I Built an AI Business Plan Generator - Here's What I Learned

Source: Dev.to

The Problem with Business Plans

Every entrepreneur knows the struggle: you have a brilliant idea, but turning it into a professional, investor‑ready business plan feels overwhelming. Traditional approaches require:

• Weeks of market research
• Complex financial modeling
• Professional writing and formatting
• Multiple revisions

Enter AI‑Powered Business Planning

I built PlanForge AI to solve this exact problem. It generates comprehensive business plans in minutes, not weeks.

Key Features

• Executive Summary Generation – Captures your vision in compelling, investor‑ready language
• Market Analysis – AI‑powered research on your target market and industry
• Financial Projections – Realistic forecasts based on your business model
• Pitch Deck Creation – 12‑slide pitch deck ready for investors

The Tech Stack

• Frontend: Next.js 16 with App Router
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Auth: NextAuth.js with Google OAuth
• Database: Neon PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM
• AI: OpenAI GPT‑4
• Payments: Stripe

Lessons Learned

• Start with the wizard – Breaking the input into small steps dramatically improved completion rates
• Structured prompts – Using JSON schemas for AI output ensures consistent formatting
• Tier‑based access – Freemium with usage limits is the sweet spot for this market

What’s Next?

• Export to PDF/DOCX
• Collaborative editing
• Integration with pitch deck tools
• Industry‑specific templates

Would love to hear your feedback! What features would make business planning easier for you?