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If R&D is relevant to your business, describe progress to date, plans, resources and highlight any technological advances or achievements.

Introduce the key technology trends/developments shaping your industry or product area and explain how are you responding to them?

What technical expertise has been acquired by the business or is needed in the future? What are the qualifications/backgrounds of existing technical staff and external advisers or collaborators? What vacancies/needs will arise in the future and how will they be filled?

Summarize existing/planned patents and describe the ownership status of all intellectual property rights (including trademarks, copyrights etc.).

Summarize R&D expenditure to date and specify future expenditure plans. Identify milestones or specific projects to be completed. Where appropriate, provide short economic justifications for major projects.

Keep technical details to the minimum and use footnotes to explain unusual terms when first introduced. Use simple drawings or flow diagrams to help describe any complex issues.

About two pages might suffice. Put detailed material into an Appendix.

Note: Free-Plan, a 150-page Word-based template based on this business plan guide, can be downloaded for free here.

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