1
Define your company and mission
Enter the legal entity name, founding date, incorporation state, and a one-sentence mission that names the customer, the problem, and the software outcome. This anchors every subsequent section.
π‘ Write the mission before anything else β teams that skip this step produce plans where the product description, ICP, and market analysis all describe slightly different customers.
2
Build market sizing from the bottom up
Start with a credible count of reachable companies or users in your ICP, multiply by your target ACV, and compare the result against two independent top-down industry reports. They should land within 30% of each other.
π‘ Use sources your investors will recognize β Gartner, IDC, or a well-cited trade association. Citing a generic Google search result undermines the whole section.
3
Map at least four competitors with specific pricing and weaknesses
Include direct software competitors, workflow substitutes (e.g., spreadsheets or incumbent tools), and any well-funded entrants. For each, note their pricing tier, primary customer segment, and one specific gap your product addresses.
π‘ A 2Γ2 positioning matrix with axes relevant to your market (e.g., ease of setup vs. enterprise depth) makes the competitive section scannable in 30 seconds.
4
Describe the product with outcomes, not features
Lead each product section paragraph with the customer result β time saved, error rate reduced, revenue generated β before describing the technical mechanism. Include the current development stage and a 12-month roadmap with specific quarter targets.
π‘ If a reader who has never seen your product can describe the core use case after reading this section, the writing is clear enough.
5
Define your ICP and two to three primary acquisition channels
Write a one-paragraph ICP profile (role, company size, vertical, trigger event). Then pick two or three channels, estimate CAC and payback period for each, and tie those numbers directly to the MRR growth assumptions in your financial model.
π‘ CAC payback beyond 18 months for an SMB SaaS product is a red flag. Acknowledge it explicitly and show the path to improvement β investors notice evasion immediately.
6
Build the financial model from unit economics up
Model new logo additions per month, average ACV, monthly churn rate, and expansion revenue separately. Sum them into net new MRR, then project P&L, cash flow, and balance sheet monthly for Year 1 and annually for Years 2β3.
π‘ Include a sensitivity table showing 70%-of-plan revenue with the same cost structure. This one addition signals financial maturity and pre-empts the first stress-test question in every investor meeting.
7
State the funding ask with specific milestones and a use-of-funds breakdown
Enter the total raise amount, instrument type, and at least three specific milestones the capital funds (e.g., 'reach 500 paying customers,' 'complete SOC 2 Type II,' 'hire VP Sales'). Break spending into product, sales/marketing, and G&A buckets with dollar amounts.
π‘ Tie each spending bucket to a measurable output β '$400K in product engineering to ship [FEATURE] and reduce churn from 3% to 1.5% monthly' beats 'product development.'
8
Write the executive summary last
Pull the single strongest data point from each section β market size, traction metric, team credential, key financial milestone β and compress them into one to two pages. The summary is a trailer for the full plan.
π‘ If the summary runs longer than two pages, cut it. Most investors read the summary and the financial model first; the body sections are diligence, not the hook.
