There are a few tips I can give based on what you have said, although this is more general information then anything else. Also what's your map size, Number of opponents and tech/game speed settings, this can change things.

-Focus on nothing but factories on your homeworld at the start. Even if your wanting to be a tech powerhouse stay with factories until later. One thing that I find most people make mistakes on with new planets is that they try an focus to much on what they think they will need later and not what they need now. I tend to always build factory's early on no matter the planet and also a hospital to kick start them. Then I go back an focus it once I have near full pop and decent base production.

-Likewise with new colony's, no matter what you want to do with it later build factories at the start until it gets more pop or has stabilized.

-I tend to buy the first 3-4 factories for the first few turns, setting research to 100%. This normally gives you one or two techs early on. At which point you can set it to about 50/50 Production/research

-Dont be fearful of sending out a colony with even as low as .5 pop early on if low on pop. that way you can keep the home world production high and just transport more pop over to them later if need be.

-The early tech that gives a flat +1 move and even the specialization that gives +1move can really help a lot early game. Especially the hospital or similar with the Growth rate really can add up.

-Very early game it can be worth skipping near by planets unless they are amazing (depending on map size) and sending them out to further out planets near the edge of there range limit. This does two main things, prevents the AI from getting those planets, meaning it wont get the extended ship range you would gain from the planet. Second most of the closer planets will then be safe for awhile as the Ai wont be able to build any ships to get to them any time soon. meaning you will have extra time to grab them.

-Trading with minors early as possible is always good, no matter the tech (except not specialization unless it what you want) because even if you dont need the tech now it will raise your tech power rating reducing the chance of AIs wanting to declare war.

-Sending a Trade ship to the surrounding races cap cities can help delay an attack if that is what they are planning.

There might be but i dont know of any. Although if your happy to wait until the 1.4 patch apparently the 'cheaty' bonuses have been significantly reduced or removed. I also believe its possible to edit the game xml files to change what bonuses they get but i dont know how to do it myself.