The Founder Institute and Ben Chong, associate at Proper Click on Capital, take you thru the way to nail your startup pitch.

tl;dr Pitch Deck Templates

Don’t have time to learn the information? You may entry our Pitch Templates rapidly under.

One‑Sentence Pitch Template | Elevator Pitch Template | One‑Minute Pitch Template | Lengthy Angel/VC Template

Introduction

Should you’re like most founders, you in all probability take into consideration your startup 24/7. You get up within the morning brainstorming product options, and also you go to sleep at night time considering advertising campaigns.

You may’t keep in mind the final film you noticed on the theatre; your thought of a enjoyable, Saturday night time is collaborating with builders abroad. And stalking VCs on LinkedIn has change into a favorite pastime.

Ardour, exhausting work and a wholesome quantity of obsession are important elements to entrepreneurial success. Nevertheless, it’s not unusual for founders to change into hyper‑centered on preliminary concepts on the expense of an vital truth:

A startup founder’s final success depends on others shopping for into his or her imaginative and prescient.

Translation: Your progress is contingent upon your means to pitch the worth of who you’re, what you’re doing and why it issues. Reaching vital milestones like elevating enterprise capital, sourcing high expertise and buying new prospects all require the identical ability – telling a narrative that makes somebody say, “For certain!”

Typically you may have half-hour to make that occur; different occasions you may have 30 seconds. Regardless, your job is to obviously talk why a given viewers ought to care about your enterprise.

Bear in mind:

A startup founder’s final success depends on others shopping for into his or her imaginative and prescient.

“The aim of a presentation deck is to allow entrepreneurs to successfully inform the story of their enterprise. In some ways, it’s like a structured scientific proof. You need to stroll the listener by an argument as to why that is going to be an incredible enterprise,” says Invoice Gurley, basic associate at Benchmark Capital.

Considered one of your strongest instruments in reaching this goal is the pitch deck. Early‑stage founders can use templates to create visible shows that present transient overviews of enterprise worth propositions, market alternatives, and metrics.

On the Founder Institute, we see dozens of decks each week. Nearly all of them are fully forgettable as a result of somebody ignored just a few important elements to storytelling success.

Proper Click on Capital’s Ben Chong, who additionally runs the Founder Institute in Australia.

The fact? Phenomenal pitches aren’t thrown collectively in a weekend – they’re thoughtfully contemplated, examined and refined.

On this information, we’ll make a case for why founders ought to grasp The One‑Sentence Pitch, The Elevator Pitch, and The 1‑Minute Pitch earlier than tackling decks. We’ll additionally present pointers for establishing narratives, customising pitch deck templates and speaking with potential traders.

These are lots of the similar strategies Founder Institute alumni have used to acquire $1.85BN+ in funding.

Lastly, we’ll conclude with some examples of actual decks utilised by globally recognised startups. After studying this information, you’ll know precisely what it takes to create a compelling deck, give a memorable presentation and stand out from the group.

Let’s get began…

3 sorts of startup pitches

Suppose again to main faculty: Did your foray into your first language start with a 1,200‑web page copy of Warfare and Peace?

No, you began by studying easy phrases. Equally, you shouldn’t count on to assemble ‘the proper’ pitch deck instantly. As a substitute, start by establishing the only description of your enterprise potential: The One Sentence Pitch.

1. The One Sentence Pitch Template

As a startup founder, you’ll meet tons of of individuals at numerous conferences, occasions and conferences. Additionally, you will, routinely, introduce your self to finish strangers by e-mail. In such conditions, you may have seconds to pique somebody’s curiosity. And the easiest way to try this is a compelling One‑Sentence Pitch.

This one‑sentence assertion explains what you do, who you serve and why it issues in easy language. Founder Institute CEO and Co‑founder Adeo Ressi has developed an superior One Sentence Pitch Template, which you’ll see at FI.co/one‑sentence‑pitch. Use the template to craft your personal.

My Firm [name of company], is growing [a defined offering] to assist [a defined audience] [solve a problem] with [secret sauce].

Instance: My firm, the Founder Institute, is growing a startup accelerator to assist thought‑stage and pre‑seed entrepreneurs construct fundable companies with a structured methodology and international investor community.

Let’s undergo every of the gadgets

1. The outlined providing have to be brief, easy and able to being understood by everybody, like ‘an internet site’, ‘a cell utility’, ‘{hardware}’ or ‘desktop software program.’
2. The outlined viewers is the preliminary group of those who you’ll market your providing to. Within the case of client purposes, it’s normally a demographic, similar to ‘ladies age 25 to 35 years previous.’ Within the case of enterprise purposes, it’s normally a job operate at a sort of company, similar to ‘system directors at medium-sized know-how companies.’
3. Now that you’ve an providing serving to an viewers, you have to resolve an issue. The issue must be one thing that everybody understands, similar to ‘cut back the time accumulating invoice funds’ or ‘interact in an immersive leisure expertise.’
4. The ultimate part, the key sauce, provides your distinctive strategy to fixing the issue and demonstrates a mastery of the market. Some examples are ‘by sending automated e-mail alerts primarily based on evaluation of highest response occasions’ or ‘with digital worlds constructed in response to the actions of the gamers.’

Mediocre Elevator Pitch Instance

My firm Socialista,
Is growing a revolutionary, social utility
To assist feminine customers
Discover offers on-line sooner.

What’s improper with this pitch?

• The providing is imprecise: A ‘social utility’ may very well be a cellphone firm. The pitch ought to learn ‘ecommerce web site.’
• The adjectives are empty: This particular person might imagine their enterprise is revolutionary, however it’s an over‑inflated declare. Let the numbers communicate for themselves!
• The viewers is imprecise: It may very well be extra clearly outlined (e.g. feminine customers between the ages of 18 and 25)
• The issue isn’t apparent: Why can’t the goal client use search engines like google to seek out offers on-line? Why is that this platform higher than her present choices?

Together with these particulars implies the particular person has achieved their homework, is aware of their stuff and has a viable enterprise thought.

Improved Elevator Pitch Instance

My firm Socialista,
Is growing an ecommerce web site
To assist feminine customers between the ages of 18‑25
Store for hip, child merchandise at wholesale costs,
With automated ordering of diapers and different staples.

As you’ll be able to see, the Elevator Pitch format is deceptively easy. The important thing to standing out is (a) being tremendous particular, and (b) emphasising your startup’s ‘secret sauce.’ On this case, the founder’s distinctive differentiator is offering a trendy answer at an unusually reasonably priced value. Mastering this train is extraordinarily useful in refining Distinctive Worth Propositions.

2. The Elevator Pitch Template

When you’ve articulated your One‑Sentence Pitch, you’re able to increase into a correct Elevator Pitch.

Our Elevator Pitch Template begins along with your One‑Sentence Pitch, after which expands to incorporate the solutions to those key questions:

1. Why Now? Timing could make or break an organization. Why is NOW the best time for this?
2. Why You? Nice corporations begin with nice folks. Why are YOU (or your crew) the best folks to execute on this?
3. What’s Your Ask? Everyone seems to be a possible connector or supply of suggestions. At all times be asking — whether or not it’s for funding, potential collaborators, potential companions, advisors… and even simply suggestions!

2. The One-Minute Investor Pitch Template

When you’ve articulated your Elevator Pitch, if you’re elevating cash then you’re prepared to maneuver on to the One‑Minute Pitch. Right here you’ll be able to add a number of key particulars to your Elevator Pitch which can be related to traders: similar to market measurement, differentiators, and many others.

Take a look at the simple‑to‑use ‘One Minute Pitch Template‘ from the Founder Institute.

Getting ready to Pitch Buyers

Earlier than you start creating your pitch deck, it’s vital to contemplate the angle of potential traders.

Prime VCs see and listen to dozens of pitches per week, each in‑particular person and through e-mail. Luminary Silicon Valley enterprise capital agency Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) hears from round 3,000 startups annually. What number of of these corporations procure investments? Solely 15 of them.

Pre‑requisites for Pitching to Buyers

As Mike Suprovici (Founder Institute EIR) lays out in his Startup Information: The right way to Elevate the First Spherical of Funding for Your Startup, earlier than you even start to strategy traders, you want the next:

• A robust startup thought that’s vetted and backed by stable market analysis. See this startup thought information from the Founder Institute
• A prototype, a patent, or a proof of idea for the ultimate thought
• A easy and scalable startup monetary mannequin that reveals not less than $10M in income after 3 years. See this income forecasting template from Aaron Patzer, Founding father of Mint.com and FI Mentor
• A robust 10 to fifteen web page presentation that meets traders’ expectations. We’ll talk about this within the part under
• An integrated entity with a sensible capitalisation desk (‘Cap desk’). See this easy cap desk from Enterprise Hacks
• The flexibility to stop your job and reside for six months on financial savings whilst you conclude the financing and launch the enterprise
• Metrics that match into these Startup Benchmarks

One other issue to contemplate is what sort of investor you’re approaching. Contemplate the stage of your personal firm, earlier than attempting to pitch to sure traders. Do you meet their pre‑requisites? In case you are elevating your first spherical of funding, then you’re probably nonetheless at a pre‑angel or angel funding stage. Consequently, you need to NOT attempt to pitch enterprise capitalists.

What Buyers Need to See in a Pitch

In case you are able to pitch angels or enterprise capitalists, it’s essential to grasp what these traders are in search of. To face out, your pitch should embody each (a) the particular informational elements traders are searching for, and (b) a memorable story that illustrates a compelling alternative.

Buyers make selections primarily based on return and threat: How massive of a return might they obtain? And what may stop them from receiving that return? Most VCs need a 10-20x return.

As a founder, your job is to persuade traders your startup gives the best potential return, with the least quantity of threat, compared to the others on their checklist.

1. Market Threat: Are you addressing a big, rising market?
2. Product Threat: Do you may have a sustainable aggressive benefit?
3. Execution Threat: Can your crew ‘pull it off?’

“The largest problem of creating a memorable deck is constructing a storyline that echoes exterior of the pitch deck. This implies constructing a storyline that’s not solely simple for traders to recollect, but additionally a storyline that’s simple for them to repeat to different potential traders.”

Jasmine Foroutan, CEO and Founding father of Pitch Genius, says, traders need greater than rote slideshows

What Makes a Startup ‘Fundable’?

Throughout certainly one of Naval Ravikant’s (founding father of AngelList) talks on the Founder Institute, he described ‘The Anatomy of a Fundable Startup’, which you’ll watch under:

Equally, when Aaron Patzer (founding father of Mint.com) described his Pitching Secrets and techniques to the Founder Institute, he outlined 4 primary questions traders will ask themselves each time they consider a startup pitch:

1. Does it resolve an issue?
2. Does it resolve that drawback in an enormous market?
3. Is it one thing that has a aggressive or sustainable benefit?
4. Are you able to earn money or make a revenue?

Handle these 4 questions, and you’ll have a a lot greater probability of attracting funding from skilled traders.

Tips

Consider your deck like a visible marketing strategy. Your goal is to succinctly illustrate your data of {the marketplace}, enterprise mannequin, and {qualifications} for execution.

A normal deck consists of 10 to 14 slides. What’s the commonest mistake made by new founders? Offering an excessive amount of element, too quickly. Jenny Lefcourt, Normal Companion at Freestyle Capital, cautions early-stage founders in opposition to making this error:

What’s actually vital just isn’t to enter the weeds of all the main points as a result of what you’re attempting to do is give them sufficient data that they need extra data. Your objective at assembly No. 1 is to get folks sufficient that they need assembly No. 2.

Do:

• Keep away from extreme textual content
• Use giant fonts which can be simple to learn
• Embody vibrant charts, statistics and graphics
• Label every slide (e.g. drawback, answer, crew)

Don’t:

• Embody unsubstantiated development projections
• Describe extraneous hiring particulars
• Use tons of bullet factors
• Inflate your capabilities

Make Two Decks

Many founders are stunned to study they want two decks: (1) an in depth model that may be shared with traders through e-mail, and (2) a simplified model that may be elaborated upon in particular person.

It’s not unusual for traders to request to see a deck earlier than agreeing to fulfill. For that reason, your “studying” model ought to embody sufficient element to face alone.

Conversely, a regular deck needs to be streamlined to make sure traders spend extra time listening and fewer time studying. A lot of the shows out there for on-line viewing showcase “listening” decks.

We suggest starting with the development of the “studying” deck, which may then be edited for pitch shows.

Telling a Story

Is there a RIGHT technique to organise a pitch deck? The reply is each sure and no. By way of data supplied, there are particular factors you completely should cowl. Nevertheless, you may have inventive freedom when organising and presenting your slides, and telling a compelling narrative is paramount in delivering a powerful pitch.

Learn our Pitch Construction Information https://www.startupdaily.web/recommendation/pitching/how-to-pitch-a-startup-founder-institute/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-pitch-a-startup-founder-institute.

The right way to Ace Your Presentation

Listed below are a few of Adeo Ressi’s finest pitch presentation suggestions:

• Maintain it beneath 10 minutes: Be respectful of your viewers’s time, and summarise your concepts into a quick presentation
• Inform a narrative: Don’t simply discuss numbers – take your viewers on a journey of why this enterprise issues
• Have a transparent UVP: Buyers usually hear dozens of shows every week. Stand out with an actual distinctive worth proposition
• Present your ardour: Don’t be afraid to let traders see your pleasure over your thought
• Anticipate questions: Although it might not seem to be it, getting interrupted is an effective factor; it reveals your viewers is listening and cares sufficient to voice their issues. Suppose by solutions to potential questions forward of time

Investor Pet Peeves

Buyers hearken to a ton of pitches, so it’s only pure for them to see (and be barely irritated) by widespread errors.

One of many greatest pet peeves of Manu Kumar, of K9 Ventures, is when presenters say they are going to reply a query later:

“You need to observe the move. When anyone asks you a query, that’s the best time to deal with the query. Even when it means you must leap forward or leap again.”

Through the years, we’ve spoken with a number of VCs who echo this sentiment — entrepreneurs should exhibit flexibility, spontaneity and willingness to “leap off” script. Chances are you’ll be keen to speak about your crew as a result of it’s within the subsequent slide. Nevertheless, the investor sitting in entrance of you could care extra about buyer acquisition prices.

Which is why practising your pitch in low‑stakes conditions is SO vital. The extra acquainted you change into with addressing sudden interruptions, the extra confidently you’ll deal with diversions in conferences that matter.

Adeo Ressi (CEO of the Founder Institute) has one thing that frustrates him much more:

“Considered one of my greatest pet peeves is when founders pitch me a enterprise, and so they don’t clearly outline who their buyer is. Should you don’t know The Who, it’s very exhausting for me to grasp The What or The How.”

See extra investor pet peeves from funding consultants Manu Kumar of K9 Ventures, James Cham of Bloomberg Beta, Adeo Ressi of the Founder Institute, and Alex Gurevich of Javelin Enterprise Companions under.

The underside‑line

Delivering “the proper pitch” takes apply. It’s regular to really feel nervous earlier than talking to a room stuffed with strangers. Nevertheless, the extra you do it, the simpler it turns into. Founders who need to expedite progress ought to contemplate becoming a member of an intensive accelerator program.

Profitable Pitch Examples

Beneath are some examples of decks and shows – from each massive and small names – which have resulted in funding.

Discover the widespread components we’ve mentioned woven all through the decks. And pay attention to any presentation methods that may be advantageous to your startup.

Pitch Deck Examples

Pitch Presentation Examples

Must you examine the pitch shows of legends like Steve Jobs, Marc Benioff and Elon Musk? Completely.

Nevertheless, it’s usually useful to observe entrepreneurs who’re much less eliminated out of your present stage of enterprise. Beneath are some pitch shows from up‑and‑coming Founder Institute Alumni:

Conclusion

Developing a pitch deck is an important part of delivering a compelling funding presentation. A profitable deck clearly articulates a audience, an issue price fixing and a scalable answer.

It additionally mitigates the three sorts of threat traders care most about: Product Threat, Market Threat and Execution Threat.

Nevertheless, displaying one thing ‘technically appropriate’ isn’t sufficient. For higher or worse, most traders affiliate good storytelling with entrepreneurial functionality.

Subsequently, ‘mastering the pitch’ is essential for founders desirous to safe enterprise capital. The best technique to improve your entrepreneurial storytelling abilities and enhance your pitch is to affix a startup neighborhood devoted to your success.

• About The Founder Institute

The Founder Institute is a 3‑month accelerator program designed to rework pre‑seed founders into storytellers able to reaching funding. We offer members with weekly enterprise mentoring, pitch deck suggestions and loads of pitch apply alternatives.

Our startup curriculum is led by main startup consultants with confirmed monitor information of success. This strategy has led to greater than 7,500 corporations launching and elevating $1.85BN+ in funding.

The subsequent program on the Founder Institute in Australia/New Zealand begins in February 2026. Purposes are open now.