CASE.EDU:    HOME | DIRECTORIES | SEARCH
case western reserve university

THE $100K INNOVATION CHALLENGE @CASE

 

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GUIDELINES

Want a Word file, click here to open

 

Deadline February 13th, 2006

The following success factors are useful when writing an executive summary.

 

Success Factors

  1. Substantial Market – revenue and growth potential should be substantial
  2. High Growth Rate – a rapidly growing market and sales (>25%)
  3. Strong Management Team – the entrepreneurs should portray both passion and knowledge for their product or service.
  4. Competitive Advantage – the company’s product should possess a distinct advantage over your competitors.
  5. Development Strategy – the plan should show an understanding of common pitfalls for new ventures in your industry and creative solutions for overcoming these pitfalls.
  6. Proof of concept – if the new venture involves a new technology indicate the level of scientific development
  7. Technology - The $100K advisors recognize technology is a key component of any high growth new venture. “Technology” encompasses a broad range of disciplines from science and engineering to IT and novel market strategies.

 

Requirements

  1. Use 10-point or larger font
  2. Length limited to 2 pages, including tables and figures

 

Submission

  1. Email executive summaries to The100K@case.edu
  2. You will receive a confirmation email verifying submission.

 

Team Eligibility

  1. The competition is open to all entrepreneurs who have raised less than $100,000 in seed capital.
  2. Regional, National, and International participation is encouraged.
  3. Finalists are responsible for their own transportation to Cleveland, OH to present in the finals.

 

Questions? 
Contact us at The100K@case.edu

 

Suggested Content for the Executive Summary

Company Name

  1. Address
  2. Contact Person and Title
  3. Phone
  4. E-mail
  5. Web Site URL, if applicable

 

Introduction and Current Status

  1. A brief description of your product or service and target market
  2. When, where, and how the company or the business team was established
  3. Current status including funding to date, if any

Definition of the Problem

  1. What is the problem being solved?
  2. How important is it to users/potential customers over the next two to three years?
  3. What is the road map to build the business?
  4. Who are the customers and what are their demographics?
  5. What are the customers’ true needs?

Market Opportunity

  1. What is the size of the market from today to five years out?
  2. What is the timing of market development?
  3. What are the key drivers of the market?
  4. What are the dependencies or linkages of this market developing to other markets, businesses or the government?
  5. What are the supply and distribution channels and who controls them?
  6. Has the market been validated by a real customer or partner?
  7. What is the marketing and sales strategy?

Competitive Analysis

  1. Who are the major competitors?
  2. What is your advantage over these competitors and the competitive products/services?
  3. Is there a window of high margin operations?
  4. For this market segment what are the business models of key players who have been successful?

Management Team

  1. Who are the key management personnel?
  2. What is their track record?
  3. How well connected are the entrepreneurs to their industry, financial community, and service providers?
  4. How will you round out the management team if all the key members are not yet identified?

Technology

  1. How unique is the technology?
  2. Are there any patentable processes?
  3. What is the current status of product/service development?
  4. When is the proposed “finish” date of development?
  5. How will the products be test marketed prior to full-scale production?

Financial Analysis

  1. Summarize projections for revenue, cost and return on investment projections
  2. Describe funding required to achieve the next milestones or the next level of risk reduction

 

Length li