name, size, geographic location, product or services. A list of links to searchable databases for Company information and potential competitors can be found on the BioTactics Database Reference page.

1. Company Directories : Biotechnology specific 

• Biolinks

• SciWeb: Life Science Company Directory