Pitch deck

The short presentation used to raise money. Ten to fifteen slides.

What it means

A pitch deck presents the problem, the solution, the market, the model, the traction, the team, the competition, the financials and the ask.

Why it matters

Investors see many and read few closely. The purpose of the deck is to get a meeting, not to answer every question.

What it looks like in practice

Traction is the slide that matters most. Revenue, customers, retention or usage beats any amount of market sizing.\n\nBe explicit about the ask: how much, for what, and what it buys in milestones.

What to watch out for

A TAM slide with a large number and no bottom-up working. Investors discount it automatically.

Where to get proper advice

Your investors' own portfolio companies, and the many published deck templates. A corporate finance adviser if you are raising seriously.