nous-hermeshub Business Case Generator
Generate a comprehensive, investor-ready business case document covering market opportunity, solution, competitive landscape, financial projections, team, risks, and funding ask for startup fundraising and strategic planning.
Use this skill when
- Working on business case generator tasks or workflows
- Needing guidance, best practices, or checklists for business case generator
Do not use this skill when
- The task is unrelated to business case generator
- You need a different domain or tool outside this scope
Instructions
- Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
- Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
- Provide actionable steps and verification.
- If detailed examples are required, open
resources/implementation-playbook.md.
What This Command Does
Create a complete business case including:
- Executive summary
- Problem and market opportunity
- Solution and product
- Competitive analysis and differentiation
- Financial projections
- Go-to-market strategy
- Team and organization
- Risks and mitigation
- Funding ask and use of proceeds
Instructions for Claude
When this command is invoked, follow these steps:
Step 1: Gather Context
Ask the user for key information:
Company Basics:
- Company name and elevator pitch
- Stage (pre-seed, seed, Series A)
- Problem being solved
- Target customers
Audience:
- Who will read this? (VCs, angels, strategic partners)
- What's the primary goal? (fundraising, partnership, internal planning)
Available Materials:
- Existing pitch deck or docs?
- Market sizing data?
- Financial model?
- Competitive analysis?
Step 2: Activate Relevant Skills
Reference skills for comprehensive analysis:
- market-sizing-analysis - TAM/SAM/SOM calculations
- startup-financial-modeling - Financial projections
- competitive-landscape - Competitive analysis frameworks
- team-composition-analysis - Organization planning
- startup-metrics-framework - Key metrics and benchmarks
Step 3: Structure the Business Case
Create a comprehensive document with these sections:
Business Case Document Structure
Section 1: Executive Summary (1-2 pages)
Company Overview:
- One-sentence description
- Founded, location, stage
- Team highlights
Problem Statement:
- Core problem being solved (2-3 sentences)
- Market pain quantified
Solution:
- How the product solves it (2-3 sentences)
- Key differentiation
Market Opportunity:
- TAM: $X.XB
- SAM: $X.XM
- SOM (Year 5): $X.XM
Traction:
- Current metrics (MRR, customers, growth rate)
- Key milestones achieved
Financial Snapshot:
| Metric | Current | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|
| ARR | $X | $Y | $Z | $W |
| Customers | X | Y | Z | W |
| Team Size | X | Y | Z | W |
Funding Ask:
- Amount seeking
- Use of proceeds (top 3-4)
- Expected milestones
Section 2: Problem & Market Opportunity (2-3 pages)
The Problem:
- Detailed problem description
- Who experiences this problem
- Current solutions and their limitations
- Cost of the problem (quantified)
Market Landscape:
- Industry overview
- Key trends driving opportunity
- Market growth rate and drivers
Market Sizing:
- TAM calculation and methodology
- SAM with filters applied
- SOM with assumptions
- Validation and data sources
- Comparison to public companies
Target Customer Profile:
- Primary segments
- Customer characteristics
- Decision-makers and buying process
Section 3: Solution & Product (2-3 pages)
Product Overview:
- What it does (features and capabilities)
- How it works (architecture/approach)
- Key differentiators
- Technology advantages
Value Proposition:
- Benefits by customer segment
- ROI or value delivered
- Time to value
Product Roadmap:
- Current state
- Near-term (6 months)
- Medium-term (12-18 months)
- Vision (2-3 years)
Intellectual Property:
- Patents (filed, pending)
- Proprietary technology
- Data advantages
- Defensibility
Section 4: Competitive Analysis (2 pages)
Competitive Landscape:
- Direct competitors
- Indirect competitors (alternatives)
- Adjacent players (potential entrants)
Competitive Matrix:
| Feature/Factor | Us | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C |
|----------------|----|---------| -------|--------|
| Feature 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Feature 2 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pricing | $X | $Y | $Z | $W |
Differentiation:
- 3-5 key differentiators
- Why these matter to customers
- Defensibility of advantages
Competitive Positioning:
- Positioning map (2-3 dimensions)
- Market positioning statement
Barriers to Entry:
- What protects against competition
- Network effects, switching costs, etc.
Section 5: Business Model & Go-to-Market (2 pages)
Business Model:
- Revenue model (subscriptions, transactions, etc.)
- Pricing strategy and tiers
- Customer acquisition approach
- Expansion revenue strategy
Go-to-Market Strategy:
- Customer acquisition channels
- Sales model (self-serve, sales-led, hybrid)
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
- Sales cycle and conversion rates
Marketing Strategy:
- Positioning and messaging
- Channel strategy
- Content and demand generation
- Partnerships and integrations
Customer Success:
- Onboarding approach
- Support model
- Retention strategy
- Net dollar retention target
Section 6: Financial Projections (2-3 pages)
Revenue Model:
- Cohort-based projections
- Key assumptions
- Revenue breakdown by segment
3-Year Financial Summary:
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Revenue | $X.XM | $Y.YM | $Z.ZM |
| Gross Margin | XX% | XX% | XX% |
| Operating Expenses | $X.XM | $Y.YM | $Z.ZM |
| Net Income | ($X.XM) | ($Y.YM) | $Z.ZM |
| EBITDA Margin | (XX%) | (XX%) | XX% |
Unit Economics:
- CAC: $X,XXX
- LTV: $X,XXX
- LTV:CAC ratio: X.X
- CAC Payback: XX months
- Gross margin: XX%
Key Metrics Trajectory:
| Metric | Current | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|
| MRR/ARR | $X | $Y | $Z | $W |
| Customers | X | Y | Z | W |
| Net Dollar Retention | XX% | XX% | XX% | XX% |
| Burn Multiple | X.X | X.X | X.X | X.X |
Scenario Analysis:
- Conservative, base, optimistic
- Key drivers and sensitivities
Path to Profitability:
- Break-even timeline
- Key milestones
- Unit economics at scale
Section 7: Team & Organization (1-2 pages)
Leadership Team: For each founder/executive:
- Name, title, photo (if available)
- Relevant background (2-3 sentences)
- Key accomplishments
- Why they're uniquely qualified
Current Team:
- Headcount by department
- Key hires and their backgrounds
- Advisory board
Hiring Plan:
- Year 1-3 headcount growth
- Key roles to fill
- Recruiting strategy
Organization Evolution:
Current (5 people) → Year 1 (15) → Year 2 (35) → Year 3 (60)
Engineering: 3 → 7 → 15 → 25
Sales & Marketing: 1 → 4 → 12 → 20
Other: 1 → 4 → 8 → 15
Equity & Compensation:
- Option pool sizing
- Compensation philosophy
- Retention strategy
Section 8: Traction & Milestones (1 page)
Current Traction:
- Revenue or user metrics
- Growth rate
- Key customer wins
- Product development progress
Milestones Achieved:
- Product launches
- Funding rounds
- Team hires
- Customer acquisition
- Partnerships
Upcoming Milestones (12-18 months):
- Product milestones
- Revenue targets
- Customer goals
- Team goals
- Partnership goals
Section 9: Risks & Mitigation (1 page)
Market Risks:
- Market size assumptions
- Competitive intensity
- Substitute adoption
- Mitigation strategies
Execution Risks:
- Product development
- Go-to-market effectiveness
- Hiring and retention
- Mitigation strategies
Financial Risks:
- Burn rate management
- Fundraising market
- Unit economics
- Mitigation strategies
Regulatory/External Risks:
- Compliance requirements
- Data privacy
- Economic conditions
- Mitigation strategies
Section 10: Funding Request & Use of Proceeds (1 page)
Funding Ask:
- Amount seeking: $X.XM
- Structure: Equity, SAFE, convertible note
- Target valuation: $X.XM (if applicable)
Use of Proceeds:
Total Raise: $5.0M
- Product Development: $2.0M (40%)
• Engineering team expansion
• Infrastructure and tools
• Product roadmap execution
- Sales & Marketing: $2.0M (40%)
• Sales team hiring (5 AEs)
• Marketing programs
• Demand generation
- Operations & G&A: $0.5M (10%)
• Finance/legal/HR
• Office and facilities
- Working Capital: $0.5M (10%)
• 6-month buffer
Milestones to Achieve:
- Revenue: $X.XM ARR (X% growth)
- Customer: XXX customers
- Product: Key features launched
- Team: XX employees
- Metric: Key metric targets
Expected Timeline:
- 18-24 month runway
- Achieve milestones in 15-18 months
- 6-month buffer for next raise
Next Round:
- Series A in 18-24 months
- Expected metrics at that time
- Target raise amount
Step 4: Enhance with Visuals
Suggest including:
- Charts for market sizing (TAM funnel)
- Product screenshots or mockups
- Positioning maps
- Financial trend charts (revenue, customers, burn)
- Organization chart
- Timeline/roadmap
- Use of proceeds pie chart
Step 5: Provide Additional Sections (Optional)
If Relevant, Add:
- Regulatory/Compliance section (for regulated industries)
- Technology Architecture (for deep tech)
- Clinical/Scientific Data (for biotech/health tech)
- Unit Economics Deep Dive (for complex business models)
- Strategic Partnerships (if material to strategy)
Step 6: Create Executive Summary Slide
Provide one-page summary for quick review:
- Problem & Solution (3 bullets each)
- Market: TAM/SAM/SOM
- Traction: Key metrics
- Team: Founders
- Ask: Amount and use
- Contact information
Step 7: Save Business Case
Offer to save as markdown:
- Filename:
business-case-[company-name]-YYYY-MM-DD.md - Suggest converting to PDF for sharing
- Provide tips for presentation format
Best Practices
Do:
- Lead with customer problem
- Quantify everything
- Show, don't just tell (use data)
- Be realistic on projections
- Acknowledge risks honestly
- Cite all data sources
- Keep executive summary concise
- Focus on differentiation
Don't:
- Use jargon without explanation
- Make unsupported claims
- Ignore competition
- Be overly optimistic
- Skip the "why now"
- Forget to proofread
- Use generic templates without customization
Integration with Other Commands
This command synthesizes outputs from:
/market-opportunity- Include TAM/SAM/SOM analysis/financial-projections- Include full financial model
Example Usage
User: /business-case
Claude: I'll create a comprehensive business case document. Let me gather the key information first.
Company name and description?
→ "AcmeCorp - AI-powered email marketing for e-commerce"
Who is the audience?
→ "Series A investors"
What materials do you have?
→ "We have market sizing and financial model done"
[Claude creates comprehensive 15-20 page business case with all sections]
Notes
- Business case creation takes 1-2 hours
- Result is investor-grade document
- Can be used for pitch deck development
- Update quarterly or for funding rounds
- Customize sections based on audience
- Keep executive summary to 2 pages max
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.