Pitch Deck
Framework
IRON LAW: 10-15 Slides, One Idea Per Slide
Investors see 100+ decks per month. They spend 3-4 minutes on average.
Every slide must earn its place. If a slide doesn't advance the core
narrative (problem → solution → why us → why now), cut it.Standard Pitch Deck Structure (12 Slides)
| # | Slide | Purpose | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title | Company name, one-line description, your name | 10 sec |
| 2 | Problem | The pain point — specific, relatable, data-backed | 30 sec |
| 3 | Solution | How you solve it — clear, concrete | 30 sec |
| 4 | Demo/Product | Show, don't tell — screenshot, video, or flow | 45 sec |
| 5 | Market Size | TAM → SAM → SOM with methodology | 30 sec |
| 6 | Business Model | How you make money — pricing, unit economics | 30 sec |
| 7 | Traction | What you've achieved — revenue, users, growth rate | 30 sec |
| 8 | Competition | 2×2 positioning map — where you win | 20 sec |
| 9 | Team | Why THIS team wins — relevant experience | 20 sec |
| 10 | Financials | 3-year projection — revenue, key assumptions | 30 sec |
| 11 | The Ask | How much, what for, what milestones it enables | 20 sec |
| 12 | Contact | Name, email, next step | 5 sec |
Slide-by-Slide Guide
Problem Slide:
- Make the audience FEEL the pain
- Use a specific example or data point ("40% of SMBs spend 20+ hrs/month on manual invoicing")
- Avoid abstract problems ("businesses need better solutions")
Market Size:
- TAM = Total Addressable Market (if you captured 100%)
- SAM = Serviceable Addressable Market (your segment)
- SOM = Serviceable Obtainable Market (realistic 3-year target)
- Show methodology, not just a number
Traction Slide (most important for fundraising):
- Revenue curve (up and to the right)
- Growth rate (MoM or YoY)
- Key milestones: customers, partnerships, product launches
- If pre-revenue: waitlist, LOIs, pilot results
Competition Slide:
- 2×2 matrix, NOT a feature comparison table
- Choose axes that make you the clear winner in the top-right
- Include indirect competitors and substitutes
The Ask:
- Amount: specific number ("NT$30M Series A")
- Use of funds: top 3 allocations (product 40%, sales 35%, operations 25%)
- Milestones the funding enables ("reach $1M ARR, expand to 3 markets")
Output Format
# Pitch Deck Outline: {Company}
## Slide-by-Slide Content
### 1. Title
- Company: {name}
- Tagline: {one line}
### 2. Problem
- Pain point: {specific, data-backed}
- Who has this problem: {target customer}
### 3. Solution
- What we do: {one sentence}
- How it works: {2-3 bullet points}
### 4. Product
- {Screenshot/demo description}
### 5. Market
- TAM: ${X}
- SAM: ${X}
- SOM: ${X} (methodology: {how calculated})
### 6. Business Model
- Revenue model: {subscription/transaction/etc.}
- Pricing: {specifics}
- Unit economics: {LTV, CAC, margins}
### 7. Traction
- {Key metric 1}: {number}
- {Key metric 2}: {number}
- Growth: {rate}
### 8. Competition
- 2×2 axes: {X axis} vs {Y axis}
- Our position: {top-right quadrant and why}
### 9. Team
- {Name}: {relevant credential}
- {Name}: {relevant credential}
### 10. Financials
| | Y1 | Y2 | Y3 |
|---|-----|-----|-----|
| Revenue | ${X} | ${X} | ${X} |
### 11. The Ask
- Raising: ${X}
- Use: {allocation}
- Milestones: {what this funding achieves}
## Design Guidelines
- Font size: ≥ 24pt (readable from back of room)
- Max words per slide: 30-40
- One chart/visual per slide maximumGotchas
- Traction trumps everything: A deck with amazing traction and mediocre design beats a beautiful deck with no traction. Lead with your strongest metric.
- Don't read slides aloud: Slides are visual aids. You tell the story; slides provide evidence. If you're reading bullets, there are too many bullets.
- "We have no competition" = red flag: Investors know this means you haven't researched. There's always competition — even if it's "doing nothing" or "using a spreadsheet."
- Financial projections WILL be questioned: "How did you get to $10M Y3?" Have a bottom-up model ready. Top-down market share assumptions are weak alone.
- Send a condensed version for email: The presentation deck (with minimal text, big visuals) differs from the email/read-ahead deck (more text, self-explanatory). Prepare both.
References
- For financial modeling behind the projections, see the fin-modeling skill