How to make the perfect pitch deck
What is a Pitch Deck? (Definition)
A pitch deck is a presentation delivered to investors to explain your company, the problem you are solving, important milestones, the stage your company is at, and what you’re looking for in terms of investment.
What should a Pitch Deck include?
#1. Company introduction
This should be a one-sentence explanation of what your business is and the kind of value you want to provide to customers.
#2. Problem and solution
Your business SHOULD be looking to solve a problem. As such, you need to mention which customer faces the problem and how your product or service solves that problem.
#3. Market opportunity
Go into detail about who your primary customer is and how large the potential market may be. Try to find quantifiable data that supports the information you give on this slide.
#4. Product or Service
Go into greater detail and explain how the product or service solves the problem that customers are facing and how your startup offers a better solution than existing incumbents.
#5. Traction and growth potential
This is an important slide that aims at showing the attention that the product-company-service is receiving and why it is a great opportunity that the investors do not want to miss. The takeaway from this slide is that you have developed the necessary momentum to scale up in the upcoming months.
#6. Competitors
Your potential investors need to know what they’re up against. Your “Competitors” slide shows who your competing businesses are and what makes you different.
#7. Team
Who are the key players in your business? Who will be the point of contact? What experience does your team have and what makes them stand out from the crowd?
#8. Financials
The financials slide helps investors understand what projected revenue will look like over the next several years. It should contain detailed numbers about your business and finances. At this point, you should have already completed a business plan, and you can pull plenty of data from the financials section of your plan.
#9. Investment ask and use of funds
At this point in time, your audience and investors should have a clear idea of what you can offer. It is now time to make it clear what you expect in return. Present a clear set of figures detailing specific funds you require, together with how these funds would be used, and what ROI an investor can expect to make.