I Build Pre-Seed Startup Financial Models

I've spent much of my career in financial modeling deal with pre-seed startups. This means startups that are looking to raise their first round or may have raised a small amount from friends and/or family. They may not be well capitalized, but they are some of the most energetic, enthusiastic, and positive clients I have. I'm going to talk about some of the considerations I look at when building a pre-seed financial model template.

Hydrogen Production Plant - 20 Year Financial Model Template

SmartHelping / Renewable Energy / Excel

Hydrogen Production Plant Model

Evaluate a startup hydrogen-production plant across a 20-year horizon. Model grey, blue, and green hydrogen, customer-specific pricing, monthly capacity and yield, per-kilogram economics, construction, debt, DCF value, and joint-venture returns.

20-year forecast 3 hydrogen types 3 customer types 3 statements + DCF

$65 One-time purchase / Excel download

Add Hydrogen Production Plant Model to Cart

Immediate download after purchase. By purchasing, you agree to the Terms of Service.

Watch the walkthrough Explore the features Review the unit economics How to use it Included in bundles

See the model in action

See the plant assumptions, unit economics, and long-term returns in action.

Walk through construction and capacity, production yield, hydrogen and customer mix, feedstock and energy costs, debt, staffing, three-statement outputs, DCF value, and the optional joint-venture waterfall.

Open the Hydrogen Production Plant Model screenshots

Use the presentation for a closer look at the monthly operating inputs, construction, financing, production economics, financial statements, return analysis, and visualizations.

What the model includes

An integrated feasibility model for a capital-intensive hydrogen plant.

Connect monthly production assumptions and per-kilogram economics with construction, staffing, fixed costs, financing, financial statements, valuation, and investor returns over a forecast of up to 20 years.

01 / THREE STATEMENTS

Connect operations to the financial statements

Produce integrated monthly and annual income statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flows from the operating assumptions.

02 / 20-YEAR FORECAST

Model startup, ramp, and mature operations

Build a long-range forecast with monthly input flexibility and annual cost adjustments for scaling, inflation, and price changes.

03 / CAPACITY & YIELD

Control utilization and production yield by month

Adjust plant capacity utilization and yield over time to test commissioning, ramp-up, operating efficiency, and production scenarios.

04 / PRODUCT & CUSTOMER MIX

Model three hydrogen and three customer types

Configure grey, blue, and green hydrogen with granular pricing and variable costs by both hydrogen type and customer segment.

05 / UNIT ECONOMICS

Understand revenue, cost, and margin per kilogram

Track natural gas, water, electricity, compression, and other production inputs to visualize average revenue, cost, and gross profit per kilogram sold.

06 / ROBUST DEBT OPTIONS

Finance construction and long-term operations

Use a construction loan that converts with an interest-only option, plus two additional traditional loan schedules.

07 / CONSTRUCTION & OVERHEAD

Schedule infrastructure, staffing, and fixed costs

Time new-plant construction and infrastructure spending, then build out headcount and a detailed fixed-cost structure.

08 / VALUE & INVESTOR RETURNS

Evaluate DCF value and joint-venture outcomes

Review DCF, IRR, an optional trailing-12-month revenue-multiple terminal value, key visualizations, and an IRR-hurdle waterfall when a JV structure is needed.

Production economics by kilogram

See what must be true for the plant to become financially viable.

Hydrogen feasibility is highly sensitive to feedstock, energy, utilization, yield, and realized pricing. The model keeps those drivers visible so you can test the operating conditions needed for sustainable margins.

Feedstock and energy

Build the variable-cost stack from natural gas, water, electricity, compression, and other inputs that determine the direct cost of hydrogen production.

Capacity and yield

Translate plant capacity, monthly utilization, and production yield into kilograms available for sale as the facility ramps and improves.

Product and customer mix

Apply different pricing and cost behavior to grey, blue, and green hydrogen and to as many as three customer segments.

Margins and long-term value

Follow per-kilogram gross profit into staffing, fixed costs, debt service, free cash flow, DCF value, terminal value, and investor returns.

How to use it

Move from plant design assumptions to a complete feasibility case.

1. 01

   Schedule construction and the capacity ramp

   Enter infrastructure spending, commissioning timing, available capacity, monthly utilization, and production yield across the startup period.

2. 02

   Configure production and sales

   Define grey, blue, and green hydrogen assumptions, customer mix, pricing, production volume, and per-kilogram variable costs.

3. 03

   Build staffing, fixed costs, and financing

   Layer in headcount, operating overhead, the converting construction facility, and up to two additional term loans.

4. 04

   Review feasibility and investor returns

   Analyze the integrated statements, unit economics, cash requirements, DCF and terminal value, IRR, key visualizations, and optional JV waterfall.

Who gets value from it

Built for teams evaluating new hydrogen-production capacity.

Hydrogen developers and founders

Translate plant design, production method, customer demand, and pricing into a long-term operating and financing plan.

Finance and strategy teams

Test capacity ramps, cost-reduction targets, construction timing, capital needs, and the path to sustainable margins.

Investors and lenders

Evaluate unit economics, capital intensity, debt capacity, downside sensitivity, valuation, and long-term investor returns.

Energy and industrial advisors

Compare grey, blue, and green hydrogen scenarios across customers, feedstocks, energy costs, utilization, and yield.

Also available in these bundles

Need a broader financial-modeling library?

The Hydrogen Production Plant Model is also included in the Renewable Energy, Industry-Specific, Industrial Sector, Models with Capacity Assumptions, and Super Smart bundles.

Renewable Energy Models

Explore project and operating models for hydrogen, solar, wind, hydropower, biogas, storage, and related energy infrastructure.

View Renewable Energy Models

Industrial Sector Models

Explore models for manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, extraction, logistics, and other capital-intensive operating businesses.

View Industrial Sector Models

Industry-Specific Models

Access a broad collection of business models built around the operating drivers of specific industries and business types.

View Industry-Specific Models

Models with Capacity Assumptions

Compare businesses where installed capacity, utilization, throughput, yield, and expansion timing drive the forecast.

View Capacity Models

Super Smart Bundle

Get the complete SmartHelping template collection for forecasting, valuation, accounting, financing, real estate and more.

View Super Smart Bundle

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Continue the renewable-energy and industrial analysis.

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Forecast orders, production capacity, materials, labor, overhead, working capital, financing, and long-term manufacturer results.

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Questions before you buy

A few useful details.

Which hydrogen types and customer segments can I model?

The workbook supports three hydrogen types—grey, blue, and green—and up to three customer types. Pricing and variable costs can be configured at the hydrogen-type and customer-type level.

How are production volume and efficiency modeled?

Enter capacity utilization and production-yield assumptions by month. These drivers determine production available for sale and let you test commissioning, ramp-up, and operating-efficiency scenarios.

Which per-kilogram costs are included?

The model is designed to capture natural gas, water, electricity, compression, and other production inputs, then visualize average revenue, variable cost, and gross profit per kilogram sold.

What financing options are included?

Use a construction facility that can convert into longer-term financing with an interest-only option, plus two additional traditional loan schedules.

Which financial and return outputs are included?

The workbook produces monthly and annual three-statement outputs, cash requirements, DCF value, IRR, an optional terminal value based on trailing-12-month revenue, key charts, and an optional IRR-hurdle JV waterfall.

Are the default assumptions intended for a live investment decision?

No. The included assumptions demonstrate how the model works. Replace them with your own researched technical, market, financing, regulatory, and cost assumptions before evaluating a real project.

Is the model included in bundles?

Yes. It is included in the Renewable Energy, Industry-Specific, Industrial Sector, Models with Capacity Assumptions, and Super Smart bundles.

Turn plant assumptions into a feasibility case

See how capacity, yield, price, and cost drive long-term value.

Model production, customer mix, per-kilogram economics, construction, debt, three statements, DCF value, and JV returns over 20 years. One-time purchase for $65.

Get the Hydrogen Production Plant Model

Sales and Purchases on Account - Financial Modeling in Excel

SmartHelping / Accounting / Excel

Sales and Purchases on Account

Build a balanced 3-statement forecast when sales, cash collections, purchases, payments, and accounting recognition happen in different periods. This unlocked Excel model connects the timing logic across the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

10-year monthly and annual views Linked 3-statement logic Flexible cash and recognition timing 3 visualizations

$45 One-time purchase / Excel download

Add Sales and Purchases Model to Cart

Immediate download after purchase. By purchasing, you agree to the Terms of Service.

Watch the walkthrough Explore the features Review the statements How to use it See the accounting examples Included in bundles

See the model in action

See how transaction timing flows through all three statements.

Watch the walkthrough, then open the screenshots for a closer look at the assumptions, schedules, financial statements, and visual outputs.

Open the model screenshots

Review the model layout, timing assumptions, linked financial statements, and charts before purchasing.

What the model includes

A complete timing engine for accrual accounting.

Model when a transaction occurs, when cash moves, and when revenue or expense is recognized without losing the connections among the three financial statements.

01 / THREE STATEMENTS

Keep the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow linked

Use one connected set of formulas so every modeled transaction reaches the appropriate statement and the balance sheet remains balanced.

02 / 10-YEAR HORIZON

Forecast monthly and review annually

Build detailed monthly schedules across ten years while retaining annual views for higher-level planning and presentation.

03 / SINGLE-TAB LOGIC

Inspect the full calculation flow in one place

Follow the assumptions, timing patterns, formulas, and outputs without navigating a maze of hidden or disconnected worksheets.

04 / COLLECTION TIMING

Separate a sale from the cash received

Apply flexible customer cash-collection patterns to future sales and see the corresponding movement in cash, receivables, and deferred revenue.

05 / PAYMENT TIMING

Separate a purchase from the cash paid

Schedule supplier payments independently from the purchase date and connect the timing to inventory, prepaid expenses, and accounts payable.

06 / RECOGNITION PATTERNS

Control when revenue and costs reach earnings

Use recognition patterns for sales and costs so the income statement reflects delivery or consumption rather than cash timing alone.

07 / 3 VISUALIZATIONS

Turn accounting schedules into readable outputs

Use three included visualizations to interpret the model and communicate important financial trends more quickly.

08 / UNLOCKED WORKBOOK

Adapt the Excel logic to your own use case

Review and edit the formulas, assumptions, labels, and structure. The workbook can also be uploaded to Google Sheets.

The linked statement framework

Follow every timing difference to the account it affects.

The model demonstrates how cash timing and accounting recognition move through the core accounts required for a balanced 3-statement forecast.

Balance sheet

Track cash, accounts receivable, inventory, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, unearned revenue, and retained earnings.

Income statement

Calculate recognized revenue, cost of goods sold, other recognized expenses, and net income based on the selected recognition schedules.

Cash flow statement

Reconcile net income to cash by reversing noncash recognition and incorporating collections, expense payments, inventory purchases, and other working-capital movements.

Integrated checks

Use consistent line-item references and formulas to keep the three statements connected as transaction timing changes across the monthly forecast.

How to use it

Move from transaction assumptions to balanced statements.

1. 01

   Enter future sales and costs

   Build the monthly transaction forecast that will drive revenue, inventory, cost of goods sold, and operating expenses.

2. 02

   Set the cash timing patterns

   Define when customers pay and when suppliers or other vendors are paid relative to the original transaction month.

3. 03

   Set the recognition patterns

   Choose when sales and costs are recognized so deferred revenue, receivables, inventory, prepaids, and payables move correctly.

4. 04

   Review the statements and charts

   Check the monthly and annual financial statements, confirm the balance sheet remains balanced, and use the visuals to interpret the results.

Two practical accounting examples

See why transaction date, cash date, and recognition date matter.

The workbook is designed to handle common timing differences like upfront customer payments and inventory purchased on supplier credit.

SALES ON ACCOUNT / DEFERRED REVENUE

$1,200 subscription paid upfront

A customer pays $1,200 on January 1 for one year of service. Cash and deferred revenue increase immediately, then $100 of revenue is recognized each month as the service is delivered.

PURCHASES ON ACCOUNT / INVENTORY

$5,000 of inventory purchased on credit

Inventory and accounts payable increase when the goods arrive, cash falls when the supplier is paid, and $5,000 of cost of goods sold is recognized when the inventory is sold for $7,000.

Who gets value from it

Built for anyone who needs accrual timing to balance correctly.

Financial modelers

Use a working example of the formulas and schedules needed to keep a monthly 3-statement model balanced.

Accountants and finance teams

Translate cash collection, payment, deferral, and recognition assumptions into connected forecast statements.

Founders and business owners

Understand why profit and cash can move differently when customers or suppliers transact on account.

Students and analysts

Study a practical Excel implementation of receivables, payables, inventory, deferred revenue, and retained earnings.

Also available in these bundles

Need a broader spreadsheet library?

The Sales and Purchases on Account model is also included in the Accounting Templates bundle and the Super Smart Bundle.

Accounting Templates

Build out the practical accounting, cash management, cost analysis, and financial reporting tools used across day-to-day operations.

View Accounting Templates

Super Smart Bundle

Get the complete SmartHelping template collection for forecasting, valuation, accounting, financing, real estate, and more.

View Super Smart Bundle

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Extend the accounting and operating analysis.

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Questions before you buy

A few useful details.

What does the workbook model?

It models sales and purchases when the transaction, cash movement, and accounting recognition can occur in different months, then links the results across all three financial statements.

Which balance-sheet accounts are included?

The framework includes cash, accounts receivable, inventory, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, unearned revenue, and retained earnings.

How long is the forecast?

The workbook supports a 10-year forecast with monthly calculations and annual views.

Can I change the collection, payment, and recognition timing?

Yes. The model is designed for dynamic cash-receipt, cash-payment, revenue-recognition, and cost-recognition patterns applied to future sales and costs.

Is the workbook editable?

Yes. The formulas and logic are unlocked and editable, and the workbook can also be uploaded to Google Sheets.

Is it included in any bundles?

Yes. It is included in the Accounting Templates bundle and the Super Smart Bundle.

Connect timing to the financial statements

Build a balanced model for sales and purchases on account.

Use flexible cash and recognition patterns, 10-year monthly and annual views, and fully unlocked 3-statement logic in one Excel template. One-time purchase for $45.

Get the Sales and Purchases Model