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Writer's pictureDen Tkachenko

The Art and Science of Crafting a Compelling Pitch Deck: Insights from Top Performer

Updated: Oct 17

Greetings, ambitious entrepreneurs and future market disruptors. As someone who's been in the trenches of startup pitching and advised countless founders, I've had the privilege of analyzing pitch decks from the crème de la crème of the startup world. Today, I'm going to share with you the distilled wisdom from the top 100 pitch decks, including heavy hitters like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Tinder.


Buckle up, because we're about to embark on a journey through the ten essential elements that can transform your pitch deck from a mere PowerPoint presentation into a funding magnet. And don't worry, I promise this will be more entertaining than watching paint dry on your prototype.





The 10 Pillars of a Pitch Deck That Opens Wallets


1. Problem Statement: The "Why" Behind Your Sleepless Nights

Remember how Dropbox elegantly highlighted the pain of file-sharing across devices? That's your north star. Articulate a problem so visceral that investors start nodding before you even mention your solution. If you can make them feel the pain, you're halfway to making them reach for their checkbooks.

AirBNB PD Sample


2. Solution: Your "Eureka!" Moment, Minus the Bathtub

This is where you unveil your brainchild. Tinder's simple swipe mechanic wasn't just a feature; it was a revolution in digital dating. What's your game-changer? Present it with the confidence of Archimedes but, please, keep your clothes on.

Uber PD


3. Market Opportunity: Proving You're Not Fishing in a Puddle

Investors want oceans, not ponds. Square masterfully showcased the vast, underserved market of small businesses needing payment solutions. Your job is to paint a picture of a market so large that even a small slice of the pie could feed a small country.


Important to mention the TAM, SAM and SOM Market graphics. I have not found any good example from the real pitch decks that are open to re-post (new pitch decks are under NDA and we can not publish them).


TAM, SAM, and SOM are essential metrics used in market analysis to evaluate the potential market for a product or service, helping investors and founders understand the scope and scalability of a business.

  • TAM (Total Addressable Market) represents the overall revenue opportunity available if the product or service were to achieve 100% market share in a perfect world. It’s the broadest figure and reflects the size of the entire market demand for the product.

  • SAM (Serviceable Available Market) narrows it down to the portion of TAM that your product can realistically serve based on its features, pricing, or geographic reach. SAM excludes parts of the market that your product cannot or will not address.

  • SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) is the segment of SAM that your company can capture in the short term. It accounts for current competition, distribution limitations, and resources, providing a realistic view of what your product can achieve in the near future.


In a pitch deck, these metrics help investors understand how big the opportunity is and how achievable it is for your business. You can represent TAM, SAM, and SOM using concentric circles to visually show the potential reach of your product from the broadest to the most immediate market segment. This information is crucial for outlining growth potential, justifying the scalability of your product, and setting realistic market share goals.

Square PD


4. Traction: Show You're Not Just Another Garage Dream

Early wins are your golden tickets. WhatsApp and Dropbox let their user growth numbers speak volumes. Whether it's users, revenue, or that glowing tweet from Elon Musk (okay, maybe not that last one), flaunt your early successes like a peacock in mating season.


5. Business Model: The "How We'll Be Printing Money" Slide

Subscriptions? Advertising? SaaS? Whatever your revenue strategy, make it crystal clear. Buffer's straightforward subscription model was music to investors' ears. Your model should be so clear that even your grandmother could explain it (and maybe invest her bingo winnings).

Buffer PD


6. Competitive Landscape: Proving You're the Thoroughbred, Not the Dark Horse

This is where you diplomatically throw shade. Uber effectively communicated why they were the Ferrari in a world of horse-drawn carriages. Highlight your unique value proposition without resorting to trash talk. Remember, we're aiming for "confident and insightful," not "arrogant and delusional."


Fibery Source


7. Go-to-Market Strategy: Your Roadmap to World Domination

Outline your battle plan for conquering the market. Whether it's growth hacking, strategic partnerships, or good old-fashioned elbow grease, show that you've thought through how to scale efficiently. Bonus points if you can do it without using the phrase "it'll go viral."

Backstartup PD


8. Financial Projections: When Excel Sheets Become Crystal Balls

It's time to don your fortune-teller hat and crunch those numbers. Present clear, realistic financial forecasts. Include projected revenue, burn rate, and customer acquisition costs. Yes, these are educated guesses, but they should be educated enough to show you didn't just consult a Magic 8 Ball.

Front PD


9. Team: Introducing Your Avengers

Investors don't just fund ideas; they fund people. Highlight your team's expertise and experience. This is your chance to show why your squad is uniquely qualified to turn this idea into the next unicorn. If you can't assemble an all-star team, at least show that you can build one.

Lexop PD


10. Use of Funds: Proving You're Not Planning a Trip to Vegas

Be specific about how you'll use the investment. "Making our product awesome" is not a line item. Break it down - development, marketing, hiring that AI ethicist (because someone has to keep Skynet in check). Show that every dollar has a job.

Stock PD (from basetemplates.com)


The Secret Sauce: Design That Doesn't Make Eyes Bleed

Now, let's talk aesthetics. A beautifully designed deck isn't just eye candy; it's a testament to your attention to detail and your ability to communicate clearly. Think of it as the difference between showing up to a pitch meeting in a bespoke suit versus your lucky sweatpants. First impressions count, even in the digital realm.


The Investment Moto: Spending Money to Make Money

I can hear the bootstrappers now: "But professional design is expensive!" True, but consider this: your pitch deck could be the difference between funding your dream-project and moving back into your parents' basement. It's not an expense; it's an investment in your caviar-and-champagne dreams.


Parting Words of Wisdom

Remember, every tech giant started with a pitch. Your deck is your chance to show investors why they'd be certifiably insane not to jump on your bandwagon. So channel your inner Steve Jobs (turtleneck optional), craft a deck that tells your story with precision and passion, and go make those VCs weak in the knees.


Your future self - the one running a successful, well-funded startup - will thank you for the blood, sweat, and tears you put into this deck. Now go forth and conquer! And if all else fails, just remember: at least you're not pitching a Juicero 2.0.


P.S. If you find yourself tempted to include clip art or Comic Sans in your deck, please turn in your founder badge and gently step away from the computer. We're trying to secure funding, not win a middle school PowerPoint competition.


P.P.S. Some of the VC are looking for the Exit strategy in he pitch. Make sure to add that information somewhere or at least know what to tell if they ask.


Advice from Y-Comb



As you may noticed, we are using AI to make pre-production of your pitch decks. However, each deck has a human fine-tuning. Alternatively, you can try your skills in AI Generators:


On the final note, here are the 3 key pillar of any successful pitch deck:

  1. Bold

  2. Optimistic

  3. Real-data backed


If you need a professional pouch to your pitch deck, drop us a line at design@pxl1.net.

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