What is the purpose of a pitch deck, and how can you create a winning one?

During my time working as an Accelerator and Venture Capital, what I found missing from founders when preparing pitch decks is the variety of their pitch decks. There should be different pitch decks for different type of audiences. Pitching for a competition/demo day, keep the deck short and emphasize key elements. Also focus on your tone of voice, speed and body language. Pitching to accelerators, put your progress, your potential and your asks. Pitching to investors, put you progress, your tractions, your clear projection for growth, your fund raising asks and detailed use of funds. There is not such one deck fits all.

In the world of startups, knowing your audience is key. Tailoring your pitch deck to the specific interests and priorities of different investors can make all the difference. Angels, VCs, and accelerators each have their unique focus areas, whether it's numbers-driven traction or a visionary impact. Research, adapt, and showcase what matters most to your target audience for a winning pitch. Design what they want to see.

Do your homework, find out what matters to your prospect and tailor your deck to them. Include what you've already learned from them from previous conversations. Keep it short and straightforward, text needs to be concise, and interact with the audience by asking questions and having them relate to the content when presenting.

Apart from following the best practices and applying the right sequence of slides you need to be you. Founders too often try to figure out what an investor wants to hear and they then they put on act and try to become that imaginary founder. But investors who sees thousands of pitch decks and talking to hundreds of founders can quickly spot the fake roles. When your authentic self can bee seen, it can also be remembered.

It's not just about knowing who your audience is, but rather what language they use and look for. For example, accelerators and VCs may be looking for different things, but also speak differently about how they analyse the team or business model etc.

The “structure” is simply a formula that you that you continue to apply to every pitch deck you create or enhance along your entrepreneurship journey. The process becomes second nature when you really understand the purpose of each slide and how simplicity gets your message across most effectively. In the beginning, creating a pitch deck feels daunting, and because it is a blank canvas, you may experience paradoxical over choice: unlimited possibilities to choose from renders it increasingly difficult to choose well, which paradoxically limits your freedom of choice and may result in no choice at all. With every edit you make to the pitch deck, your experience grows and your knowledge of what you should/should not include solidifies.

Concise slides with clear headlines and visuals engage investors effectively. Remember, storytelling is key. Make each slide a chapter in your startup's journey, captivating your audience. Balance depth with brevity; leave room for questions. Visuals should enhance, not overwhelm. Aim for clarity, focusing on essentials. A compelling, streamlined presentation leaves a lasting impression. Craft your narrative strategically!

A well-structured pitch deck is your secret weapon for a successful presentation. The 10-12 slide format provides a roadmap to captivate your audience. From the problem to the ask, ensure each slide has a clear headline, concise content, and eye-catching visuals. Keep it clean, steer clear of jargon, and focus on what truly matters. Let your story shine through simplicity.

In a crowded market, with many competitors, a sales pitch must empower the seller to have a point of view. The point of view includes how to bucket alternatives and competitive categories, and how you stand out among those. The intention is to build trust. The point of view can be captured as an insight, a provocative statement, a gain value or a loss value - what works depends on the audience and the seller. “The story” in a sales pitch deck has to be powerful but very short. The rest is about guiding the prospect, creating alignment, and making it easier for them to be confident in their choice.

Yes, you should follow a clear structure, but don't focus on templates. Your pitch deck should tell a story, so there isn't one right answer to this. That's why its better to focus on how you can tell the best story and then start to fit that into a structure that suits YOU, not everyone.

If you have a great origin story rooted in your life, personal or professional, what started you on this crazy journey - USE it! This is what they will remember. People don't remember facts, figures, bits and bytes. They remember stories, moments and how they made them feel. They want to hear a story that inspires, that shows your passion, your connection, something they can easily relay back to their partners when they're pitching you at the next meeting. Stories stick,.it's your most precious tool in your arsenal - use them 🙏💕

Detailed research and compelling storytelling are key. Utilize real data, stories, and testimonials to showcase the pain points vividly. Engage emotions; make the problem relatable. Investors should empathize, sensing the market need's urgency. Use visuals effectively; a well-crafted problem statement lays the foundation for your solution. Captivate your audience with the problem's significance!

The "problem" slide is the heartbeat of your pitch deck. It's where you unveil the critical issue your startup is tackling. Data, anecdotes, and testimonials are your allies in proving that it's not just a problem; it's a widespread, escalating pain point. Paint a vivid picture of the consequences of leaving it unsolved, making your audience feel the urgency and significance. It's not just about your solution; it's about the problem you're here to fix.

VCs are looking for someone with a crystal clear understanding of the problem; Whether that's a niche problem or a large problem, a well articulated problem statement gets the VC thinking. Talk about who faces it, why they do and how it impacts their life. This helps to build your story around why YOU are the one poised to solve it for them.

You focus on the problem as it acts like a hook that makes investors want to carry on speaking to you. Where founders get the problem wrong is they focus on the wrong problem. Investors don't want to know about some pie-in-the-sky problem or one that everyone knows (e.g. cancer = bad). What you need to do when focusing on the problem is making the investor feel grounded into reality of what your problem means and why you are tackling it. They need to feel the trends, feelings and reality of what your problem causes. Only then can you make them want to join you into solving it. If your problem isn't doing the above then you are focusing on the wrong problem.

A compelling solution showcases innovation and value. Explain product functionality, emphasizing benefits over features. Clearly state your unique value proposition, differentiating from competitors. Visual aids like demos or screenshots add impact. Customer feedback adds credibility; it's proof your solution works! Make investors envision its potential impact!

Once the problem is crystal clear, it's time to unveil your shining knight: the solution. Your solution slide should be the "Aha!" moment for your audience. Explain its inner workings, benefits, and what sets it apart from the competition. Make your unique value proposition shine – this is the essence of why customers should choose you. A demo, video, or screenshot in action adds power. Showcase features and customer feedback to seal the deal.

Where most founders go wrong here is they focus too much on the features of their solution. Investors don't care about your features. They care about the benefits and change you are making. You first have to set the scene of your solution actually affecting your market in a positive way. Make them feel it with data, examples or stories. Once you've done this, then you need to show them what the future could look like if your solution becomes even more successful. How will your industry change if you are successful? That's an investable solution. Not your features.

In my years of experience in Sales / pitches / presentation, you need to have a build up of the problem and then 'bang' come up with one or two killer features in your solution that none of your competitors can deliver. Do not over-show your features as it becomes boring. Focus on the killer features and how it will be give you and your start the competitive edge in the market to win.

You MUST have a "Simple Solution Statement" - my formula is "We do X for Y by Z.". A sentence or 2 about what you do (X) for what audience (y) posted by what technology/secret sauce (z). You should be able to pull this sentence out and say it so simply that anyone at any level can get it right away. Try a few different versions out until you have the one that really resonates 🙏

Traction is the evidence that you executing on your business. It doesn't always have to be revenue! For example, I helped a founder raise $1.5m. They didn't even have a start-up running but they had 10,000 people in a sign-up list waiting for their start-up to launch. They had spoken to another 500 potential clients and changed from their initial idea to get to where they were at that point. That level of traction was good enough for VCs/angels as they could see the founders were executing on building their business.

Highlighting traction effectively is the difference between securing investment and being overlooked. Case Studies: Share success stories of customers who've benefited from your product. For instance, a SaaS startup can highlight a client who increased their revenue by 20% after implementing their solution. Growth Charts: If you're a mobile app, show a graph of monthly active users rising over the past year. Testimonials: Feature quotes from satisfied customers or industry experts who endorse your product. Awards & Recognitions: If your product has received any awards or notable mentions, include them. Comparative Metrics: Show how you stack up against competitors or industry averages.

Highlight key metrics showcasing growth, like revenue, user numbers, retention rates, or partnerships. Transparency is key; honesty builds trust. Show them your journey and the momentum you've gained!

Its very important to prove tangible evidence of your business's impetus. So your pitch should contain key metrics and milestones that highlight user engagement, revenue growth, customer retention, or any other relevant indicator of growth. Utilize visuals to make these numbers easily digestible. It could help to include testimonials, case studies, or partnerships that validate your value proposition. The end goal is to paint a compelling picture of real-world traction that demonstrates your business is not just an idea but a viable and promising venture.

An idea that I don't believe can work with traction is a 100% more investable startup than an idea that I am completely convinced can be a big win but has no traction of any kind yet.

The strength of a startup lies in its team! Investors seek passion, diversity, and expertise. Showcasing your team's skills, achievements, and shared mission is key. A united, capable team not only navigates challenges but attracts investments. Remember, a motivated team builds investor confidence and fuels startup success!

In the world of startups, it's not just the idea, but the dream team that can turn the tide. Your team slide is where you present the stars behind your venture. Highlight their skills, experience, and unwavering passion. Investors seek diversity and synergy - show them a team that complements each other's strengths. Beyond qualifications, emphasize a strong culture and a shared mission that fuels your journey. Use names, roles, achievements, and smiling faces in photos to introduce your team. They're the heartbeat of your success story.

If you are an early-stage startup, your team is your solution. According to most surveys, this is what investors are looking for in early-stage startups - a solid reliable team.

Yes, I agree that the team is the key factor. I once sold my team as "naive". Naive in the sense that they do not take in account potential obstacles when they initiate a project. Later, we heard the remark - "do not worry, I am sure that the engineers can solve the problem". So, eventually, it is the team that counts.

Your team is probably the most important part of your startup. Business is done by people and your customers are ultimately people too. Therefore you will need to sell your team's unique skills and experience to convince the audience why you can achieve your goal and vision. For me as an investor for a startup, at a seed or Series A stage, 80% of it is invested for the founder and co-founders. If the founder is the right person with the right skills to build this company, then his core team to support and compliment him / her is very important.

The purpose of a pitch deck is first and foremost to simply get a meeting. A deck is not how you raise capital and it certainly isn't how you close capital. It is simply a tool to move a conversation forward. Investors invest in markets and teams, not decks. Most investors will ask for a deck before having a conversation, and they look at the deck for any reason to say no. An investor looks at a deck for less than two minutes before deciding to connect. If you get an email back from an investor asking to chat, the deck has pretty much done its job. In many cases, you'll go through the entire investment process without every presenting the deck.

Founders should tailor their pitch deck for different applications: - A concise teaser deck for sharing before meetings. - A comprehensive deck for sharing after meetings. - A visual-only presentation deck for live pitches.

The purpose of the Pitch Deck is to showcase your StartUp in a concise way to prospective investors. After reading the pitch the investor should be able to understand what you do and the results you have obtained from what you have done so far (for Seed). So the key is to showcase in such a way that they feel compelled to meet you. The rest can follow in the meeting you have with the investor representative (normally an Analyst) and the follow on meetings (with more Senior people)

Early stage startups! Think we’ll and hard before filing your first patent. Don’t rush. A good team will always create more and more innovation and competitive advantage and while important, there are other ways to protect your advantage, like using trade secrets.

Your people are your most important asset. In speaking with hundreds of venture capitalists, the common thread is that they are 'betting on the horse'. Recently, I spoke to a prominent VC who was an early investor in a company who IPO'd for $2B . I asked "why, what made you invest in the business"? The answer was simple - "the Founder". The Founder was humble, he was a hard worker, and he breathed a lived his mission. Even after his company IPO'd, he still lives in the same house, has the same friends, and continues to work every day - if not harder than before. These are the types of individuals that VC firms wants to make a bet on. Showcase your team. Showcase advisors. Showcase diversity. Showcase backgrounds, pictures, and character.