Case Study: 3M achieves smarter startup investing and innovation partnerships with CB Insights

How 3M Navigates the Startup Landscape with CB Insights

3M, the global science and manufacturing company behind products like Post-it Notes and Filtrete, needed a better way to find startups and innovation partners aligned with its strategic priorities in areas such as advanced materials, healthcare, and digital solutions. To do that, 3M used CB Insights, a platform for private company data, market analysis, and startup intelligence to validate opportunities and navigate a crowded startup landscape.

With CB Insights, 3M built market maps, used industry and geography visualizations, and relied on research reports to assess market fit, identify trends, and support internal investment decisions. This helped 3M back companies like Moxe Health, Metalenz, and Eko Health, including the launch of the Littmann Core Digital Stethoscope, while giving leaders clearer evidence to present to the board and reducing guesswork in innovation investing.

3M

Ben Wright

Vice President, 3M Ventures