The best startup pitches aren't pitches.

They're conversations.

I've helped startups raise over $20 million.

Here are 13 things to include in a killer pitch deck:

1. Title Slide

Include your logo and a one-liner to describe your business.

Use this slide to do your personal introduction and connect the dots between your story and the company you are building.
2. Problem slide

Most investors won't be experts in your sector so use this slide to contextualize the problem.

Key things to cover:

- What is it
- Who has it
- Why does it matter

Remember make it super simple for them to understand.
3. Solution slide(s)

How are you going to solve the above problem you just stated?

Make the slide simple and effective.
4. Solution slide(s)

Make an impact by contrasting the situation if you did not exist
5. Why now

Timing in start-ups matters a lot.

Use this slide to showcase the unique insights you have about the market as well as why now is a great time to build the company.

Reasons can include:

- Technological change
- Regulatory change
- Current products suck and why
6. Market opportunity

Showcase the TAM of your market and be realistic about what you can capture.

Use both bottom-up as well as external reports to validate your assumptions.
7. Traction/Customer adoption slide(s)

If your product is in use then share your growth numbers.

Share customer testimonials.

Talk about the ROI you are generating for your customer.
8. Team

You can't build a 10x company without 10x talent.

Show why you are the best team to go after this specific problem and space.
9. Business Model

How will you make money?
10. Competition

Always good to showcase who your competitors are or companies that can become competitors.

Use this slide as a way to showcase your awareness of the market as well as how you will differentiate.
11. Customer Case Study (B2B companies)

If you are an enterprise company and have a customer then definitely include a snapshot of the customer journey.
12. Milestone + Use of funds

What do you intend to do with this round and timelines ahead?
13. Vision

You can start with this slide.

I personally like ending with the big vision.

You want to showcase clearly and concisely how the company will become massive and why you will win.
Hope this thread helps you in creating an awesome deck.

- If you found this thread useful retweet the first tweet

- Follow me at @hwbhatti

I write about building start-ups, Defi, and personal growth.
Bonus:

- Checkout YC's resources on pitch decks
- Limit text on slides
- Have an appendix that contains questions investors typically ask
- Make sure your headlines tell a story
- Label graphs and screenshots etc
- Don't hype yourself let investors make the conclusion

More from All

You May Also Like

Knowledge & Bharat : Part V

The Curriculum of Vedic Education :
According to the Ancient Indian theory of education, the training of the mind & the process of thinking, are essential for the acquisition of knowledge.

#Thread


Vedic Education System delivered outstanding results.  These were an outcome of the context in which it functioned.  Understanding them is critical in the revival of such a system in modern times. 
The Shanthi Mantra spells out the context of the Vedic Education System.


It says:

ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

“Aum. May we both (the guru and disciples) together be protected. May we both be nourished and enriched. May we both bring our hands together and work

with great energy, strength and enthusiasm from the space of powerfulness. May our study and learning together illuminate both with a sharp, absolute light of higher intelligence. So be it.”

The students started the recitation of the Vedic hymns in early hours of morning.


The chanting of Mantras had been evolved into the form of a fine art. Special attention was paid to the correct pronunciation of words, Pada or even letters. The Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Guru or the teacher to the pupil through regulated and prescribed pronunciation,