Once you've decided you need an investment, there are two things you gotta do:
A pitch deck is a visual presentation for your startup, product, or project that gives potential investors or partners a quick and complete overview of your solution, business plan, products, and growth potential.
— Deckready
To kick things off, we’re giving you a step-by-step guide to make this process easier.
You'll need to know where to find investment.
Andreessen Horowitz is a private venture capital firm founded in 2009 in the U.S. It's headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
Sequoia Capital, another private venture capital firm, is also based in Menlo Park, California. They specialize in investing in technology companies at the seed, early, and growth stages. The firm was founded in 1972.
Bessemer Venture Partners, based in San Francisco, is a venture capital and private equity firm that’s been around since 1911. With over 112 years of experience, they’re one of the oldest firms in the industry.
This global, technology-focused investment firm is based in the USA, with offices in Boston, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Israel, and London. Founded in 1983, they make venture capital and private equity investments in nearly every market.
Accel is an American venture capital firm that works with startups in the seed, early, and growth stages. They’re based in Palo Alto and San Francisco, and also have operations in London, India, and China. The firm was founded in 1983.
To draft a winning Pitch Deck you must first clarify a series of elements.
Once you have answered these questions, you can begin to adapt the pitch for this project and design your Pitch Deck.
These are the steps to design an effective Pitch Deck:
1. Title Slide
2. Problem Statement
3. Solution
4. Market Opportunity
5. Product/Service
6. Business Model
7. Traction
8. Go-to-Market Strategy
9. Competition
10. Financial Projections
11. Team
12. Use of Funds
13. Closing/Contact Information
Once you have clarified the mentioned steps you will have a sketch of your Pitch Deck.
Now is time to iterate and polish your data. Use the questions to discard the excess information.
If you want to build your Pitch Deck this week click here
To make the difference, securing funding and attracting potential investors, is essential having a strong pitch.
Here are 10 tips to improve your pitch as a startup:
1. Know Your Audience:
- Do your homework on potential investors. Understand their interests, past investments, and what they’re looking for in a startup. Tailor your pitch to match their preferences and values.
2. Clear Value Proposition:
- Clearly explain the problem your startup solves and the unique value your solution provides. Show why your product or service is better than what's already out there.
3. Compelling Storytelling:
- Use storytelling to make your pitch more engaging. Share your startup's journey, the inspiration behind it, and what drives your team. Personal stories can make your pitch more relatable and memorable.
4. Strong Opening:
- Grab attention right from the start with a strong opening. Start with a compelling fact, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful quote to set the stage for your pitch.
5. Market Opportunity:
- Present a clear and compelling case for the market opportunity. Use data to show the market size, growth potential, and trends. Explain how your startup is positioned to take advantage of this opportunity.
6. Business Model and Revenue Streams:
- Clearly explain how your startup plans to make money. Outline your business model, pricing strategy, and revenue streams. Investors want to know how you’ll achieve profitability.
7. Traction and Milestones:
- Highlight any traction your startup has gained so far. This could be user growth, revenue, partnerships, or other key milestones. Demonstrating progress builds credibility and shows your startup is on the right track.
8. Financial Projection:
- Provide realistic financial projections. Include revenue forecasts, expense estimates, and profitability timelines. Be ready to explain the assumptions behind your projections and how you plan to achieve them.
9. Team Strength:
- Showcase your team’s strengths and expertise. Highlight the relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments of key team members. Investors invest in people as much as in ideas, so convey why your team is uniquely qualified to succeed.
10. Practice and Feedback:
- Practice your pitch multiple times to ensure smooth delivery. Seek feedback from mentors, advisors, and peers, and be open to constructive criticism. Refining your pitch based on feedback can significantly improve its effectiveness.
Remember, an effective pitch is clear, concise, and compelling. Focus on delivering your key messages confidently, and be prepared to answer questions and engage in discussions with potential investors.
Learn more about how to structure a Pitch Deck in this article.
Click HERE to start building your Pitch Deck
At DeckReady every deck is a special project and we give everything we’ve got to make the Pitch Deck that finally gets fundraising.
