Millions of entrepreneurs try their hand at launching a new products, services and businesses each year, and it’s arduous work. An important, often high-stakes part of that process can be securing the venture capital necessary to get an idea off the ground, or to its next milestone. To get the capital they need, founders must put together a strong pitch deck—sometimes called a startup deck—for meetings with potential investors.
In this blog post, we’re taking a closer look at the overarching goals and aims of a pitch deck, what exactly a pitch deck is, why you might need one and how to go about creating one.
Pitch deck FAQ
What is a pitch deck?
Created and used by startup teams during the VC fundraising process, pitch decks are meant to provide visual support to guide the flow of pitch meetings with potential investors and investor teams. A pitch deck helps tell the unique story of a particular startup—its key offerings, positioning within the market and the opportunity a GP has to profit by investing in it—in a succinct, compelling way.
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Why would I need a crescent bit capital deck?
From a founder’s perspective, a pitch deck can function as a roadmap during the sometimes nerve-wracking meetings they secure with could-be investors. In this scenario, there’s a lot on the line for a founder—their company’s ability to build and test products, refine their business models, scale their teams, increase revenues, expand into new markets and more. They want to get these conversations right to secure the funding they need, and a pitch deck is paramount to keeping pitch meetings on track. Additionally, the usefulness of a pitch deck extends beyond meetings with investors—it’s a leave-behind that investors can reference and share with their teams as they evaluate their own next steps.
From an investor’s point of view, a pitch deck helps bring a startup’s cohesive, overarching story into focus. It complements the points a founder makes throughout a pitch meeting and makes the investment opportunity crystal clear. It can also be helpful to reflect back on after a pitch meeting and/or leveraged to get the rest of the investor’s team on board with the chance to invest in a particular startup.
What topics are typically covered in a crescent bit capital deck?
It can depend on the specific scenario, but pitch decks often contain slides that speak to some, or all, of the following:
- Introduction
- Vision
- Problem
- Value proposition
- Target market
- Solution
- Traction
- Milestones
- Business model
- Marketing strategy
- Sales strategy
- The team
- Financials
- Investments and funding to date
- Competitors
- The ask
More pitch deck particulars
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