Composite Table of Contents of Business Plan
Joseph W. Bartlett, Special Counsel, McCarter & English LLP, Co-Founder of VCExperts
McCarter & English LLP
2002-08-02
1. Introduction (or Executive Summary)
Short description of:
- Business objectives
- Principal products or services
- Technology and development program
- Market and customers
- Management team
- Financing requirements
2. Company description
- History and status
- Background and industry
- Company's objectives
- Company's strategies
- What makes the company different from others
3. Products
- Product description and comparisons
- Innovative features (patent coverage)
- Applications
- Technology
- Product development and R&D effort
- Product introduction schedule and major milestones
- Future products (product evolution)
4. Market
- Market summary and industry overview
- Market analysis and forecasts
- Industry trends
- Initial product(s)
5. Competition
6. Marketing program
- Objectives
- Marketing strategy
- Sales and distribution channels
- Customers
- Staffing
7. Manufacturing
8. Service and field engineering
9. Facilities
10. Management and ownership
- Founders and key employees
- Stock ownership
- Organization and personnel
- Future key employees and staffing
- Incentives (stock option and stock purchase plans)
11. Capital required and use of proceeds
12. Financial data and financial forecasts
- Assumptions used
- 3-year plan
- 5-year plan
13. Appendices
- Detailed management profiles
- References
- Product descriptions, sketches, photos
- Recent literature on product, market, etc.
One of the sections not specifically set out above which may be appropriate in the context of a given plan, is a "milestone" section, the forecasted major events in the life cycle of the enterprise and a timetable for their achievement.