Executive Summary Round

To register for the competition participants must submit an executive summary. Executive Summaries are used by GSVC for preliminary rounds of judging.

The following documents should be submitted in an electronic version:

  • Executive Summary must not exceed 5 pages (typed and double-spaced, #12 font, and 1-1-1-1 inch margins) of text, charts, and diagrams.
  • One team resume booklet, wherein each individual's resume should not exceed 2 pages in length.

Please address the following aspects of your business in your Executive Summary:

I. Business Overview
a. Company description and business model
b. Value proposition- financial
c. Value proposition- social or environmental
d. Vision
e. Current status

II. The Market Opportunity (the problem or need)
a. Why is this such a great idea? Describe the need / define the problem.
b. Competitive analysis (analysis of the current competition and assessment of why the need or problem is not being addressed by them)

III. Market Solution
a. Product(s) or service(s)
b. Identification of Customer(s)
c. How you will address the need, solve the problem
d. Unfair competitive advantages, ability to create barriers to entry

IV. The Market
a. Industry analysis and forecast (Comparative Analysis - for example see EDGAR on the web www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Find a company in a similar space or with similar model and compare their growth rate, etc. to yours.)

V. Management Team
a. Founders and key management
b. Industry experience, Education
c. Board of advisors (Critical to the assessment of the overall viability -
d. Can augment team experience if needed)
e. Optional: Board of directors (3 required by law, usually not until first round of institutional funding in place)

VI. Financial and Social Impact Summary
a. Narrative overview of financial summary
b. Outline overall financial model with basic projections
c. Discuss assumptions and capital requirements