Who this template is for
- Anyone finishing a full business plan
- Founders applying for loans or grants
- Startups sending a summary to investors
How to fill it in
- Open with a sentence that says what the business does and for whom.
- Describe the problem and your solution.
- Give the size of the market and your target share.
- Summarize the competitive advantage.
- Show key financial numbers for three years.
- State how much funding you need and how it will be used.
What is inside
- Executive Summary
- Company name, location and legal structure
- Mission statement (one sentence)
- The problem we solve
- Our solution and products or services
- Target market and opportunity size
- Competitive advantage
- Management team
- Financial highlights
- Funding requested and use of funds
- Milestones and current status
Writing a full business plan?
Browse 39 free sample plans by industry, each with startup costs and projections.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an executive summary be?
One to two pages for most business plans. For an investor email, a few short paragraphs is better.
Should I write the executive summary first?
Write it last. It summarizes the rest of the plan, so it is easier to write once everything else is done.
Is this executive summary template free to use?
Yes. Download it, edit it and use it for your own business at no cost. No account or email address is required.