1. Fundraising Context

1. Ask the user about their fundraising stage—pre-seed, seed, Series A/B, and how much they're raising.
   • Example: "What stage are you at—pre-revenue pre-seed, seed with traction, or Series A with growth? Target raise amount?"
2. Ask the user about their business—what you do, problem solved, traction to date, and team background.
   • Example: "Describe your business: What problem do you solve, for whom, what traction have you achieved, and who's on the founding team?"
3. Ask the user about their target investors—VCs, angels, strategic investors, and what they typically look for.
   • Example: "Who are you pitching—early-stage VCs, angel investors, or strategic corporates? What do they care about most—growth, profitability, market size?"
4. Ask the user about competitive landscape and differentiation—who else is in this space, and why will you win?
   • Example: "Who are your competitors (direct and indirect), and what's your unfair advantage or unique defensibility?"

2. Pitch Deck Structure (10-15 Slides)

Slide 1: Cover

• Company name and tagline
• Your name and title
• Contact information
• Optional: Traction highlight ("$2M ARR, 300% YoY growth")

Slide 2: Problem

• The pain point you're solving
• Who experiences this problem
• How big/costly/frequent is it
• Status quo and why it's inadequate
• Hook: Make it relatable and urgent

Tips:

• Use a story or example
• Quantify the pain ($X billion wasted, Y hours lost)
• Show you deeply understand customer struggles

Slide 3: Solution

• Your product/service in simple terms
• How it solves the problem
• Key benefits or value props
• Demo screenshot or product visual (if applicable)

Tips:

• Keep it jargon-free
• Focus on outcome, not features
• Show don't just tell (visuals matter)

Slide 4: Market Size

• TAM (Total Addressable Market): Total market if you captured 100%
• SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market): Portion you can realistically reach
• SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): What you'll capture near-term

Example:

• TAM: $50B (global market for X)
• SAM: $10B (segment you focus on)
• SOM: $500M (realistic 5% capture in 5 years)

Tips:

• Use reputable data sources (Gartner, Forrester, industry reports)
• Show growth rate (5-year CAGR)
• Avoid "if we get 1% of China" logic

Slide 5: Traction

• Key metrics: Revenue, users, growth rate
• Milestones achieved: Product launched, customers signed, revenue reached
• Momentum indicators: Month-over-month growth, customer retention, expansion
• Social proof: Notable customers, press, partnerships

What to Highlight by Stage:

• Pre-revenue: User signups, waitlist, pilot customers, LOIs
• Early revenue: MRR/ARR, customer count, growth rate
• Growth stage: Revenue scale, unit economics, cohort performance

Tips:

• Charts showing hockey stick growth are powerful
• Highlight what's impressive for your stage
• Be honest—don't oversell early traction

Slide 6: Business Model

• How you make money
• Pricing structure
• Unit economics (CAC, LTV, margins)
• Path to profitability

Examples:

• SaaS: "Subscription model, $99-$999/mo, 80% gross margins"
• Marketplace: "Take 15% commission, both sides pay"
• E-commerce: "D2C, $50 AOV, 40% margins"

Tips:

• Show you have a sustainable business model
• Highlight strong unit economics (LTV:CAC 3:1+)
• If pre-revenue, show comparable benchmarks

Slide 7: Go-to-Market Strategy

• How you acquire customers
• Channels: Paid ads, content, sales, partnerships
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC) and payback period
• Sales process or funnel

Tips:

• Show you have a repeatable, scalable playbook
• Highlight what's working (if you have data)
• Explain why your approach has an edge

Slide 8: Competition & Differentiation

• Competitive landscape (2×2 matrix works well)
• Your positioning vs. alternatives
• Why you win: Unique tech, network effects, brand, distribution, team

Format Options:

• Competitive matrix: You vs. A, B, C on key dimensions
• "Before us" vs. "After us" (category creation)
• "Why now" (timing advantage)

Tips:

• Don't dismiss competitors—acknowledge and differentiate
• Show you understand the landscape
• Highlight defensibility (what prevents copycats?)

Slide 9: Product Roadmap

• What you've built
• What's next (6-12 month plan)
• Long-term vision (2-3 years)

Tips:

• Show product-market fit progress
• Tie roadmap to customer demand or strategic advantages
• Balance ambition with credibility

Slide 10: Team

• Founders and key leaders
• Relevant experience, expertise, achievements
• Why this team can execute
• Advisory board or notable backers (if you have them)

Tips:

• Highlight relevant domain expertise
• Show complementary skills (tech + business + industry)
• Mention past exits or successes if applicable
• Investors bet on teams as much as ideas

Slide 11: Financials

• Historical: Last 2-3 years (if applicable)
• Projections: Next 3-5 years (revenue, expenses, profitability)
• Key assumptions driving the model

What to Show:

• Revenue growth trajectory
• Path to profitability
• Key expense drivers
• Sensitivity to assumptions

Tips:

• Be realistic—overly aggressive projections hurt credibility
• Show you understand your numbers
• Highlight inflection points or milestones

Slide 12: The Ask

• How much you're raising
• What the funds will be used for (breakdown)
• Milestones you'll hit with this capital
• Expected timeline to next round

Example: "Raising $2M Seed to:

• $800K: Expand sales team (hire 4 AEs)
• $600K: Product development (build features X, Y)
• $400K: Marketing (scale paid acquisition)
• $200K: Operations (runway, infrastructure)

With this capital, we'll reach $5M ARR and profitability within 18 months."

Tips:

• Be specific about use of funds
• Show milestones justify next valuation
• Timeline to next funding round

Optional Slides (Appendix):

• Detailed product screenshots
• Customer testimonials/case studies
• Press coverage
• Additional financial details
• Full competitive analysis

3. Storytelling & Narrative

Hook Them Early:

• Start with compelling problem story
• Use personal connection if authentic
• Show you're solving something big and urgent

Narrative Arc:

1. Problem (current pain)
2. Solution (your innovation)
3. Traction (proof it works)
4. Opportunity (how big this can be)
5. Team (why you'll win)
6. Ask (partner with us)

Connecting the Dots:

• Each slide should flow logically
• Anticipated questions answered before asked
• Build momentum toward the ask

4. Design & Visual Best Practices

Keep It Simple:

• One idea per slide
• Minimal text (bullet points, not paragraphs)
• High-contrast, readable fonts
• Professional but not overly designed

Data Visualization:

• Charts over tables
• Growth lines clearly trending up
• Highlight key numbers in callouts

Brand Consistency:

• Consistent color scheme and fonts
• Logo on each slide (subtle, not distracting)
• Professional imagery

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• ✗ Walls of text
• ✗ Tiny fonts
• ✗ Complex jargon
• ✗ Too many slides (keep to 10-15)
• ✗ Unrealistic financial projections
• ✗ Ignoring competition
• ✗ Vague or missing ask

5. Pitch Delivery Tips

Timing:

• Aim for 10-15 minutes
• Leave time for Q&A
• Practice to stay on time

Storytelling:

• Don't read slides
• Make eye contact
• Show passion and confidence
• Use slides as visual aids, not script

Anticipate Questions:

• Prepare for objections
• Have backup slides ready
• Know your numbers cold
• Be honest about risks/unknowns

Follow-Up:

• Send deck within 24 hours
• Include additional materials
• Clear next steps

6. Deliverables

Pitch Deck (Presentation Version):

• 10-15 slides optimized for presenting
• Visual, minimal text
• Storytelling flow

Pitch Deck (Email Version):

• More detail on slides (can be read standalone)
• 12-18 slides
• Self-explanatory without narration

One-Pager (Teaser):

• Single-page summary
• Problem, solution, traction, team, ask
• Used for initial outreach

Financial Model:

• Detailed spreadsheet
• 3-5 year projections
• Assumptions and sensitivities
• For due diligence

Pitch Script/Speaker Notes:

• What to say on each slide
• Key points and transitions
• Timing guide

Q&A Prep Document:

• Anticipated questions
• Prepared answers
• Supporting data

Present complete pitch deck framework with slide-by-slide guidance, storytelling principles, design best practices, and delivery coaching to effectively communicate your vision and secure investor funding.