How can you create a pitch deck that gets funded?

Open with a story that tells us the problem you are solving. A chart or stat does not do that for you! Let us SEE the people and feel their plight. Weave in the number of people you're serving...and speak vividly, so we can hear it, smell it, taste it, touch it and FEEL your mission. The founder's sincere passion must be felt in the first 30 seconds.

The goal of pitch deck really should be get investors excited enough to get in person meeting. Rarely one would get funding on pitch deck.

Creating a compelling pitch deck for funding requires addressing investor needs and telling a captivating story. Tailor your deck to highlight the ROI and address their pain points. Structure your pitch deck with a strong hook, problem-solution framework, market opportunity, and traction. Use visuals, data, and minimal text during presentations. Include a concise executive summary. Research investors to align with their values. Seek feedback and iterate. Explore pitch deck templates and startup pitch examples.

Addressing potential investors is much like orchestrating a well-coordinated performance. Think of it as a successful play: it requires great actors (your team), a captivating script (your vision and mission), and an attentive audience (investors). Ensure your team is highly skilled and easy to work with. Also, target the right investors by researching their fund's timing, industry interests, and financial capacity. Moreover, your pitch deck should be engaging and backed by compelling figures. This strategy boosts your chances of securing the perfect investment for your project.

Pitch decks don't get funded. People do. Solve an urgent problem. Put together a strong team. Show traction. You can have a mediocre pitch deck and still get funded if you have solid fundamentals.

It is very important to have set narrative of story. One would need to paint the picture of current situation with problem. Next would be what would solve this problem. Enter our hero, who has a solution. Next, how world is better with new solution.

Putting together an deck for fundraising is like crafting a blockbuster story. Start with the challenge & highlight the big problem you are aiming to solve—think the pre-Uber taxi experience. Next describe your solution, and how it is different from what is currently available on the market, imagine the the Airbnb revolution. Then you can speak about the business model, growth plan and your team. Create FOMO by emphasizing the timing aspect- why now is the best time for your solution & your team that is uniquely positioned to deliver it.

In my humble opinion, the best pitch decks are the ones which do 3 things better than most 1. Crystallise the Problem 2. Demonstrate the Solution 3. Tie 1) and 2) together with a story in between. Yes its important to talk about things like the market size, your GTM, competitive landscape, your product, your technology. But VCs hear the same terms explained in different contexts multiple times a day. The art is to bring in all the above elements, embedded in a story to really drive a pitch home. Sharing only explanations to terms means you're engaging the listeners neocortex. Itll make them understand what you do but not why you do them. Making an emotional connection with your story is what will drive 'gut decisions' more often.

People don't buy into numbers or features. People buy into the stories. So, communicating your story clearly and concisely is super important. For example, if your start-up addresses the problem you were personally facing, many more people would be in the same position. If you are addressing the problem that "you think" many people have, but you have not experienced it, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise at a later date. Remember to differentiate "good to haves" and "must haves". Guess who will get the money?

When you are outlining your story, don't forget to include a path to profitability and a focus on the things that need to go right before an investor can get their return. Then proceed to explain how or why you are uniquely suited to ensuring those situations indeed play out well for the investor.

It is also function of what is the platform. Are you pitching in person or you are sending pitch deck in email. If it is in person, slides should have 3-4 lines and 1-2 pictures at max. Should be on one primary colour and two secondary colour. Not more than 13 slides.

There is a quote saying something like... “70% How You Look, 20% How You Sound, 10% What You Say” While people won't give you money based on that, it will definitely help you to get to the next stage. Today, there are lots of tools that can help you to design a good-looking deck. You can do it yourself, or hire a designer. Having a well-designed presentation is definitely worth paying for.

Everything you put on your slides should tell part of the story. And as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So use pictures that add context to what you are talking about during each slide. For example, you might have a picture of an actual customer experiencing the problem you are solving, or even trying out your solution. Then tell the story, while calling out particular points in the image. Don't just use pictures to use pictures. They must serve a purpose. They can include words, but only a few. Limit text. People will read what you have on screen. And if they are reading, they are not listening. You can prevent reading by just using a few key words rather than complete sentences.

A pitch deck is like a movie. It should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should also have a strong plot, engaging characters, and memorable moments. The slides are the scenes, and the words and images are the actors. Just like a movie, a pitch deck should keep the audience hooked and leave them wanting more.

Your pitch deck is not a place to skimp on your budget. Having a professionally designed pitch deck can mean the difference between getting funded and not and you'd be surprised to learn that a lot of pitchdecks actually use default PowerPoint templates. The Web is awash in free and low-cost PowerPoint templates that are professionally designed with infographics that are convincing. If you cannot afford a professional graphic designer, scour the internet for a free template - they're likely at least better than the default one.