What is a pitch deck and what should it include?

Full Explanation

Most pitch decks follow this structure: (1) Title Slide (company name, tagline); (2) Problem (customer pain, market opportunity); (3) Solution (your product, why it is better); (4) Market Size (total addressable market, serviceable available market, target segment); (5) Business Model (how you make money, pricing, unit economics); (6) Traction (customers, revenue, growth rates, engagement metrics); (7) Competitive Landscape (competitors, your differentiation); (8) Go-to-Market Strategy (how you acquire customers); (9) Financial Projections (3-year P&L and cash flow); (10) Team (founders, key advisors, relevant experience); (11) The Ask (capital needed, use of funds); (12) Closing Slide (key takeaway). Keep decks to 10-15 slides for live pitches; more (20-30 slides) for leave-behind or video pitches. Each slide should make one key point; avoid text-heavy slides. Use clear, professional design. Practice delivery extensively — many pitches succeed or fail based on how they are told, not just content. For early-stage companies, traction and team are the stars; for growth-stage, metrics and market story take priority. Tailor the deck to the audience: emphasise different elements depending on whether you are pitching angels, seed VCs, growth VCs, or strategics.

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