“From Craft to Capital — Growing Your Agarwood Enterprise”
🎯 Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
- Identify growth pathways in the agarwood value chain
- Understand the key requirements for business formalization and scaling
- Develop a basic investor pitch and funding strategy
- Learn how to prepare investment-ready business documents
📈 A. Pathways to Scale in the Agarwood Business
| Growth Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Vertical Integration | Own the full chain: plantation → oil → branding |
| Cooperative Scaling | Pool with other farmers/processors (AGAP model) |
| Contract Farming / Franchise | Replicate model with technical & brand support |
| Export-Focused Production | Target GCC/EU/Asia with compliance certifications |
🧱 B. Business Formalization for Scale
Essential Legal & Regulatory Steps:
| Document / Permit | Issuing Body |
|---|---|
| Business Registration | DTI/SEC |
| Mayor’s Permit and Barangay Clearance | LGU |
| BIR Registration (COR & Invoicing) | Bureau of Internal Revenue |
| FDA Product Notification (cosmetics/oils) | Food and Drug Administration |
| CITES Export Permit | DENR-BMB |
| ECC/CNC Clearance | DENR-EMB |
📝 Optional Enhancements:
- Halal Certification
- Organic Certification (e.g., OCCP)
- GMP or ISO for processing facility
💰 C. Investor Readiness 101
What Investors Look For:
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Clear Business Model | How do you make money? |
| Unique Value Proposition | What makes your oud oil special? |
| Scalable Operations | Can it grow regionally/internationally? |
| Market Validation | Existing buyers or MOUs |
| Regulatory Compliance | Legal and environmental readiness |
| Strong Team / Partnerships | Experts, farmers, scientists, AGAP |
| Exit Strategy or ROI Model | How/when they recover their capital |
📄 D. Essential Business Documents for Fundraising
- Investor Pitch Deck
- Problem & Solution
- Product & Tech (e.g., BarIno™ Inoculant Advantage)
- Market Opportunity
- Business Model
- Competitive Advantage
- Team
- Financial Projections
- Ask (How much capital, and for what purpose?)
- Business Plan
- Executive Summary
- Operational Plan
- Marketing Plan
- Financial Plan (3–5 years)
- SWOT Analysis
- Investment Term Sheet (for larger deals)
- MOUs or LOIs with Buyers/Partners
💡 E. Funding Options
| Source | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Investors | Flexible terms, strategic help | May want equity |
| Venture Capital / Private Equity | Large funds possible | Rigid expectations, dilution |
| Government Grants (e.g. DOST, DA, PCAARRD) | Non-repayable | Competitive, slow |
| Development Loans (e.g., LandBank, DBP) | Low interest rates | Collateral required |
| Crowdfunding / Tokenization | Public support, digital reach | Marketing intensive |
📣 F. Crafting a Powerful Investment Pitch
Key Messages:
- “We produce high-value, traceable agarwood oil using advanced induction protocols.”
- “Our platform integrates farmers, technology, and export markets.”
- “We are targeting a $32B fragrance industry with premium Philippine oud.”
- “With your investment, we can scale production and enter Gulf & Asian markets.”
💼 Tip: Use visuals — GC-MS profiles, inoculation photos, bottle prototypes, QR-based traceability system.
📊 G. Scaling Through Strategic Partnerships
| Potential Partner | Role in Scaling |
|---|---|
| Local Universities (e.g., CvSU, DLSU) | R&D and inoculant development |
| AGAP Cooperative | Farmer mobilization, cluster expansion |
| CREDI / CAPI / CESI | Farm estates, plantations, oil extraction |
| Export Houses & Distributors | Market access, logistics |
| Government Agencies | Incentives, tech funding |
🧪 Final Activity: “Investor Pitch Simulation”
Participants will:
- Create a 10-slide pitch deck
- Present a 3-minute pitch to a mock investor panel
- Receive feedback on clarity, viability, and value proposition
Would you like:
- A sample Agarwood Investor Pitch Deck (PPTX)?
- An editable Investment Prospectus for your company?
- A business registration and scaling roadmap diagram?
Let me know how you’d like to apply this module.
