So you want to spot up-and-coming startups in your space before everyone else does. Maybe you’re scouting for investments. Maybe you just want to keep tabs on who’s breaking new ground. Either way, if you’ve heard about CB Insights, you know it claims to be the go-to tool for tracking innovation and mapping out the startup landscape. But does it live up to the hype? And how do you actually use it for something real, like surfacing emerging startups in a niche industry?
That’s what this guide is for. I’ll walk you through the practical steps, point out shortcuts, and call out what’s actually worth your time (and what’s not). No fluff, just a straight-up guide for people who want answers, not a sales pitch.
Step 1: Know What CB Insights Actually Does—and Doesn’t
Before you even log in, it’s worth being clear about what CB Insights is: a big, expensive database that tracks private companies, funding rounds, investors, and trends. It scrapes public filings, news, and some proprietary sources to build profiles of startups and the people backing them.
What it’s good at: - Mapping out the “who’s who” of private companies. - Showing funding history and investor connections. - Surfacing trends and clusters (with a lot of caveats—see below).
What it’s not: - A crystal ball. It won’t predict the next unicorn for you. - Perfectly up to date. Data lags, especially for stealthy or early-stage startups. - Cheap. If you’re not at a company with a subscription, this isn’t a casual buy.
Pro tip: If budget’s a concern, many local libraries, accelerators, or universities have institutional access. Worth checking before you shell out.
Step 2: Set a Clear Scope (Don’t Just “Browse”)
CB Insights is a firehose. If you just poke around, you’ll get nowhere fast. Be specific:
- Industry: Nail down your focus (e.g., “agritech” not just “agriculture”).
- Stage: Are you hunting for seed-stage companies? Series A? Pre-revenue?
- Geography: Worldwide, or just your region?
- Timeline: “Emerging” can mean different things—do you care about companies founded in the last year? Funded in the last 6 months?
Write this down before you even start. You’ll thank yourself later.
Step 3: Build Your Search With Filters
This is where CB Insights starts to earn its keep. Here’s how to actually set up a useful search:
1. Start With the Company Search Tool
- Head to the main dashboard.
- Go to the “Companies” tab.
- Click on “Advanced Search” (don’t settle for the basic search box).
2. Use Filters Aggressively
CB Insights has a ridiculous number of filters. The ones that matter most: - Industry/Category: Use their taxonomy, but don’t rely on it 100%. Startups sometimes get misclassified. - Stage: Early-stage (seed, Series A), or whatever fits your use case. - Founded Date: Limit to recent years if you want true “emerging” startups. - Funding: You can filter by last funding date, amount, or type. This is crucial for finding companies that are actively growing. - Location: Drill down to countries, states, or even cities.
What to skip: A lot of the “buzzword” filters (like “hotness score” or “mosaic score”) are black boxes. They can surface interesting companies, but don’t trust them blindly or use them as your only filter.
3. Play With the Results
- Sort by most recent funding, or by company age.
- Open up company profiles in new tabs—you’ll save time flipping back and forth.
- Use the “Export” feature if you want to slice and dice in Excel. (Some plans limit this.)
Step 4: Sift for Signal, Not Hype
Now you’ve got a list, but a lot of it will be noise. Here’s how to separate the wheat from the chaff:
- Ignore PR Hype: CB Insights pulls from news and press releases. Just because a company got covered doesn’t mean it’s legit or “emerging.”
- Double-Check Funding: Some rounds get double-counted or misreported. Cross-reference with Crunchbase, PitchBook, or even LinkedIn.
- Look at Team and Traction: Is the founding team credible? Are there real customers or just pilots and partnerships?
- Watch for “Zombie” Startups: Some companies haven’t done anything in years but still show up as “active.” Check their websites, social media, and news for signs of life.
Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to Google outside CB Insights. Sometimes you’ll uncover stealth startups or newer players that haven’t hit their radar yet.
Step 5: Use Collections and Lists
CB Insights lets you save companies to custom lists. It’s simple, but it makes keeping track of your finds way easier, especially if you’re collaborating with a team.
- Make a separate list for each deep dive (e.g., “2024 Seed-Stage AI Startups in Healthcare”).
- Add notes to company profiles—this is helpful for reminders or flagging companies to watch.
- Share your lists internally if your plan allows. (But honestly, a shared Google Sheet works just as well for most people.)
Step 6: Dig Into Trends (But Don’t Get Sucked In)
CB Insights loves its trend graphs, “market maps,” and heatmaps. They’re flashy, but take them with a grain of salt.
- Useful: Seeing which sub-sectors are growing, which investors are active, and how funding cycles look.
- Not as useful: Anything that claims to “predict disruption” or spits out a “disruption score.” This is mostly marketing.
Best use: Spotting which niches have a flurry of new companies or fresh funding. Worst use: Trying to find the “next big thing” based on an algorithmic guess.
Step 7: Supplement With Old-Fashioned Research
No tool catches everything. Some of the best startups are still in stealth or haven’t raised outside funding yet.
- Talk to people: Founders, investors, and industry insiders often know about emerging companies before databases do.
- Check accelerators and demo days: YC, Techstars, and industry-specific programs surface new names every cycle.
- Follow sector-specific newsletters and Twitter (X): Sometimes, the best scoops come from niche bloggers or operators.
CB Insights is a starting point, not the end-all.
Step 8: Keep It Updated (Don’t Let Lists Go Stale)
The startup world moves fast. If you’re using CB Insights to track emerging players, set a reminder to refresh your searches and lists every couple of months. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a pile of outdated info and “emerging” startups that haven’t tweeted since 2021.
- Set calendar reminders to revisit your saved searches.
- Prune dead or acquired companies from your lists.
- Add new filters as the industry evolves (e.g., new sub-sectors).
What Actually Works (And What to Ignore)
Worth your time: - Advanced search filters (industry, funding, stage, geography). - Exporting lists for your own analysis. - Company profiles for quick funding/team checks.
Skip or take lightly: - “Hotness” or “disruption” scores—interesting, but not gospel. - Trend graphs as your main decision tool. - Anything that feels like it was built for a pitch deck more than real research.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
CB Insights is powerful, but only if you’re clear about what you’re looking for and willing to double-check its results. Don’t get lost in dashboards or algorithmic scores. Start with a specific question, use the filters, make your own lists, and supplement with real-world digging. You’ll get better at spotting patterns every time you repeat the process.
And remember: No tool replaces curiosity. Use CB Insights as a flashlight, not a crystal ball. Stay skeptical, stay focused, and keep iterating. That’s how you actually find the good stuff.