Business Plan - Template - v2
Business Plan - Template - v2
Business Plan - Template - v2
● April 2024
Index
1. Executive Summary
2. Impact Assessment
3. Sustainable Development Goals
4. Description of the businesses sector
4.1. Macro Analysis
4.2. About [company]
4.3. Specifics of sector / market
5. Company Overview
5.1 Meet the Team
6. Sustainability section
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7. Key Partnerships
8. Use of Funds
8.1. What are our Goals & Objectives?
8.2. The Initial Portfolio
8.3. Roles and Responsibilities
8.4. Agreements Between the Parties
8.5. Exit Strategies
9. SWOT Analysis
1. Executive Summary
The team has a combined xx+ years’ experience in the xxxx sector…………………..
Current governance and financial systems aren't equipped to combat the climate crisis.
If we fail to reorganize our societal structures, our capacity to adjust will continually lag
behind the accelerating pace of global warming and habitat deterioration. Our
conventional political and economic methods have already instigated notable
environmental shifts and set further changes in motion. Existing economic structures
falter due to their inability to acknowledge and appreciate the substantial benefits that
biodiversity offers through ecosystem services. Often, these advantages are overlooked
in market valuations and lawmaking, causing biodiversity's significance to be
underestimated. This effectively promotes the overuse of our finite natural resources
and results in insufficient investment in their preservation.
James Boyd and Spencer Banzhaf, What Are Ecosystem Services? The Need for Standardized Environmental
Accounting Units. Resources for the Future Discussion Paper
"Living Beyond Our Means; Statement from the board of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment"
"Paying Farmers for Environmental Services. United Nations Food and Agriculture Office Report"
Tacconi, Luca (2012-01-15). "Redefining payments for environmental services". Ecological Economics. 73: 29–
36. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.09.028.
Gómez-Baggethun, Erik; de Groot, Rudolf; Lomas, Pedro L.; Montes, Carlos (2010-04-01). "The history of
ecosystem services in economic theory and practice: From early notions to markets and payment schemes".
Ecological Economics. Special Section - Payments for Environmental Services: Reconciling Theory and
Practice. 69 (6): 1209–1218. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.11.007.
Wunder, Sven (2005). "Payments for environmental services: Some nuts and bolts" (PDF) (Occasional Paper
No.42). Center for International Forestry Research. ISSN 0854-9818. Archived (PDF)from the original on 2023-
08-24.
Coase, R. H. (1960). "The Problem of Social Cost". The Journal of Law and Economics. 3: 1–44.
And
SDG 13: Climate Action, biodiversity conservation is crucial for mitigating climate change.
PlanetaryX's projects sequester carbon, protect carbon sinks, and contribute to climate resilience.
Our effectiveness in reaching this SDG will primarily be measured through the following SDG
indicator:
● 13.1.1 Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to
disasters per 100,000 population.
In addition to protecting and restoring biomes through our core work, we support the sustainable
development of communities in our focal areas through the Earthvault, a dedicated fund within
PlanetaryX that is designed to support the attainment of the SDGs linked to our biome
conservation. The Earthvault’s activities and funding are part of our core commitment to address
the urgent and interlinked challenges of climate change, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline
linked to sustainable development.
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Through PlanetaryX, the EarthVault Fund supports the following SDGs:
SDG 1: No Poverty
PlanetaryX’s conservation projects create job opportunities for local communities, especially in
rural areas, promoting ecotourism and sustainable agriculture, which helps lift people out of
poverty.
Measured through:
● 1.4.1 Proportion of the population living in households with access to basic services.
● 3.9.2 Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation, and lack of hygiene
(exposure to unsafe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (WASH) services)
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The organization promotes sustainable ecotourism and green jobs that respect labour rights and
contribute to the local economy without harming the environment.
Measured through:
● 8.9.2 Proportion of jobs in sustainable tourism industries out of total tourism jobs.
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● 10.1.1 Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40
per cent of the population and the total population.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Recognizing the interconnectedness of all SDGs, PlanetaryX fosters partnerships with
governments, NGOs, the private sector, and local communities to achieve wide-ranging and
lasting conservation outcomes.
Measured through:
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Beyond the conservation of specific species or habitats, PlanetaryX's work contributes to the
enhancement of ecosystem services such as pollination, water filtration, and carbon
sequestration. These services are crucial for human well-being and economic activities but are
often underrepresented in policy and planning discussions.
Educational and Research Opportunities
Conservation areas serve as living laboratories for scientific research and educational activities.
By providing opportunities for research and learning, PlanetaryX can contribute to the global
understanding of biodiversity, ecosystem function, resilience building, and conservation
strategies.
Economic Diversification
By promoting sustainable ecotourism and other conservation-related economic activities,
PlanetaryX can help local communities diversify their economies. This diversification can reduce
dependency on extractive industries and create resilience against economic fluctuations.
Mental and Physical Health Benefits
Access to natural areas and participation in conservation activities can have direct benefits on
mental and physical health, including stress reduction, improved mood, and increased physical
activity. These benefits, while recognized in public health literature and attract payments in the
UK from the National Health Service, are not directly addressed by the SDGs.
Strengthening of Governance and Legal Frameworks
Engagement in conservation can lead to the strengthening of governance and legal frameworks
related to environmental protection. This includes the creation of protected areas, the
enforcement of environmental laws, and the development of policies that support sustainable
land and resource use.
Reduction in Human-Wildlife Conflicts
Effective conservation management can lead to a reduction in human-wildlife conflicts, which is
a significant issue in many parts of the world where humans and wildlife share habitats. By
implementing strategies that incentivize the protection of wildlife while safeguarding human
livelihoods, PlanetaryX can contribute to improved human and wildlife coexistence.
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“The landmark KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted by 196
governments in December 2022, encourages unlocking finance through “innovative schemes
such as…biodiversity offsets and credits”. Various pilot projects and multi-stakeholder initiatives
are now pioneering the development of this market, with lessons from carbon and water credit
markets, as well as broader markets for local ecosystem services.”- Biodiversity Credits: Demand
Analysis and Market Outlook by World Economic Forum in collaboration with McKinsey & Company; Insight report
December 2023
Growing interest in biodiversity credits led to their inclusion in the GBF, which in turn has
stimulated wider interest. The GBF obliges its 196 state signatories to mobilize at least $200
billion in financing per year by 2030 and encourages countries to leverage “innovative schemes
such as…biodiversity offsets and credits”. - same document as above
There is growing and unmet demand for biodiversity instruments from governments, NGO’s,
funds and corporations. Some of the external demand drivers for corporations, institutions and
funds would include not limited to:
● Regulatory: With the adoption of the GBF by the majority of the world’s countries, it has
become evident that these countries will start to adopt regulations to ensure biodiversity.
As lack of preparedness can result in costly responses to policy changes, companies
often look to stay ahead of upcoming regulation.
● Market Differentiation: Demonstrating good stewardship of biodiversity and nature
helps attract a growing subset of consumers who selectively buy green-certified or
labelled products and are willing to pay a premium for positive nature outcomes.
● Reputational: Demonstrating good environmental performance has become a more
urgent priority as civil society and financial institutions increasingly expect businesses to
transparently disclose impacts, address nature loss and contribute to achieving global
biodiversity targets.
● Financial: Financial institutions are increasingly under pressure to offer nature-friendly
portfolios. Therefore, improving overall biodiversity performance and securing an
enhanced environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating can increase a company’s
attractiveness to investors and lenders by reducing reputational and regulatory risk
(thereby lowering the cost of finance).
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A unique quality about Planetary X’s asset is that it can straddle both the Voluntary Carbon
Market and the Biodiversity Market. This is critical to the business plan as we are able to earn
significant revenue on the Voluntary Carbon Market while the Biodiversity Credit Market grows.
It also means that our future is not dependent on the Voluntary Carbon Market.
The combination of the Voluntary Carbon Market and the Biodiversity Credit Market are
forecasted to total addressable market value (TAM) of $52B by 2030. Our forecasted revenue
for 2030 is around $XB which means we will have an estimated market share of Y%.
Planetary X was built because the founders believe that you can not have a healthy human race
or a healthy society without a healthy planet. The founders also believe that Mother Nature is
the best technology to help solve the climate crisis. We can do more for the cause by protecting
the natural biomes the planet has left. The world is experiencing a catastrophic fall in
biodiversity. Not only is this an environmental disaster, it can also lead to financial ruin; $44
trillion of economic value is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its related services.
WWF’s Living Planet Report 20225 showed sustained declines in primary forests, coral reefs,
wildlife populations, soil quality and wetlands over the last 50 years. The Living Planet Index – a
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measure of relative species abundance – showed a 69% decline over this period. There is clear
urgency to invest in biodiversity conservation, restoration and sustainable management, with
estimates of the financing gap to meet global goals ranging from $330 billion to $824 billion per
year, far more than existing flows.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023 identifies natural disaster, biodiversity
loss and ecosystem collapse, and natural resource crises as the third, fourth and sixth most
pressing global risks over the next decade.92 More than half the world’s gross domestic product
(GDP) is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services.
The problem of addressing the need to establish a market force to incentivize landowners to
protect their land instead of exploit it as a means to make a living is needed because the
alternative methods of government handouts and philanthropy have not been effective to date.
This has been recognized globally and led to the calling for creating a Biodiversity Credit Market
as mentioned previously.
The world governing bodies also see the need to protect established biomes and taking
significant action to mobilise society and industry to take action. Some actions from world
leading organisations are listed below:
● United Nations - Global Biodversity Framework (GBF) initiative mentioned above and the
Road to Resilience (Insert Website)
● World Economic Forum (WEF) - protecting biodiversity was a centrepiece at this year’s
Davos and the creation of the Buyer’s Circle for biodiversity credits
● EU - just voted into law a regulation mandating EU companies and non-EU companies
that trade with the EU to be compelled to minimise and remediate adverse environmental
impacts at each point in their supply chain--both upstream and downstream activities.
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5. Company Overview (How & Who)
Please see Section 5.1 “Meet the Team” for details of their past experience in utilzing
technology to help impact projects.
- Talk beginnings in health
- Change Brazilian Farmers mindset
- Belief in incentives to change behaviour
- Background in crypto for transparency and immutibility
How
1. How does the project present a solution
- Planetary X’s contributions to developing a robust biodiversity credit market as a
supplier:
- MRV (Measurement, Reporting and Verification) is key to the needed success of
biodiversity credits and remains a massive issue to the integrity of the Voluntary
Carbon Market. This is one of the differentiating factors between Planetary X and
other companies. Our technical DNA and experience allows us to build the tools
to create the accuracy and transparency needed for the market to gain
confidence in the concept of biodiversity. Our technology and protocols will
improve the quality and efficiency of MRV currently available.
- Improve efficiency and reduce project development costs to realize demand
potential. Our platform will be available for other projects and companies to utilize
without needing the investment or expertise required to build the tools that are
required to meet the high bar that will be put in place around MRV by the
demand side of the industry.
Who
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6. Financials
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7. Key Relationships (Key Partners & Agreements)
Key Partners
The project has identified several key partners crucial for its success. These include:
Engagement Strategy
To ensure the success of the project, it is critical to engage with all identified key partners
effectively. This engagement will involve regular communication, alignment of goals and
expectations, and the establishment of clear roles and responsibilities. Additionally, the project
should remain open to engaging with new partners who can contribute to its objectives, such as
environmental NGOs, government agencies, and research institutions that can provide
additional expertise and support.
Key Agreements
The plan outlines several key agreements essential for operational success:
● Adherence Terms with Landlords: Agreements specifying the terms under which
landlords participate in the biome conservation credits program.
● Land Diligence and Floristic Inventory Contracts: Essential for assessing the viability
and value of the land for conservation efforts.
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● Environmental Reports: The environmental reports developed by a technical team
responsible for the inventories are the base for an accurate estimation of biodiversity
and pricing of the assets.
● CPRV Registration: Formalising the conservation efforts through legal documentation
with local registrar partners.
● Service Provision Contracts: With technology service providers and Greenbook,
outlining the scope of services, standards to be met, and certification processes.
● Audit Agreement with BVQI: Ensuring the platform and its data handling meet the
required quality and integrity standards.
These agreements are not just necessary; they are foundational to the project's integrity and
success. They ensure all parties are aligned with the project's goals, responsibilities are clearly
defined, and standards are maintained throughout the process. Without these agreements, the
project risks misalignments, disputes, and potential failure to meet its conservation objectives.
The necessity and structure of these agreements are evidenced by the project's core business
model: the issuance of biome conservation credits. This process is complex and involves
multiple stakeholders, including landowners, regulatory bodies, and service providers. The
detailed planning around adherence terms, land diligence, floristic inventory, and auditing
illustrates a comprehensive approach to securing the success and sustainability of the
conservation efforts. Incorporating these agreements into the plan demonstrates a commitment
to transparency, accountability, and professionalism, which are crucial for attracting investment,
partners, and participation from landowners.
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8. Use of Funds
- Invest in advanced technologies and tools required for accurately monitoring, measuring,
and verifying biodiversity credits.
8.3. If any
8.4. If relevant
Use of Funds
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10. SWOT Analysis (Strategic Analysis)
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
.
OPPORTUNITIES
.
THREATS
1. Competition
2. SWOT
3. Porters 5 forces
4. PESTLE
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11. Use of Funds
EXAMPLE
Use of funds would be as expected for any group of development projects being land acquisition, construction costs and
associated fees. The forecast use of funds schedule is anticipated as:
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12. Any other relevant information (Other)
PoC Documentation
- Science Hub: Science
- Include:
- Pre field work analysis and samples definitions
- Remote sensing analysis
- Final reports & results from “boots on the ground” team
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