9 Essential Pages in a Fundraising Pitch Deck

Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #32 of VC Demystified🪄.

My name’s Nicole - I’m a Principal at an early stage venture fund, and I know firsthand that VC can often be a black box. Breaking into the industry may feel daunting and resources can seem scarce and inaccessible. I wanted to put together a newsletter to give others the playbook I wish I had when I first started.

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Today’s deep dive: The key pages in a fundraising pitch deck

My personal mission is to open as many doors as possible for other people and this newsletter is just one avenue to do that. As always, I will continue to post VC insights daily across my socials for those of you who prefer those channels.

The key pages in a fundraising pitch deck

In VC, the pitch deck is an important part of first impressions.

For founders, it’s a tool to distill your vision into a compelling story that captures attention and builds investor confidence.

For investors, it’s the first window into a company’s potential - its market opportunity, team, and roadmap for growth.

A well-constructed pitch deck not only increases a founder’s chances of securing funding but also makes an investor’s job easier by presenting critical information clearly and concisely.

Key Tips for Founders

• Be Concise: Limit to 8-12 slides.

• Be Visual: Use graphics and charts; avoid dense text.

• Tailor the Story: Align with the investor’s focus or fund thesis.

Key Tips for Investors

• Look for Red Flags: Unrealistic projections, unclear differentiation, or lack of market focus.

• Assess Team Strength: Their background and ability to execute are as crucial as the idea.

Mastering these 9 key slides will prepare you to either pitch or evaluate a company effectively.

Let’s get into it!

1. Problem

• Define the problem you’re solving.

• Make it relatable and specific - use data or anecdotes to highlight the pain point.

2. Product / Solution

• Show how your product solves the problem better than existing options.

• Include screenshots or examples to make it tangible.

• Tip: Include a demo link to your product here.

3. Team

• Highlight the key members of your team and their relevant experience.

• Emphasize why your team is uniquely positioned to solve this problem.

• Tip: Show your team’s history working together.

4. Market Opportunity

• Define the size of your addressable market (TAM, SAM, SOM).

• Demonstrate that the opportunity is large ($1B+) and growing.

• Show why now is the right time for this solution (e.g. new legislation, advancement in tech).

• Tip: This should be a bottom-up market sizing, not top-down.

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