What is a Executive Summary - basic elements

Another document that entrepreneurs should arm themselves with is the executive summary. This is a one- to three-page summary of the key elements of your business that uses a paragraph to summarize each section of a traditional business plan. It should be an easy-to-consume document that is focused on being reasonable rather than right. The purpose, beyond describing the overview of the business, is to show readers that the founders are knowledgeable, informed, and rational in their choices.

Executive Summary

Teams should write this Section last.

The executive summary can be up to 350 words. The executive summary should act as a strong opening

statement to your business plan and should be able to stand alone as a document independent of the

rest of the plan.  You should attempt to intrigue your audience to learn more about your business with

this section.

Explain the basic elements of the proposed business. Below are some things you may want to include

(but are not limited to):  

A. Company Overview:

a. What does the company do?

b. Who are your target customers?

B. Product(s)

a. What does your product do?

b. How is it differentiated?

c. Include information on ownership of the technology

C. Competitive Analysis: What is the current competitive landscape?

D. Business Strategy / Model:

a. How are you going to make money?

b. What are the benefits for payers? Venture capitalists? Etc.

c. Who is going to give you money so that you can achieve your strategy?

E. R&D Path and Major Milestones

a. R&D, Regulatory, Commercialization

b. Exit plan

F. Operations:

a. Marketing, and Sales

b. Manufacturing

c. Other

G. Management

H. Financial Summary

a. Include your projected positive cash flow vs. your burn rate

b. Include the financial value proposition to prospective investors and payers