Startup Name Business Plan v.1

Problem/solution Tell a story, be creative, help investors understand the pain and why the solution is needed If investors can see themselves as a customer, they are more likely to understand how you will make money

Strength of the team In an early-stage company, the team is the arguably the most critical factor of a venture’s success You must have a good plan, but must also demonstrate that you are the right team to lead the company through adversity Important to communicate experience and passion Ok to combine board members, advisors, future hires, partnerships

Market opportunity Market size: available, addressable, target Art & Science – based on research Detailed customer profile

Competition This is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and build credibility Outline competitors (don’t say there aren’t any). If you truly are the first to market, then outline alternatives Most important - your competitive strategy

Business model Key revenue streams, revenue drivers B2B, B2C, pricing strategy Product overview

Plan of attack Market approach and strategy Key expenses, time efforts

Current status / traction Any investment to-date? Product development: prototype? Sales, customer LOIs? IP or licensing agreements? Partnerships?

Financial projections No large excel sheets! Translate market assumptions to revenue Revenue, Expense, EBITDA, cash flow, monthly cash burn rate Aggressive but sensible. Show expected scenario with sensitivity of key assumptions. Avoid trap of showing conservative scenario. Exit strategy, show you’ve thought about. Are you likely to be acquired by a customer or competitor?

The ask How much capital are you seeking? How will you use the proceeds? Match funding plan with key milestones Capitalization and expected future dilution

Questions Contact details

General comments Use pictures to tell the story, far more memorable than words Tell stories: Introduce a villain and a hero, problems and solutions, help investors understand the pain Express your passion: Not the technical “what does it do”, but “why is it important” Share the stage: Investors want to see a team, impossible for the CEO to know everything Use demo, prototype, or alpha whenever possible Practice, practice, practice. Do the math about pacing, 15 mins for 15 slides = 1 min/slide A pitch is not the time to close a deal, but an opportunity to get investors excited enough to learn more; savvy investors will make up their minds within the first few seconds. Focus on the first slide and first few words.