Company Name

Month 20XX

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The Problem

• Start by highlighting the problem at hand in a clear and compelling manner. Create a clear narrative that will resonate with your audience and create a lightbulb moment. A problem statement should introduce tension in the market that you have a quick solution to solve.��When crafting your problem statement, you should focus on the potential side effects of it being left unresolved. Make your assertion focused, concrete and straight to the point. You should emphasize the urgency of the problem and look to evoke empathy by making personal connections.

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The Solution

• Take time to get your solution statement right. The shorter and sweeter your fix is, the more memorable it will be for investors. Often founders are too close to their product to hone in on one core value proposition. In this case, step away from the details and look to focus on what makes your customers most satisfied.��Your solution when finished should be as short as a sentence. Your value proposition should not need an explanation and should be concise enough to fit into one slide. Remember to tie your solution directly to the problem you already addressed. Otherwise, if you offer too many solutions, you can quickly look misaligned and not ready for an investment. 

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The Market Opportunity

• Before jumping too far into the details, it’s essential to show that there is a pathway to profit. Investors want to quickly understand the scale of the problem and the market potential.��Set the stage by developing three core personas that wrap into one larger market segment, each bringing a unique angle for your product. To achieve this, create a slide view of the market size and opportunity.��Be sure to tailor your market to your product. If you are focusing on a direct-to-consumer model, include demographics including income, location, and age. For B2B companies, focus on the size of your market through key metrics such as business size, potential market capitalization, location, or potential integrations.

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Business Model

Once you have offered your problem, solution, and how you fit in – show your audience how exactly you will execute your idea.��This section of your deck is where you begin to win investors. Make your business model clear by sharing:

• Business structure
• Gross revenue
• Pricing models
• Profit margins
• Marketing and sales plans
• Once you have these pieces down you should be prepared to define how you landed on your estimates and how they hold up.��If your business is in a pre-revenue or idea stage, include compelling projections and clear competitor models that underline how your offering is inclined to grow in the market. Remember that angel investors and venture capitalists want to invest in a business that’s sure to succeed.

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Competitive analysis

• When it comes to competition, it’s important to show that there’s no one quite like you. An effective way to do that is to go back to the problem statement to remind your audience that you have the best solution for it.��This part of your presentation is one of the most essential.��Understanding your competition is just as important as understanding your product and customer. It is critical to showcase a thorough competitive analysis to show that you know the market and have the potential to outshine the rest.��The Gartner Magic Quadrant is the gold standard for tech startups who are looking to wow investors. It uses a grid format to categorize players across leaders, visionaries, challengers, and niche players.��No matter where you land in the quadrant, it is important to use numbers and facts to prove that you know your market and are the leader of your pack.

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Team

• Once you’ve defined the competitor landscape in the market, introducing your team can be an excellent way to back up your track record for success. Be sure to showcase the strengths and successes that your team, investors, customers, or partners bring to the table. A track record of success will always make it easier to raise funds.��Include the following details to validate your expertise:
• Background and work history of founders
• Subject matter expertise and core skills of the team
• Total years of experience 
• Management and business skills 

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Financial Projections

• Seasoned investors want to be sure that founders have a good grasp of their market and product. In fact, investors often use projections to ensure that founders understand their market and numbers well enough to be worthy of sustaining an investment.��When you create your projections you should demonstrate how your business model will be successful. A helpful approach is to have a tiered model for your forecast. Start by sharing your historical financial records to date. Then, simply include your revenues, gross profits, and net profits, on a month-by-month basis. Always be prepared to back up your assumptions and call out any metrics that could cause pause.��When you craft your projections it’s important to shoot for a 3- to 5-year runway into the future. This will give investors enough time to see their short-term earning potential and a view into how the business will fare in the long run. 

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Funding Request

• Asking for funding is the point in your presentation where you must wrap all the pieces into one compelling ask. Go into the funding request with a clear and precise number. You should be able to deftly detail exactly how you landed at your request valuation, the ways it will support the business, and the results the capital infusion will produce.  Remember to detail how the investment will enable key milestones. It’s also important to integrate details on product development, your break-even point, and earning potential.��Many founders think their role is to convince investors to buy into their business. Try a different angle by displaying the money, vision, and accomplishments they will miss out on if they do not invest in your company. At the end of the day, you are likely looking for a strategic partner – not just a capital infusion.

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