Business Plan

Each prospective Masdar City entity is required to submit a comprehensive business plan. Amongst other elements, this plan should highlight how the entity will address the issues of Sustainability, Environmental Protection and Corporate Social Responsibility.

The business plan template on this page is a guideline, showing the level of detail expected in the business plan. Not all parts of the template below are required; however, all sections and subsections marked with an (*) must be submit- ted. While non-asterisked sections are not compulsory, it is highly recommended that they be completed and submitted, as it is to the advantage of the applicant to submit as much detail as possible in order to assist the evaluation of the business plan.

Section 10 should be presented in the format as per the financial plan template, including sub- mission of all relevant data.

The title page should include:

• Proposed company name (in the case of the establishment of a company limited by shares) or existing company name (in the case of the establishment of a branch office)
• Date
• Business plan copy number
• The name, title and contact details of an individual who can be contacted concerning this application
• Company home page (if available
• Any relevant attachments (e.g. financial plan)

Business Plan Template Table of Contents

1.            Executive Summary

2.            The Business

3.            Environmental Health and Safety Management System

4.            Competition and Risk

5.            The Market 6. Sustainability

7.           Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

8.            Management Team

9.            Capital Requirements 10. Financial Plan

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary should include the main points of the entire document and should not be longer than two pages.

2. The Business

2.1 Regulations and Permits

• What kind of permits or regulations do you need to operate in your target market?
• How will you obtain these permits?

2.2 Strategic alliances

Does the company have a strategic alliance? If so, please state the details of the partner(s) and the nature of the alliance. Please also include the risks and opportunities of this alliance.

3. Environmental Health and Safety Management System

It is a requirement that each entity has an integrated Environmental Health and Safety Management System in place, therefore please describe what structures and systems are either in place, or will be put in place, to demonstrate effective management and monitoring of the entity’s Environmental Health and Safety Management System.

4. Competition and Risk

4.1 Competition

• Please provide information on your key competitors including information on product and/or services, price and location.
• Who are your direct competitors?

4.2 Business Risks

• What risks does your organisation face?
• What is your strategy to minimise these risks?

5. The Market

5.1 Market Definition

• What markets are you competing in?
• What is your niche market?
• What market facts have you obtained and which market do you wish to target? Please identify where you obtained this information and state how up to date it is.

5.2 Market research

Please state the supporting details relating to your business for any market study that has been conducted for the target market and on which you are relying.

5.3 Market segment

• Please define your market segments.
• Please list, in general, the types of customers you are likely to reach.
• What are the weaknesses of your products and/or services in your market segments?

5.4 Marketing

• How are you planning to penetrate the above market segment(s)?
• What will be your primary marketing channel?
• What percentage of market share do you plan to obtain in your first two years of operation?

5.5 Position

• How will you position your products and/or services (good value for price, top quality and sustainable, etc.)?
• Which is a position not currently being provided by your competitors?

5.6 Advertising, promotion, trade shows

• What is your advertising and promotion strategy?
• What would be the most efficient method (product sampling, demonstrations, pilot projects, etc.)?
• In which trade shows are you likely to participate?

6. Sustainability

6.1 One of the key drivers behind the establishment of Masdar City is to reduce the impact of development and lifestyle on the global environment. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be used to measure the success of Masdar City as the most sustainable city on the planet, consistent with its mission “to provide its occupants the opportunity to live and work in a sustainable way and enjoy a high quality of life in a fossil fuel- and vehicle-free city”.

6.2 Please demonstrate your commitment to the Masdar City Sustainability KPIs and the requirement for regularly reporting performance against them.

6.3 Are you prepared to commit to and adhere with the sustainability principles and codes of conduct of Masdar City?

6.4 There is a requirement for each entity to have a policy that addresses the topics of sustainability, environment and corporate social responsibility. This policy must be endorsed by top management. Please either provide this policy or an assurance that this will be developed and endorsed.

7. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Please demonstrate your performance and commitment to the requirements of CSR.

8. Management Team

• Please state the competencies of your management team.
• Please list those individuals who are part of your management team. Indicate their titles and attach a copy of their CVs. There should be at least one member of the management team with assigned responsibility for environment, sustainability issues and corporate social responsibility.

8.1. Ownership*

Please list the persons and/or organisations that are, or are proposed to be, significant owners of the Masdar City entity company, as well as their beneficial owners. Please include the number of shares held by each of these entities or individuals and their corresponding percent- age ownership.

8.2. Professional Support

Please list the names and nature of any professional services currently used, such as lawyers or attorneys, accounting firms, auditors or other consultants.

8.3. Board of Directors or Advisors

Does the company have a board of directors or advisors? If so, please list the names of the individuals on those boards and their current positions.

9. Capital Requirements

9.1 Please indicate what the expected capital required for the new entity will be and state the proposed source of these funds.

9.2 Please give a breakdown of the areas in which it is expected the funds will be spent:

• Complete development [AED]
• Purchase S/W,H/W [AED]
• Marketing the new, or next, product line [AED]
• Fund working capital [AED]
• Other [AED]

9.3 What is the expected payback period of these funds?

10. Financial Plan

10.1. Income statements

Please submit an income statement, otherwise known as a profit and loss statement, for each of the corporate shareholders of the proposed company limited by shares, or the parent com- pany of the proposed branch office. This should include a summary of the company’s profit or loss during any one given period of time, such as a month, three months, or one year. The income statement records all revenues of the business during this given period, as well as the operating expenses of the business.

10.2. Balance sheet summary

Please comment on any large or unusual items, such as other current assets, other accounts pay- able, or accrued liabilities.

10.3. Cash flow and break-even analysis

Please provide the following data:

a.            Actual cash flow statements. These provide a historic view, showing the actual flows of cash into and out of a business that have occurred over a previous trading period, e.g. six months, or one year.

b.            Forecast cash flow statement*. The forecasted cash flow should show the expected flows of cash into and out of the new Masdar City entity over a trading period in the immediate future, e.g. the next three years.

The Business Plan described here is only a general guideline. Businesses are free to submit their own template, describing their commitment to sustainability, environmental protection and corporate social responsibility.