[step:Construct the finite biproduct inductively from binary biproducts]
Assume that $n \geq 2$ and that a biproduct of $A_1,\dots,A_{n-1}$ has already been constructed. Denote it by $B_{n-1}$, with structure morphisms
\begin{align*}
i_j^{n-1}: A_j \to B_{n-1},
\qquad
p_j^{n-1}: B_{n-1} \to A_j
\end{align*}
for $1 \leq j \leq n-1$, satisfying
\begin{align*}
p_j^{n-1} i_k^{n-1} =
\begin{cases}
\operatorname{id}_{A_j}, & j=k,\\
0, & j \neq k,
\end{cases}
\qquad
\sum_{j=1}^{n-1} i_j^{n-1}p_j^{n-1} = \operatorname{id}_{B_{n-1}}.
\end{align*}
Since $\mathcal C$ is additive, it has binary biproducts. Choose a binary biproduct
\begin{align*}
B := B_{n-1} \oplus A_n
\end{align*}
with structure morphisms
\begin{align*}
u: B_{n-1} \to B,
\qquad
q: B \to B_{n-1},
\qquad
i_n: A_n \to B,
\qquad
p_n: B \to A_n,
\end{align*}
satisfying
\begin{align*}
q u = \operatorname{id}_{B_{n-1}},
\qquad
p_n i_n = \operatorname{id}_{A_n},
\qquad
q i_n = 0,
\qquad
p_n u = 0,
\qquad
u q + i_n p_n = \operatorname{id}_B.
\end{align*}
For $1 \leq j \leq n-1$, define
\begin{align*}
i_j: A_j \to B,
\qquad
i_j := u i_j^{n-1},
\end{align*}
and
\begin{align*}
p_j: B \to A_j,
\qquad
p_j := p_j^{n-1} q.
\end{align*}
Keep the already named maps $i_n: A_n \to B$ and $p_n: B \to A_n$ for the last object.
We verify the biproduct equations. If $1 \leq j,k \leq n-1$, then
\begin{align*}
p_j i_k
= p_j^{n-1} q u i_k^{n-1}
= p_j^{n-1} i_k^{n-1}
=
\begin{cases}
\operatorname{id}_{A_j}, & j=k,\\
0, & j \neq k.
\end{cases}
\end{align*}
If $1 \leq j \leq n-1$, then
\begin{align*}
p_j i_n = p_j^{n-1} q i_n = p_j^{n-1} 0 = 0,
\end{align*}
and
\begin{align*}
p_n i_j = p_n u i_j^{n-1} = 0 i_j^{n-1} = 0.
\end{align*}
Finally $p_n i_n=\operatorname{id}_{A_n}$ by the binary biproduct equations.
For the identity decomposition, use the inductive identity on $B_{n-1}$ and the binary identity on $B$:
\begin{align*}
\sum_{j=1}^{n} i_j p_j
&=
\sum_{j=1}^{n-1} u i_j^{n-1} p_j^{n-1} q + i_n p_n \\
&=
u\left(\sum_{j=1}^{n-1} i_j^{n-1} p_j^{n-1}\right)q + i_n p_n \\
&=
u \operatorname{id}_{B_{n-1}} q + i_n p_n \\
&=
u q + i_n p_n \\
&=
\operatorname{id}_B.
\end{align*}
Thus $B$ is a biproduct of $A_1,\dots,A_n$. By induction, such a finite biproduct exists for every $n \geq 0$.
[/step]