Educational Software K-12 Business Plan

Introduction
Curriculum Companion Suites (CSS) is a medium-sized software development and consulting firm focused on making the educational process more efficient and effective for K-12 schools. CCS software serves as a virtual teaching assistant for the educational process. Students can follow along with curriculum electronically through a central computer terminal at the front of the classroom.

The Company
CCS keys to success are the company’s commitment to market awareness and future potential direction of the educational process, and CCS’ relationships with a large number of educational institutions and districts.

Curriculum Companion Suites is a start-up company comprised of six executives and seventy-six employees. The executives represent all functional areas, with 70 years of combined experience in the software development industry. Two majority shareholders, Andrew Christiansen and David Fields, own 80% of the company. Other investors own a minority stake. At the moment, the company does not have plans for going public, as most of the financing is raised internally. CSS is incorporated in the state of Oregon by the two majority shareholders.

Products
CCS offers a suite of educational software for each grade level, from kindergarten through 12th grade. These suites are developed in collaboration with major curriculum publishers with whom CCS has established strategic partnerships.

CCS provides full installation, initial and ongoing consulting support. These services are provided as part of each software package purchase.

The Market
The competitive marketplace includes only a handful of direct competitors within the learning information systems vendors segment, providing software products and installation and systems integration services to kindergarten through senior high (K-12) schools in the United States. CCS competes primarily against more traditional methods of education, training and testing, including pencil and paper testing. In addition, CCS competes with other companies offering educational software products to schools, such as International Business Machines Corporation, Apple Computer, Inc., and Mattel, Inc.

Educational institutions and school districts have not been active in searching out technical enhancements to the educational process. Rather, companies such as CCS have often utilized a more “push” type of marketing strategy. The educational community has had to be “educated” themselves on the opportunities of utilizing technical infrastructures to enhance learning processes.

Since only a handful of other companies are competing directly with CCS in this market, the company plans to develop a healthy level of market share, with a goal of 10% at the end of three years. 

The target market for CCS is the urban/metropolitan educational market, as this market presents the highest level of opportunity in terms of revenues. Additionally, software installations and customizations in this market are much more feasible in terms of technical logistics and efficiencies. Thus, profitability is by far more likely in this market.

Relationships have been established with a large number of educational institutions and school districts across the U.S. Significant investments have been made by CCS to research and understand the specific needs and potential enhancements to the current educational process.

Financial Considerations
CCS expects to raise a substantial amount of owner capital, and borrow a comparable amount in a guaranteed SBA 10-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required.

CCS intends to deliver generous sales in the first year, with steady grown in the second and third years of the plan.

1.1 Mission

Curriculum Companion Suites aims to offer software curriculum suites to K-12 schools within the U.S. market. CCS will focus on providing solutions to enhance the educational capabilities of schools.

1.2 Keys to Success

CCS keys to success include:

1. The company’s commitment to being keenly alert to the current educational environment and future potential direction of the educational process.
2. CCS’ relationships with a large number of educational institutions and districts.