Business plan
Financial projections for an Innovator Founder business plan
Most founders spend their energy on the revenue line. Assessors usually look first at costs, funding and the assumptions behind the growth.
Updated · 3 min read
What a typical set of projections includes
- A three-year profit and loss forecast, monthly for the first year
- A cash-flow forecast showing when money comes in and goes out
- Start-up costs and how they are funded
- Hiring plan and salaries
- A short list of the key assumptions behind every number
Make assumptions visible
Every revenue figure should trace back to an assumption: how many customers, at what price, converting at what rate. Link those assumptions to your evidence — interviews, letters of intent, pilot results. An assessor trusts a modest forecast with clear reasoning more than an ambitious one without it.
Show the funding is real
There is no fixed investment figure, but your plan has to be fundable. If the model needs more money than you have, show where the rest comes from and how certain it is. A gap between costs and funding is one of the clearest signs of an unviable plan.
Know your numbers
If someone else builds your model, go through every line until you can explain it without notes. You may be asked about it at endorsement and again at later checkpoints.
Common questions
- How many years of projections do I need?
- Three years is common, with the first year shown monthly. Check what your endorsing body asks for.
- How much money do I need for the Innovator Founder visa?
- There is no fixed investment amount. You need enough to fund the plan you submit, plus the fees and maintenance funds set by the rules on gov.uk.
- Can I use a template?
- A template can help with structure, but the assumptions must be specific to your business and supported by evidence.
New to the route? Start with the complete Innovator Founder visa guide.