ART PROVENANCE RESEARCH SERVICE BUSINESS PLAN

I. Executive Summary

Company Description

Our firm, unnamed in this document, is a provenance research specialist based in a major U.S. metropolitan hub and scheduled to launch in 2026. We operate in the fine art and collectibles sector, providing expert provenance verification services that combine advanced proprietary technology with a global network of senior art historians, data analysts, and project managers. Our core services are high-touch provenance reports, due-diligence engagements for collectors and galleries, and underwriting-grade provenance for insurers. We prioritize client confidentiality and research accuracy. One-line: we verify ownership history so clients can buy, sell, and insure with confidence.

Primary activities include archival research, technical data analysis, chain-of-title reconstruction, stakeholder interviews, and delivery of consultative reports and secure data packages. We target high-net-worth collectors, galleries handling blue-chip and high-value emerging works, and art insurers focused on loss prevention and underwriting. Short-term goals are to complete initial pilot engagements in 2026, establish 20 recurring clients within 12 months, and refine the proprietary verification platform. Long-term goals are to become the market-standard provenance provider and to license our verification technology to insurers and auction houses. One-line: we aim to make provenance transparent and marketable.

Problem

Opaque ownership histories for high-value art and collectibles create uncertainty about authenticity and legal title, exposing buyers, lenders, insurers, and institutions to litigation risk, potential total asset loss, slowed transactions, and higher due-diligence costs.

Current provenance research relies on fragmented manual searches across archives, galleries, and private records and the U.S. market lacks a standardized, technology-driven system; this gap suppresses market liquidity and leaves collectors, galleries, and insurers underserved—creating a clear need for a transparent, accurate, and confidential provenance service.

Solution

The U.S. art market faces financial risk from incomplete provenance, legal disputes, and slow, fragmented research; our service reconstructs clear, verifiable ownership histories by deep-diving into global archives, sales records, and historical documents to produce a single, printable authentication report that supports acquisitions, sales, insurance, and estate planning.

One line: We turn fragmented ownership evidence into a definitive provenance dossier that preserves value and reduces transaction and underwriting risk.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the ultimate standard of truth and transparency in the global art market through rigorous research and innovative technology, delivering definitive provenance verification to collectors and institutions. We combine academic excellence with professional discretion to protect the heritage and value of fine art and to empower clients with the knowledge and documentation needed for informed, secure investment decisions. A clear, documented history is the foundation of an asset’s future value.

Key Success Factors

Success depends on technology, expert network, financial economics, industry relationships, and trust protections.

• Proprietary technology enables rapid aggregation and analysis of historical provenance data.
• Global credentialed expert network supplies specialized human intelligence for complex archival investigations.
• High-margin model with a demonstrated breakeven path within seven months of launch.
• Established gatekeeper relationships (art lawyers, insurance underwriters) secure a steady pipeline of high-value referrals.
• Absolute confidentiality and professional liability protection build trust with high-net-worth clients.

Financial Summary

Financial snapshot for the Executive Summary: near-term breakeven, fast payback, and scaling EBITDA to $7.7M by Year 5.

Financial requirements: minimum cash $469,000, initial capex $330,000, combined funding need $799,000; breakeven Jul-26 and payback in 22 months; ROE 15.65% and IRR 8.94%.

Outlook: modest upfront funding supports rapid ramp to profitable, high-margin scale.

Funding Requirements

We seek $469,000 to fund product development, marketing, core hires, operations, and a seven-month working capital buffer to reach breakeven in Jul-26.

Financial highlights: Year 1 revenue $1,283,000 to Year 5 $12,105,000; EBITDA $13,000 in 2026 to $7,686,000 in 2030; breakeven Jul-26; payback 22 months; ROE 15.65%; IRR 8.94%.