business plan pitch deck template

Pitch deck templates

Confidently present your product or service to investors, partners, or potential customers with our library of free pitch deck templates.

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Blog Graphic Design 15 Business Pitch Deck Templates to Win New Clients and Investors

15 Business Pitch Deck Templates to Win New Clients and Investors

Written by: Sara McGuire Nov 29, 2023

Need funding for your business? Want to explain ideas to potential clients? Looking to seal the deal with new partners?

You need to convince the right people to get behind your idea and creating an impactful pitch deck is a great way to impress your audience–quickly.

Not a designer? Use a pitch deck template to build a persuasive, engaging presentation that hits all the key elements of your business in a short time.

In this post, we’ll look at pitch deck templates that are sure to make an impression, including templates based on famous pitch decks by Airbnb and Uber.

Click to jump ahead:

• Business pitch deck templates
• Investor pitch deck templates
• Startup pitch deck templates
• Successful pitch deck examples
• Pitch deck design best practices
• Business pitch decks FAQ

1. Business pitch deck templates

A business pitch not only sets the tone for successful presentations but is also valuable beyond the scope of a boss or consultant.

They’re about drumming up new clients, making sales, pitching a partnership or trying to convince new vendors or suppliers to work with you.

In this section, we’re going to look at pitch decks that are not geared towards raising money from investors. That said, any of the templates in this post can be customized for your specific needs.

Client marketing pitch deck template

Marketing, branding or other creative agencies need a pitch deck that’s out of the box.

A subtle way to do that is to pick a creative design motif to use throughout your presentation . Your motif could be something like a recurring shape or a recurring object (like a leaf for growth).

For example, this business pitch deck template uses circles as the main design motif throughout the presentation.

Iconics pitch deck template

This marketing-focused pitch deck template keeps the focus where it should be–on results and numbers. There isn’t too much text, just hard proof.

Further Reading : Our blog post on how to write a business proposal , with templates

2. Investor pitch deck templates

Investor pitch decks are a critical document along with your presentation, they help an investor decide whether to keep considering your business for investment–or take a hard pass.

Make sure your content flows well and don’t fixate on your technology. During pitches, investors will also want to hear about the market, your operating principles, potential outcomes etc. You also need to tell a compelling story about your company.

In sum, a pitch deck needs to be just engaging enough for an investor to take the next step: due diligence , meaning reviewing factors such as your business model and management team.

Investor pitch deck PowerPoint template

This pitch deck format is so popular because it manages to explain Airbnb’s business plan in an incredibly straightforward and simple manner.

We’ve reimagined their famous investor pitch deck format in this template that can be customized and exported to PowerPoint:

Just so you know, all of our templates can be exported in PowerPoint format and presented using PowerPoint using Venngage for Business .

Investor pitch deck outline

Another investor pitch deck outline you can refer to is Guy Kawasaki’s 10-slide outline based on his 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint .

Using this outline will force you to focus only on the most important concepts in your business plan.

It should also help keep investors and VCs engaged during your presentation. For one of the presentation examples in our list, we’ve reimagined Kawasaki’s outline in this clean, crystal clear template you can edit to make your own.

Red investor pitch deck template

This bold investor pitch deck template mixes big, bold fonts and gorgeous photos. It looks at three critical factors: a problem, a market opportunity and a solution.

Blue investor pitch deck template

This investor pitch deck on the other hand uses three different layouts to keep the audience engaged.

Other ways to add variety to your slide include swapping out the background image, or inverting the colors.

You could also use different types of charts–as long as the charts you choose effectively communicate your information.

Minimalist marketing pitch deck template

This simple pitch deck template includes a section on proposed marketing tactics. Since the design elements in this template are universal, it can be adapted for any industry.

Franchise pitch deck template

Here’s a pitch deck template that grabs your audience’s attention and sparks excitement about your business from the very first or second page.

Set the scene by identifying a problem and how your business plans to solve it. Keep it short –tell your story in one slide, like in the example below.

Pick your words carefully–they should be precise and compelling. Use visuals like photos, charts and icons to illustrate the problem and solution and appeal to your audience’s emotions.

For example, this business pitch deck template uses a call to action right off the bat to engage the audience.

Further Reading : Our growth strategy checklist will teach you how to plan your business goals

3. Startup pitch deck templates

A startup pitch deck outlines a business’s key elements, value proposition and growth potential to secure investment and partnerships.

Your pitch deck isn’t the place to go into the nitty-gritty of your business. That’s what due diligence is for–the “audit” of your business post-pitch. BetaKit has a great guide on how to prepare for due diligence.

That being said, if there’s a core process that you think will help sell your business, then you may want to summarize it in your pitch deck.

Startup pitch deck outline

Uber’s startup pitch deck has an outline well worth copying.

With sections such as key differentiators, operating principles, environmental benefits, market composition and future optimizations, you’ll be answering investor and VC questions upfront.

We’ve reimagined the Uber pitch deck format in a new sharp, modern template you can customize yourself.

Purple startup pitch deck template

Showing how your business works can help inspire confidence in your investors. Use a mini-infographic to visualize your process and remember to keep text brief. Take a look at the second and third slide in the business pitch deck template below.

Green startup pitch deck template

Not sure how to lay out your information in an organized way? Try thinking of your layout as two or more columns.

Look at how this business pitch deck template uses two-column and three-column layouts for organized, readable slides.

Yellow startup pitch deck template

Investors will be keen to know who’s on your team, if any of the founders have technical ability, how long you’ve known each other etc.

Photos of your team in your pitch deck will help investors understand your business better. Images appeal to your audience’s emotions and put faces to the numbers.

But pictures can take up a lot of real estate so use them as slide headers and slide backgrounds instead.

Take a look at how this business pitch deck incorporates photos of the team at work.

Further Reading : Learn how to create a business plan that will inspire confidence in potential investors

4. Successful business pitch examples

Analyzing successful pitch decks can offer valuable insights into crafting your own. With all of the tips I’ve given you so far, you probably already have ideas for your own pitch deck design. But in case you still need more inspiration, here are business pitch examples from some big-name companies.

Moz pitch deck

Once called SEOMoz, Moz has since grown to become one if the leading SEO tools. But back when they were still in the stages of needing funding, they used this deck to raise more than $18 million.

This pitch deck is a good example of how you can use fun visual slides to break up the monotony of text slides.

Check out the full business pitch here:

  SEOmoz Pitch Deck July 2011   from  Rand Fishkin

Foursquare pitch deck

This is the first business pitch deck that Foursquare showed to investors. They use a phone motif throughout their slides, which emphasizes the mobility of their product. This is a great example of how visual motifs can help drive home key ideas about your business.

Foursquare’s 1st Pitch Deck   from  Rami Al-Karmi

BuzzFeed pitch deck

BuzzFeed are a highly visual platform and their original pitch deck reflects that. Their presentation uses minimal text, relying instead on visuals to demonstrate their value. Remember the classic saying: show, don’t tell!

Do you think there are any other great business pitch examples worth mentioning? Comment below with your suggestions!

How to create a pitch deck for clients

Crafting a compelling pitch deck for clients can turn a meeting into a successful partnership. Follow these steps to create a pitch deck that showcases your value:

1. Know your audience

Before diving in, research your potential client. Understand their industry, challenges and goals. This will help you tailor your pitch to their specific needs.

2. Structure your narrative

Craft a clear narrative with a problem/solution or opportunity structure by:

• Highlighting a common pain point your client faces and present your product or service as the solution.
• Identifying an opportunity for growth in your client’s business and showcase how your expertise unlocks that potential.

3. Personalise your pitch deck

A generic one-size-fits-all pitch deck can be unconvincing. Here’s how to personalize it for each client and make it truly shine:

• Keep your presentation sweet and simple within 10-12 slides to make it easy for your audiences to digest.
• Use high-quality visuals, charts and icons to break up text and engage the audience.
• Back up your claims with statistics and data relevant to your client’s industry.

4. Clearly explain your marketing strategy

To explain your marketing strategy in a way that resonates, be sure to include:

• Overview : Briefly outline your main goals and objectives.
• Target audience : Describe who your marketing efforts will focus on.
• Channels and tactics : Explain the methods you’ll use to reach your audience.
• Content plan : Summarize the type of content you’ll create and share.
• Differentiation : Highlight what makes your strategy unique.
• Metrics : Share the key indicators you’ll use to track success.
• Budget and timeline : Provide an overview of resources and deadlines.
• Risk management : Address potential challenges and your plan to handle them.
• Conclusion : Recap your strategy and invite questions.

5. Refine and practice

Before your big pitch, run your slides by a colleague to help you spot anything confusing and practice your presentation to make sure you feel confident delivering it.

Business pitch deck design best practices

Creating an effective business pitch deck involves several key design practices to capture attention and convey information clearly. To help you navigate through this process, here are some best practices:

Start with a template slide layout and vary the design

A business pitch deck template can be a lifesaver if you’re new to designing presentations.

The slide layouts , font sizes and image suggestions are all there–all you have to do is insert your own text and customize the design elements like logos , photos,  fonts , icons and  colors .

Keep you pitch deck relatively short

Some experts argue your pitch deck should be as short as 10 slides , while others will recommend somewhere in the 15-20 slide range .

It’s generally considered best practice not to go over 20 slides;  most people probably won’t have the attention span for more.

Dedicate each slide to only one topic

Here’s the #1  presentation design tip  you need to know: don’t try to cram too much information into one slide!

If you were presented with a slide showing a wall of text, would you actually read the whole thing?

Even if you did, you might not get a chance to finish before the presenter moves on.

Pick one focused topic for each slide and stick with it.

For example, dedicate one slide to summarizing the problem your business is aiming to solve. Then, focus one slide on summarizing the solution your business offers.

Remember: you should only include your most compelling information in your pitch deck. You can go into more detail in your speech.

Visualize information using charts, icons and infographics

Want to avoid text? Use visuals to present information.

Visualize data using charts,  infographics  and pictograms  (“picture charts”). Keep the charts relatively simple. A complex chart will be hard for your audience to read and understand while you’re presenting.

Use charts to present key metrics like traction your business has gained, or your profit growth. You can use an infographic to visualize a process or to break down concepts. Our post on picking charts will help you decide what chart is best for what data.

Here’s a business pitch example that uses charts and diagrams to present metrics in an engaging way.

To create engaging diagrams for presentations, try out our diagram maker .

Use icons to reinforce points

Icons can be used as symbols or visual cues to guide your audience’s eyes towards specific points on your slides. That’s why it’s often effective to put an icon beside a header or beside a key metric.

When picking icons for your slides, make sure that the icons have a consistent style throughout the presentation. That means sticking to flat icons, or sticking to line art icons.

Take a look at the icons in this business pitch deck example. They all have the same line art style, which pairs well with the thin decorative header font.

Make bold design choices that show confidence in your pitch

To convince people to hire you, invest in your business or join you as a partner, they need to feel confident that your business will deliver.

A confident pitch deck design is one way to do this. For example, using punchy, concise phrasing using bold fonts will help make an impact on your audience. An intense color scheme will grab your audience’s attention and show you’re not shy about your pitch.

Take this business pitch deck template. It doesn’t mince words and the bold fonts and color scheme convey confidence.

Show your business’s personality in your design

Telling your business’s story means showing what makes your business original and likeable.

What is your brand’s voice? Are you reliable and traditional? Are you innovative and forward-thinking? Are you trustworthy and comforting?

Incorporate your business’s personality into your pitch deck designs. Pick fonts, colors and images that suit your brand’s voice. Think about your target audience: what is most likely to appeal to them?

For example, this pitch deck for a nonprofit that helps children incorporates comforting, childlike design elements like playful fonts and pastel colors.

Use consistent design elements

While this may seem like an obvious point, it’s surprising how often people overlook consistency in their design.

Your business pitch deck should look polished and professional. An important part of that is making sure your header fonts sizes and styles are consistent, the icons and images you use are the same style throughout, and the colors you use are cohesive.

Don’t overburden your slides with text

Look for ways to combine concise, punchy text with visuals. Make sure your text is no smaller than 30 point font.

If you find your slide getting too crowded, break the information up into several slides or look for a way to condense what you’re writing.

Download your pitch deck as a PDF

It’s considered good practice to send your pitch deck to investors before your actual meeting.

Rather than sending your pitch deck to them them via Google Docs or a file sharing services like WeTransfer , reduce the risk of them not opening your pitch deck by sending it to them as a PDF.

With Venngage, you can download your pitch deck in high quality PDF format, as well as in interactive PDF format.

Now you have the tools to create a business pitch deck that will make an impression on investors . It’s time to get started:

Business Pitch Deck FAQ

What is a business pitch deck.

A business pitch deck is a presentation that provides an overview of your business plan to your audience. Typically, you would present a pitch deck to potential investors, business partners, board members and potential clients.

What should be included in a pitch deck?

• A clearly defined problem your business will solve (this could also be your “mission”).
• A clearly defined solution your business will present.
• Metrics that validate your business (your business model and previous successes).
• Who your key team members are and their credentials.

How you tell your business’s unique story is up to you. In fact, while it’s good to look at other pitch decks to get a sense of the format and types of information to include. Our post on the best pitch decks is a good place to start.

That said, your pitch deck design should cater to your niche and target audience .

Identify your business’s unique value proposition and emphasize that in your pitch deck.

How long should a pitch deck be?

You should have no more than 10-20 slides in your business pitch deck. 

Each slide should be purposeful and targeted towards a specific goal in mind. Your investors will not be able to retain too much information in just one meeting. Make sure you strategically explain your business pitch without losing your audience because your focus is off. 

Your goal should be to prompt interest in your business pitch, not to over explain every aspect. You want to win that second meeting.

Having a limited amount of slides will force you to condense your information and concentrate on what is most important in your business pitch deck. 

Here is a general outline of how long your pitch deck should be:

Slide 1: Title to introduce your business.

Slide 2: The problem you are trying to remedy.

Slide 3: Value that you will provide to your customers.

Slide 4: The solution that your product will provide. Use a flow chart template to help. 

Slide 5: Business model where you are identifying your sources of revenue.

Slide 6: Management team that will be responsible for the business. 

Slide 7: Marketing Strategy that you will use to reach your customers.

Slide 8: Key Metrics and Projections for the next 3 years. 

Slide 9: Competition, describe your competitive landscape. 

Slide 10: How you plan on using your funds for your business.

You might also like: 

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Why you should use pitch deck template.

A pitch deck template is an effective way to present your startup to potential investors. It should be clear, concise, short, and persuasive. This document is used to convince potential investors about a startup idea, to show how your product or service works and what are the main benefits.

Your presentation must be compelling enough to persuade potential investors to invest in your company. To do this, you need to provide convincing information demonstrating the value of your proposed investment. In addition to the crucial components of your business plan, it is equally important to showcase your ability to execute those plans with precision.

What makes a great presentation?

A good slide deck should be engaging, informative, and entertaining. It should also have a clear message with just enough information to make sure people understand it.

The most important thing to remember when creating a presentation is to keep it simple. If you try to cram too many ideas into one slide, you risk losing your audience’s attention. Focus on telling a story instead through images and text.

Get ready to pitch with confidence knowing you have the perfect presentation that's sure to impress investors, partners, or potential customers. With over 120 pitch deck templates from some of the most successful venture-backed startups, you can easily customize yours to build a strong story and communicate your uniqueness. Each pitch deck template includes easy-to-edit content blocks which makes it super simple for you to tailor each slide to your specific needs so you can make an impactful pitch in no time!

What is a Startup Pitch?

A startup pitch is a concise, persuasive presentation of a new business idea, typically given to potential investors, customers, or partners. It is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their vision, unique value proposition, and growth potential. A great pitch should communicate the problem the startup is solving, the market opportunity, the team's expertise, and the execution plan. It should also highlight the competitive advantage and the potential return on investment for the investors. A well-crafted pitch can attract the attention and interest of investors, which could lead to funding, partnerships, or other opportunities to grow the business. Overall, a successful startup pitch requires a deep understanding of the market, the audience, and the business model, as well as excellent communication and storytelling skills.

Most common Pitch Deck Format

A pitch deck typically follows a specific format that includes the essential elements listed below. The presentation should be concise, visually appealing, and easy to understand. Each slide should focus on a single idea and use images and graphics to convey your message effectively.

What's the standard structure of a Pitch Deck?

Based on the most successful pitch decks, a pitch deck should include the following elements:

• Cover slide: This one should include your business name, logo, and tagline.
• Problem statement: Describe the problem your business is solving and why it's important.
• Solution: Explain how your product or service solves the problem.
• Business model: Describe how your business will make money.
• Market analysis: Outline the size of the market and the potential customers.
• Competitive analysis: Describe your competition and how your business is different.
• Marketing and sales: Outline your marketing and sales strategies.
• Financials: Provide financial projections for your business, including revenue, expenses, and funding requirements.
• Team: Highlight the key members of your team and their qualifications.
• Ask: Clearly state how much funding you're seeking and what you plan to do with the funds.

Can I Create a Pitch Deck with PowerPoint?

Yes, you can create a pitch deck using PowerPoint. PowerPoint is a popular tool for creating pitch decks because it's widely available, easy to use, and has many design templates to choose from. When creating your pitch deck in PowerPoint, be sure to use high-quality images, clear and concise language, and a consistent design throughout the presentation.

How Do You Layout a Pitch Deck?

The order of slides in a pitch deck depends on your goal and company stage. When laying out your pitch deck, consider the following tips:

• Start with an attention-grabbing cover that includes your business name and logo.
• Use a consistent design throughout the presentation, including font type, color scheme, and layout.
• Use high-quality images and graphics to support your message.
• Keep the text on each slide to a minimum and use bullet points to convey key information.
• Make sure your presentation is easy to follow and understand, even for those who are not familiar with your industry or business.

How Many Slides Is a Pitch Deck?

A pitch deck typically consists of 10-20 slides, depending on the complexity of your business idea and the amount of information you need to convey. The most important thing is to keep your presentation concise and focused on the essential elements of your business plan.

Use Slidebean pitch deck builder and presentation templates

Slidebean makes creating presentations easy. We believe that great design should be available for everyone. Simply choose one of our pre-designed slide deck templates, and customize it however you'd like. Our allows you to create your own unique theme if none of ours suits your needs. Once you're done editing, just upload your files and start sharing them with friends and colleagues. We also provide design services if that's something you need.

Pitch Deck presentation insights

Our Presentation Insights let your track individual viewer activity on your slides and helps you determine which ones they saw, how much time they spent on each one and what percentage of the presentation they engaged with. By knowing an investor's activity on your pitch deck, you could have a crucial advantage to determine their interest in your business!

Startup Pitch Deck Examples: Templates redesigned by Slidebean

We redesigned the presentation that Airbnb used back in 2009 to raise their first $600,000 round and turned it into a fill-in-the-blank template. It's become a reference for startups worldwide because of it's simple, straightforward approach to the business model and market potential.

Our Investor deck template by 500 Startups is truly the Silicon Valley deck standard. Originally published by the program Founders, this presentation outline serves as a perfect storytelling canvas for a startup, from problem to traction.

Slidebean's Pitch Deck Services

If you're looking for a more professional and polished pitch deck, consider using Slidebean's pitch deck services. Slidebean offers a range of pitch deck services, including custom design, content creation, and pitch deck coaching. With Slidebean, you can create a high-quality pitch deck that stands out from the competition and helps you raise funding for your business.

What is a Pitch Deck? How to Create + Tools and Templates

2 min. read

Updated April 9, 2024

A well-crafted pitch deck is an essential tool when pursuing business funding . It helps visually communicate why your business is valuable and should serve as the perfect backdrop to your elevator pitch.

This guide will cover how to create a great pitch deck, provide a library of real-world examples, and explore potential tools for you to test out. Are you ready to articulate your business idea in a way that resonates with your audience?

Let’s help you create a powerful and persuasive pitch deck.

• What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck, also known as a slide deck or start-up deck, is a presentation that provides a brief but informative overview of your business. It should cover the key points of your business plan , the products and services you provide, high-level financial projections, and funding needs.

Your pitch deck should work well on its own as a visual document, but it will primarily be used as a tool to tell the story of your business.

How to create a compelling pitch deck

Not sure where to start with your pitch deck? Check out our curated selection of pitch deck tools, presentation templates, and resources to kickstart the process.

What to include in your pitch deck

Here are the eleven slides that you must include to create a compelling pitch deck that works well alongside your elevator pitch.

How to present your business plan

While a visual pitch deck is necessary when pitching, it can also be valuable to just show off your business plan. Here’s how to turn your plan into a convincing presentation.

Best pitch deck creator tools

There are a lot of tools and software out there dedicated to helping entrepreneurs create captivating pitch decks. Skip the research and check out this list of our favorite options.

7 pitch deck examples worth reviewing

Check out the real pitch decks used by Uber, Facebook, Airbnb, DoorDash, Peloton, and more. Plus learn why these pitch deck examples are so good.

Pitch deck tools and templates

Simplify the pitch deck creation process with a free template, a library of pitch examples, and a useful pitch creation tool.

Free investor pitch deck template

Visualize your business pitch and wow investors with this free pitch deck template.

Download Template

Create an investor-ready pitch and plan with LivePlan

With one tool you can craft and share your business plan, pitch, and important financial forecasts. No complex spreadsheets or PowerPoint slides necessary.

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Kody Wirth is a content writer and SEO specialist for Palo Alto Software—the creator's of Bplans and LivePlan. He has 3+ years experience covering small business topics and runs a part-time content writing service in his spare time.

Table of Contents

• How to create a pitch deck
• Tools and templates

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Creating the perfect pitch deck and business plan: Examples and best practices [2022]

• January 7, 2022

I know you’ve probably been told that a good pitch deck and business plan are essential in the world of startups. It’s true — they are — but there is a LOT of conflicting advice out there on how to create them. (Hint: There isn’t just one right way.) I want to share some ideas based on solid research and real-world experience so you can create something that works for you.

What is a pitch deck?

What is its purpose, do you need a pitch deck and a business plan, who should create the pitch deck, how do you create a pitch deck, what is a financial model, what is a financial forecast, how accurate does a startup financial model need to be, what to include in an early-stage pitch deck, what should i avoid putting into my pitch deck, slide #0 – title, slide #1 – executive summary, slide #2 – trends, slide #3 – problem, slide #4 – solution, slide #5 – business model, slide #6 – market, slide #7 – competition, slide #8 – go to market, slide #9 – traction, slide #10 – team, slide #11 – investment proposal (the ask), keep it simple, stick to a consistent layout, make it easy to read, use a pitch deck template, beautiful.ai, key takeaways.

In this article, I’ll discuss what a pitch deck is, explain its purpose and its importance in the outreach process, give you tips and practices to create your perfect pitch deck, and what to include in it. We’ll also look at an example of a pitch deck template, using slides from startups that have raised hundreds of millions from VCs. We’ll also explore why you must build a financial model alongside your pitch deck.

Before we get started, remember that pitching on stage and building your pitch deck are two very different things. Pitching is a form of art. Anyone can present a business plan or startup idea to another person, but only a few pitches are memorable and truly capture the interest of investors.

Practice makes perfect, and the better you get at pitching, the more likely you are to succeed. So sign up to pitch competitions, put yourself out there, and get feedback. The more you pitch, the better you will become at it. It’s better to make mistakes when it doesn’t matter than pitch unprepared to critical investors and risk disaster.

Now let’s dive into what it takes to build a great pitch deck!

Pitch decks are an essential document for every founder to master, but there is a lot of conflicting information out there, and no one-size-fits-all template.

To help you get started, we’ve pulled together pitch deck examples and best practices for new founders and early-stage startups.

Using this information to guide you, you’ll be able to create a pitch that will wow investors and get you the funding that your business needs.

A pitch deck is a condensed business plan that communicates your business idea to investors or partners. It should be clear, concise, and well-organised so that it promotes a conversation, not just information that needs to be digested. The pitch deck is used as an elevator pitch during your outreach process and should highlight the key aspects of your startup in a way that gets investors excited about working with you.

The pitch deck itself isn’t going to fund or run your startup — it’s just one piece of the puzzle — but it’s an important one. As Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva, former Chief Evangelist at Apple, and author of The Art of the Start puts it .

The purpose of a pitch is to stimulate interest, not to close a deal.

While the pitch deck is an information-packed overview of your startup, it should be more than just numbers and figures. A winning pitch deck also captures the imagination by telling a story and getting the audience emotionally involved. People don’t buy products, they buy stories — pitch decks help people to see your startup as a compelling narrative instead of just an idea on paper.

A pitch deck helps you generate interest from investors so that they will fund or work with your company in some way. It is a way to quickly pitch your business idea and get feedback, without having to go through the entire business plan. The pitch deck should be used as a tool to start a conversation with potential investors so that you can get their feedback and determine if they are interested in what you’re doing.

For an early-stage startup, the pitch deck and financial model are the business plan. There are too many uncertainties to waste time writing a 100-page business plan. Founders should use tools like the Lean Canvas to help them think through the different aspects of their business, but a pitch deck and financial model are essential when trying to raise money and get investment.

The pitch deck should be created by the founder or co-founder of the company. They are the ones who know the most about their business and can best pitch it to investors. Remember, the pitch deck isn’t what wins you the investment, but it will start the conversation and get people interested in what you’re doing.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question, as the pitch deck needs to be tailored to your specific startup and its investors. However, there are some best practices that you can use to make sure your pitch deck is as compelling as possible.

Financial Model

The pitch deck should always include a financial model, typically as a supporting document, that shows financial projections for the next three to five years. This will help investors understand how you will manage the financial risks associated with your startup.

A financial model is a document that shows how your business will make money and what kind of return investors can expect on their investment. It includes projected revenue, expenses, and profits over a specific period of time.

Investors will expect to see a three to five-year financial forecast, broken down by year and month.

The financial model should also include a section on the startup’s burn rate – how much money the company is spending each month and how long it can continue to do so before running out of funds.

A financial forecast is a projection of future income, expenses, and profits. It typically covers a period of three to five years and breaks down revenue, expenses, and net cash flow by month.

The financial model doesn’t need to be complex, but it should show a realistic understanding of the numbers behind your startup.

It is important to remember that venture capitalists and angel investors do not expect your financial forecasts to be 100% accurate – they simply want to see that you have put thought into your business, that your operational plans are accounted for, and that you understand the basics of financial forecasting.

Pitch Deck Structure

As a founder, you’ll quickly learn that you’ll need more than one pitch deck. Different pitch decks are used for different purposes, and you may end up using a pitch deck that is specific to your target investor, the stage of investment, or the format in which you’ll be pitching.

This means that there is no magic formula for your pitch deck structure. However, there are a few essential slides that should be in every business pitch deck.

• Title or cover slide
• Market size and opportunity

These slides will give the pitch deck a good structure and focus on the key elements that you want to talk about. There may be more slides depending on your company, but those are the main ones that should always appear somewhere in every pitch deck.

Early-stage startup pitch decks are used to spark interest in your idea and the founding team. Venture capital firms and angel investors will be comfortable with greater uncertainty and higher risk in this pitch deck, so there is more leeway to experiment with different ideas and concepts. This doesn’t mean that you should just throw in everything without a thought though!

At this early stage, there will be multiple unknowns that you are setting out to solve, including exactly how you’ll build your solution to the problem, how you’ll find your scaleable route to market, and maybe even how you’ll convert users to paying customers.

It’s normal to not have all the answers to these questions, and that’s OK! It doesn’t mean that you should pitch an idea if you don’t know how it will work yet. All of this is just a reality check for potential investors — they need to see that you have a realistic idea of what you need to do and a plan for how you might do it.

It’s a common mistake for first-time founders to try to put too much information into their pitch decks. This can include everything from detailed financial models to a full history of the company’s founding story. While it’s important to have all this information ready, it’s best to save it for when you’re actually speaking with investors.

Your pitch deck should be focused on your idea and the current state of your company. It should be set up in a way that clearly lays out who you are, what problem you’re solving, and how you plan to solve it. You want investors to see the actual value in investing in your startup so avoid including anything that’s not absolutely necessary for them to understand this concept.

– Do not include unnecessary information or graphics

– Keep your pitch deck to a maximum of 20 slides

– Stick to clear and concise language

– Make sure all the data is accurate and up to date

Be cautious about adding in anything that doesn’t support your pitch deck theme or the key points you want to make. If it isn’t relevant, remove it! You don’t have time for extra fluff when pitching investors; be direct and focus on what matters most.

Early-Stage Pitch Deck Example

The following pitch deck template is a good example of how you can tell a story that builds investor confidence in your startup idea. Using this format will set a great first impression and can help you with raising capital.

This is the most important slide in the whole deck, you need to grab the attention of the investor with a title slide that convinces them to keep reading. Your title slide must:

• Showcase your logo and brand name.
• In one phrase, state your value proposition.
• Engage the reader by promising them an interesting pitch.

It’s important to make your startup feel credible and trustworthy. Just as people will judge a book by the cover, investors will judge your pitch deck in less than five seconds, so make sure you have a strong first impression!

A common mistake that founders make with the title slide is not making the most of the opportunity. Taking inspiration from other industries, a prize-winning sticker on a book cover or a wine bottle has a tremendous impact on sales. What can you do to make your pitch deck stand out?

After catching your audience’s attention, you should include a company summary on slide one. Investors are unlikely to know anything about you or your company, so this is where you need to tell them what you do, where you’re going, and why they should care.

In just a few sentences, you should be able to concisely state the following:

• What your company does
• The stage you’re at
• The traction you’ve made so far
• Where you’re heading

If the title slide is about grabbing attention, the executive summary is about keeping it.

You need to get investors hooked and hungry for more information.

With the investor’s attention now captured, it’s time to give them some context. What industry are you in? What trends are happening in that industry?

Trends are the market conditions that you have zero influence over. But, by showing how you understand them and how they impact your startup, you can demonstrate that not only is your startup inevitable, but that the risk of failure is also reduced.

Your goal with the trends slide is to show that your startup idea isn’t some crazy gamble, it’s obvious and inevitable, and that the market is about to change in a big way.

In the context of startup ideas, the important things to consider about trends are whether they are weak or strong, societal and cultural, or technological.

Weak Trends: These are usually easy to spot and include things like the aging population, increasing internet penetration rates, or a growing demand for a new product or service.

Strong Trends: These are hard to argue against. They will be big and happening quickly. They could be something like the rise of mobile payments, a technology reaching critical mass, or a new way of thinking about an old problem.

Technological Trends: These trends focus on the development of new technologies. For instance, the rise of drones, Web3, and artificial intelligence technologies are all technological trends that would be relevant to an investor pitch deck when combined with a startup idea.

Societal and Cultural Trends: These trends are about the way people are living their lives, and integrating new technologies into them. A good example of this is the trend towards health and wellness. This could be anything from the increasing popularity of mindfulness to people taking more interest in their food.

It’s important to consider societal trends alongside advances in technology, just because a technology is possible, doesn’t mean that people will want to use it (remember Google Glass?).

Building into emerging trends can lead to you raising millions without even having a pitch deck , like Hopin, or still whilst the world is in lockdown and your app is still in beta – like Clubhouse.

Now that you’ve got the pitch deck rolling, it’s time to talk about your startup idea. What problem are you solving? What is happening right now? What are people not happy with?

When it comes to the problem slide, be specific. Don’t just say that there is a problem. Tell them what it is and make your audience feel the pain; they should be able to recall having had it themselves or easily empathise with those that do.

As a founder, you need to prove that you have a deep awareness and understanding of the problem you’re solving. You need to demonstrate that you can stand in the shoes of your customers and see the problem as they do.

Ideally, you should be able to summarise all of this into a problem statement. This is a simple one or two-sentence explanation that describes the problem, identifies the pain points, and explains why it needs solving.

Providing data to back up your problem statement is also important, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You’re not trying to show the size of the market, just the severity of the problem.

Having built up an understanding of the problem, you now need to explain how you plan on solving it. What is your solution? How will your startup solve this problem? What makes your product or service different?

Your solution slide should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. You should have a brief paragraph explaining what your startup does, followed by supporting information in the form of screenshots, images, or diagrams.

Remember, during live pitching or conversations, you may be able to talk about your solution in more detail – maybe even showcase a live demo – but in your pitch deck, you need to keep it simple.

If you’re having trouble boiling down your complex solution then consider how you would sell it to a potential customer. If you can pitch it to them in a way that they understand and see the value, then your pitch deck will be able to do the same.

With the problem and solution explained, it’s time to move on to your business model. This is a critical slide for any pitch deck as it demonstrates how you plan to make money from your startup idea. It’s showing your investors that you understand the business side of things and that you have a plan for growth.

This slide can be a little tricky to get right, as you don’t want to overload your audience with too much information (especially at idea stage, when you don’t have a fully formed business model). However, you need to convey that the unit economics make sense and that there is a path to profitability.

There are lots of different ways to structure this slide, but the most common model breaks it down into a one-paragraph pitch of your business model, followed by one or two diagrams showing the relationships between your costs and revenue. By using simple visuals, you can convey complex ideas far more effectively than words alone.

Unfortunately, pitch decks don’t have the space to explore every aspect of your business model. It’s a good idea to create a separate document for this, which you can then share with interested investors or partners.

Now it’s time to move on to the all-important question of market size. Market sizing for early-stage startups can be a contentious issue.

Many entrepreneurs think that they need to show huge total addressable markets (TAM), and pitch themselves as the next billion-dollar startup. However, most sophisticated investors how that for most early-stage startups this is not appropriate.

Pitching a large TAM isn’t going to impress investors, they’ve seen it all before, but pitching yourself as the best company in your segment will demonstrate that you have a great understanding of your industry and the opportunity at hand.

It’s most important to be able to show that there is a market for your product or service, that it’s growing, and that there is room for you to compete. You don’t need to pitch yourself as a billion-dollar company, just pitch that you have a good understanding of the market segment, that people are spending money solving this type of problem, and that you’re going to be one of the best companies in your space.

For example, if your idea is to launch the next big analytics platform, don’t pitch a market size that includes every business in the world. Instead, focus on a specific industry or sector and show how behaviours in that industry are changing, paving the way for your product or service.

Again, you don’t need to go into too much detail in your pitch deck. A one-paragraph pitch of your market size is usually enough, followed by a simple diagram showing the trends that are opening up opportunities for your startup.

This is another key slide for any pitch deck, as it demonstrates that you have done your research and that you understand the competitive landscape.

Start by defining the market segment you are targeting, and then show the key points of differentiation when compared to your primary competitors.

Describe how they fit into the customer’s perspective of the market, show where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you plan to compete with them.

This isn’t the place for a full analysis of your competitors, but you should be able to pitch yourself as the best company in your space, with a clear understanding of how you’re going to win.

There are two common ways to visualise your competitor analysis, the magic quadrant (or 2×2 matrix) and a comparison table.

The magic quadrant is a way of plotting your competitors on two axes, based on two factors that you’ll pluck from thin air. These visualisations are rarely credible unless you have a lot of experience in the market you are analysing, or they’ve been produced by large consultancies like Deloitte or Gartner.

On the other hand, comparison tables can be very effective as they’re easy to digest, position you alongside recognisable brands, and allow you to highlight the key differences between your company and your competitors. By comparing factors that are demonstrably important to customers, you’ll come across as more credible and able to back up your pitch with cold, hard facts.

Now it’s time to talk about marketing and sales strategy, or how you’re going to get your product or service in front of customers. This is where you’ll pitch your go-to-market strategy. Your go-to-market slide should include the following elements:

• The channels you will use to reach your target audience
• The actions you will take to put your product in front of potential customers
• The milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan
• The resources you will require to reach your target successfully

Start by describing your target market and how you plan to reach them. This might include explaining your distribution channels, sales strategy, or marketing approach. You can also use this slide to talk about any partnerships you have in place, or how you plan to leverage them.

Next, explain the actions you will take to reach your target audience, and how you plan to measure success. These actions should fit within each of the channels that you’ve already identified. For example, if you’re using digital marketing, your actions might be things like website development, SEO, or social media campaigns.

Lastly, list the key milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan, and identify the resources you will require to achieve them. You can include your team, budget for marketing activities, or specific assets like signage.

As a startup, traction is key. Investors want to see that you’re making progress and that your product is resonating with customers. This slide is often one of the trickiest for startups at idea-stage, as it can be difficult to show commercial progress and it will be too early for product-market fit.

There are a few different ways to pitch traction, and you need to choose the one that works best with your company and the stage you’re at. Some options include user base, revenue growth, or market validation.

If you’re focusing on your user base, you’ll want to pitch a clear and compelling story about your customer base. If you have a small data set, it’s worth showcasing your first 100 customers as this makes the numbers seem more real.

If you have a large customer base, pitch your exponential growth in terms of percentage or absolute figures. For example, pitch how many customers you signed in the past quarter or year.

Revenue Growth

If you’re focusing on revenue growth, pitch your current (or projected) sales figures. You can also pitch the average ticket size or value of your deals. Alternatively, pitch your revenue growth (in terms of percentage or absolute figures) over the past year.

Market Validation

If your product is still at idea-stage and still has a long way to go before it’s ready for market, pitch your progress in terms of real-world validation. For example, pitch the number of people who have registered to use your product or service, or pitch the number of companies that have expressed interest during interviews.

Most importantly, be honest about your progress. If they are interested, investors will dig into your traction claims and you’ll need to back them up with data – if it turns out that you’ve lied or embellished the facts, you’ll not only lose trust and credibility, you’ll probably lose the investment too.

Having set the scene in which your startup operates, it’s time to introduce the management team behind your startup. Investors will be keen to learn about who is leading your company and how they will transform your idea into a profitable business.

The focus here must be you and your co-founders. People invest in people, so you’ll need to show how you have the vision, experience, and motivation required to deliver on your pitch.

Keep your team slide short and sweet. You’ll want to include the founding team, highlighting their relevant experience in the industry or field that you’re operating within.

Pictures help to make your presentation more personal, so make sure you have a good quality headshot of each team member, consistently formatted so that everyone appears the same size and in focus.

The team slide should only include the founding team, though it is acceptable to include key team members, as well as notable advisors or investors if beneficial. If you do this, ensure that there is a clear visual separation between the two groups.

This is the big one. The pitch deck wouldn’t be complete without a clear proposal of what you’re asking for from your investors. This slide should clearly state the amount of money you’re seeking, as well as what you plan to do with it.

It’s important to remember that investors are looking for a return on their investment (ROI), so your proposal must be realistic and demonstrate how you will use the funds raised to reach key growth milestones.

To convince investors, your “Ask slide” will need to answer these three questions:

• How much are you seeking to raise?
• What will you do with the money?
• What do you intend to accomplish with the funds?

Always remember to pitch the ask in terms of how it benefits the investor – not just you. For example, if you’re seeking a £100,000 investment, explain how that money will help you reach a specific milestone that will create value for your investors.

Be specific about how much you need to raise, and where you plan to deploy the money. This will show that you’ve done your homework and understand how you will grow your business.

A simple pie chart with the breakdown of how you plan to use funds can go a long way towards demonstrating to investors that you’re serious about using their money wisely. For example, if 25 percent goes towards marketing spend, 30 percent for technology development, and 45 percent for new hires, that’s a good indication you have your priorities straight.

It’s unlikely that you will be profitable before the next round of funding, but it is usually worth highlighting the key numbers from your financial projections to give investors an idea of the scale and trajectory of your business.

Perhaps the most important factor in your investment ask is demonstrating that you understand how much capital you require to hit key growth milestones without requiring further funding rounds for at least 12-18 months. This is something that almost every investor will expect you to have a solid plan for.

Pitch Deck Design

Whether you’re sharing your deck by email or presenting on stage, the design of your pitch deck matters. However, you can’t afford to hire a professional pitch deck designer to help. So, what do you do?

KEEP. IT. SIMPLE.

Your pitch deck is not the place to show off your design skills – or highlight any lack of expertise in this department! The only goal of your pitch deck is to communicate information clearly and concisely so that investors understand what you’re pitching and can get excited about it.

Keep your presentation simple, use bold typography, highlight key information, and stick to a maximum of two or three colors. Resist the urge to use lots of graphics and animations, as these can be distracting and take up valuable space on your slides.

How to design a better pitch deck

There are a lot of things to consider when designing your pitch deck presentation. Below are some tips on how to make your pitch more effective:

The average investor has a short attention span, so keep your deck concise and easy to follow. Use clear language, avoid complex graphs and charts, and stick to a maximum of 15 slides.

Use the same fonts, colors, and layouts throughout your pitch deck to create a cohesive look.

Slides that are crowded with text and images will be difficult for your audience to read and comprehend.

A pitch deck template is a great way to ensure that your pitch deck looks professional and follows the proper design guidelines.

Pitch deck design tools

Today, there is a huge selection of online design tools and no-code builders to help you build your perfect deck. Below are just a few of the design platforms that can help you craft your pitch.

An easy-to-use platform that allows startups to build a beautiful slide deck without any special design skills. Start from scratch or create your slides using predefined pitch deck templates.

https://slidebean.com/

Offers a wide range of design tools and templates for creating professional pitch decks. The free version includes limited features, while the paid plans start at $12/month.

This pitch deck design app is great for startups and entrepreneurs who need to create a pitch deck quickly. The basic plan starts at $12/month (billed annually) but there is a 14-day free trial.

https://www.beautiful.ai/

The tools provided by Pitch allow you to quickly produce a high-quality pitch. Even if you’re not a designer, you can create a strong pitch deck that looks great. The basic plan is free, but you’ll need to upgrade to the paid plans for more features.

https://pitch.com/

While these design tools can be extremely powerful, it still pays to follow the same basic guidelines to ensure that your pitch deck is easy for investors to understand; Keep it simple, avoid animation, stick to a consistent layout, and make sure your text and images are easy to read.

When you’re trying to capture investors’ attention and raise equity funding, you need to show them that you have a good plan. But startups aren’t traditional businesses and they don’t use traditional business plans.

like the Holy Grail, the business plan remains largely unattainable and mythological. Most experts wouldn’t agree, but a business plan is of limited usefulness for a startup because entrepreneurs base so much of their plans on assumptions, “visions,” and unknowns. Guy Kawasaki

This is why pitch decks are the perfect approach to sharing a startup business plan.

Fundamentally, your pitch deck is used to share your vision, attract investors, and start conversations. As a founder, you should be prepared for investors who may not “get” your pitch deck right away — this doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested in what you’re doing.

Be prepared to answer questions and have an engaging conversation about your startup. Investors want to see that you have a clear understanding of your business, the problem you’re solving, and how you plan on making money. They also want to know that you’re capable of executing your vision.

Remember, pitch decks are just one part of the overall investment process. If you’re able to create a pitch deck that effectively communicates your idea and leaves investors wanting more, then you’re on the right track!

12 Startup Pitch Deck Examples [+ Template]

A great startup pitch deck is an integral part of launching a business. This deck is presented to prospective investors to convince them to invest and help you grow your startup . The trick to having the best pitch deck possible is to include enough information to explain your goals and methodology without losing your audience’s interest.

Pitch decks are usually in PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, or Google Slides to make them easier to present to potential investors. However, the deck can also have an alternative format like a Word document or even a video. For inspiration, let’s go through some successful startup pitch deck examples and discuss what they got right. 

Pitch Deck Basics

There are some overarching characteristics that make for a great pitch deck. While we’ll go through what a deck typically includes and some relevant business pitch examples, you can pick and choose certain elements as long as your startup pitch deck has the following basic qualities:

• Design-forward: Customers expect a better experience with your product and that’s achieved through better UX and graphic design. Show your team’s design chops with thoughtful deck design and mock-ups.
• Comprehensive: Be prepared to answer any questions from potential investors. Your slides should cover enough so if they check back for reminders after the presentation, they’ll find the most important information.
• Engaging: A startup pitch deck inevitably includes some boring elements. Your job is to keep it exciting and break up information-heavy slides with features like illustrations and block quotes.
• Straightforward: It’s easy to get caught up with sharing every detail, but it’s more important that your potential investors understand your pitch. For more complicated slides and ideas, pare down your pitch to make it easier to understand.

1. Problem Slide

Your pitch deck should open with a key problem — this is the whole justification for your business and why consumers will find it valuable. A common structure for this slide is to bullet pain points and create a story your potential investors can relate to.

The problem slide is the basis for your presentation. Creating a relatable story makes for an engaging presentation that’s easy to follow and understand.

Uber Example

Why it works : Although it’s not the most visually engaging, Uber’s business pitch example clearly explains how Uber solves key issues with traditional cabs. Uber’s deck is broken down into multiple slides to deliver all the necessary information without overwhelming the audience.

2. Solution slide

After presenting the problem, you should follow up directly with a solution. An effective solution slide structure covers current industry solutions and identifies the gaps your startup fills. This slide has a general overview of any proprietary technology, covers basic product features, and includes relevant interface mock-ups to show investors what your product will do for consumers.

Intercom Example

Why it works : Intercom’s solution slide is simple but effective. While some extra design could elevate this slide, the bullet points are easy to understand and effectively explain Intercom’s unique selling proposition (USP) in the SaaS market.

3. Market validation slide

Market validation is especially important to investors because it shows proof that there are people who will purchase your product. This slide should include any relevant statistics for current sales if your startup has launched or competitors’ sales if it hasn’t. Don’t forget to cover basic information about your target market, their purchasing power, and their habits in your industry. This slide is especially important if your prospective investors aren’t familiar with your product or industry.

LinkedIn Example

Why it work s: At 37 pages, LinkedIn’s pitch deck is longer than we’d recommend.  But what it lacks in brevity it makes up for with powerful market validation using clear data from top competitors. It also breaks down barriers to growth and revenue for these competitors and shows how LinkedIn would improve their models.

4. Market size slide

Market size goes hand in hand with market validation. Once you’ve confirmed your target market has enough purchasing power, you need to justify your product’s longevity.

Focus on continued sales. The two most common elements to ensure your startup brings in long-term revenue are:

• A very large market
• A business model built for continuous purchases (e.g., subscription models)

Facebook Example

Why it works: Facebook is the poster child for successful startups. Its market size slides effectively communicate how Facebook’s initial launches succeeded and justify further growth. The slides with market statistics about college students also explain clearly how Facebook will create revenue.

5. Product slide

The product slide is your chance to nail your pitch and sell your vision to investors. This slide should center your value proposition. A popular strategy for this section is to pose a few questions about your industry and show how your product is the answer. Take the time to craft this slide carefully, polishing it up from the copy to design details.

Dropbox Example

Why it works: Dropbox’s product slides are effective because they show how Dropbox truly innovates over other file sharing services. They justify why now is the time to launch and why consumers will choose Dropbox over competitors.

6. Business model slide

The business model slide covers how the startup will run and launch its product for sustainable growth. This section can compare your startup to other businesses or use internal data if the product has launched.

Moz Example

Why it works : While some of these slides can look busy, Moz’s business model was ahead of its time by calling out why organic marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) have untapped potential. This deck does a good job of explaining the business model to investors who might not be SEO savvy.

But wait...there's more!

7. market adoption slide.

It’s important to show some proof that your target market has interest in purchasing your product, especially if there are other competitors in the market. This is a lot easier if your product has already launched because you can include sales data. If your startup is pre-launch, showing potential market adoption can be tricky. In this case, you can use social proof from similar competitors. If you do this, it’s also important to note how your product differs from these competitors, especially if you can resolve a customer’s complaint. If possible, include case studies in the market adoption slide. These show proof that you can use investments to increase the reach of your startup.

Buffer Example

Why it works : Buffer’s market adoption slides show social proof through key statistics outlining Buffer’s success so far. With an extremely high profit margin and growth rate for their user base, Buffer shows off why their product will offer a larger ROI for potential investors.

8. Competition slide

Many investors look at your competition to help contextualize your startup. If an investor has little or no experience in your vertical, showing competitors they’re familiar with gives them real examples of success. This slide should cover the following topics related to your competition:

• Revenue data
• What competitors do well
• What competitors don’t do well
• How your startup bridges product gaps

Mint Example

Why it works : Mint’s competitor slides are effective because they show current competitors along with future projections for these competitors. This slide effectively shows how Mint creates more value for customers over time and uses competitors as inspiration in their defensive strategy.

9. Team slide

A team slide helps investors get to know the minds behind your startup. Include information about founders, leadership, and top existing investors to show why your team is qualified to launch this startup. Any evidence of past successes with your leadership, consultants, or investors is important to include, as it shows new investors that you have relevant experience to launch your startup. If there’s any relevant history about your startup, such as a higher ROI than expected for a former investor, be sure to include this in your pitch deck.

Contently Example

Why it works : While Contently’s team slide has a lot of information, it’s all relevant to potential investors. In addition to founders and investors, Contently includes top employees, proprietary technology, advisors, and the amount they’ve raised so far. This, along with their financial model slide, show potential investors that Contently will make good use of their investment and even make them some profit.

10. Press slide

The press section of your startup pitch deck is a great opportunity to show off any buzz and get your investors excited about your business. Focus on positive reviews or attention related to your product. Stay away from negative press unless you can show you’ve changed those negative opinions. Make sure to keep these slides focused and succinct. It’s easy to get caught up in showing off product buzz, but press slides should always demonstrate potential for a more widespread product adoption.

Snapchat example

Why it works : Snapchat was in a unique position at the time this deck was created, as its press slide has strong social proof. Snapchat calls out popular users, including press and media sources, that are already using the app. The wide variety of users, including household names like MTV, shows how Snapchat is a well-known social media platform.

11. Testimonial slide

Testimonials give investors insight into what existing customers really think about your product. Testimonials can also shed light on the public perception of your product, especially compared to competitors.

Seventy-two percent of consumers only take action after reading positive reviews. You can use this logic with your potential investors, too.

Positive testimonials show that your customers have brand loyalty and that users are satisfied with the product and customer service. This section of the startup pitch deck is only possible for startups that have launched their product.

AirBnB Example

Why it works : Not every pitch deck includes testimonials, especially if the startup hasn’t launched, but it makes sense to include feedback for Airbnb. Showcasing new users makes this slide simple yet effective. It could also benefit from including average Airbnb ratings for stronger evidence of positive reception.

12. Financial model slide

The financial model slide shows how your product creates revenue. For example, if your product is a subscription-based service, has premium features, or other horizontal integration, you’ll explain that model on these slides. Potential investors should walk away from your presentation knowing exactly how your startup creates revenue and understand any plans to ensure a steady stream of income.

Shopify Example

Why it works : Shopify offers a great pitch deck example of when breaking some pitch norms can work in your favor. Although it’s nearly 30 slides, the entire deck is informative and engaging. The financial model slides work well because they show how Shopify and its past investors turned a profit. Not only do they explain their current financial model, but Shopify also covers their plans for future growth to reassure investors they’ll make a profit, too.

What should you avoid putting in a startup pitch deck?

The best pitch deck is completely tailored to your startup. While there’s no hard-and-fast rule about what you shouldn’t include, make sure everything you’re presenting is relevant to potential investors. 

How do I present my startup pitch deck to investors?

It’s almost always better to present a pitch deck live to investors. Designate one member of your leadership team, ideally a founder, to present your deck to investors. 

Following a script can come across as disingenuous, but using notes is OK, so get lots of practice in before you present to investors.

What should a startup pitch deck include?

A typical startup pitch deck template includes the following slides:

• Market validation
• Market size
• Business model
• Market adoption
• Competition
• Testimonials
• Financial model

However, every pitch deck is different, so your final pitch might skip some of these topics or use multiple slides to expand on certain sections.

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Business Plan Pitch Deck Template

A business plan pitch deck is an essential tool for entrepreneurs in order to communicate their business model and plans to potential investors. This blog article will provide a comprehensive overview of the different templates available, from the business model canvas pitch deck powerpoint to the remote learning virtual classroom presentation deck template , as well as the startup business plan pitch deck template download , investor presentation slide template, sales plan pitch deck template download , project management pitch deck template , business portfolio pitch deck template , and health and wellness investor presentation template .

What You Will Learn:

• An introduction to the Pitch Deck Template and what it includes
• The essential elements of a Business Plan and how to include them in a Pitch Deck
• The benefits of using a template and tips for crafting an effective pitch deck
• Common mistakes to avoid when creating a pitch deck
• How to customize the template to fit your specific needs
• An example Pitch Deck Template to use as a reference

Introduction to the Pitch Deck Template

A pitch deck template is a great way for entrepreneurs to present their business ideas in an organized and professional manner. It includes slides that provide an overview of the business plan, what to include in the pitch deck, benefits of using a template, tips for crafting an effective pitch deck, common mistakes to avoid, and how to adapt the template to your specific needs. It also includes an example pitch deck template and a conclusion.

Overview of the Business Plan

The business plan is the foundation of any successful business and is the roadmap to achieving success. It outlines the mission, objectives, strategies, tactics, and financials of the business. It is important to understand the goals of the business and how they will be achieved.

What to Include in the Pitch Deck

When creating a pitch deck, it is important to include all of the necessary information. This includes a description of the business, the target market, the competitive landscape, the financials, the marketing strategy, and the team behind the business. It is also important to include a clear call to action to encourage potential investors to take the next step.

Benefits of Using a Template

Using a template to create a pitch deck is beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, it allows entrepreneurs to create a professional and organized presentation. Secondly, it ensures that all of the necessary information is included in the presentation. Finally, it allows entrepreneurs to save time and energy by not having to create the presentation from scratch.

Tips for Crafting an Effective Pitch Deck

When crafting an effective pitch deck, it is important to keep it concise and organized. Make sure to include only the most important information and avoid adding too much detail. It is also important to include visuals to help illustrate the points being made. Finally, make sure to use a professional design to ensure the presentation looks professional.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When creating a pitch deck, it is important to avoid common mistakes. These include using too much text, not including visuals, not focusing on the key points, and not having a clear call to action. It is also important to make sure that the presentation is tailored to the audience and that all of the information is accurate.

How to Adapt the Template to Your Specific Needs

The pitch deck template can easily be adapted to fit the needs of any business. This includes adding slides to provide additional information, changing the design of the slides, and changing the order of the slides. It is important to make sure that the presentation is tailored to the audience and that all of the necessary information is included.

Example Pitch Deck Template

An example pitch deck template can be found on the internet. It includes all of the necessary slides such as an overview of the business, the target market, the competitive landscape, the financials, the marketing strategy, and the team behind the business. It also includes a clear call to action.

Creating an effective pitch deck is an important part of any successful business. Using a template is a great way to ensure that all of the necessary information is included and that the presentation is professional and organized. It is important to make sure to include all of the key points, use visuals, and make sure to have a clear call to action. By following these tips, entrepreneurs can create an effective pitch deck that will help them to attract potential investors. Below we answer common questions entrepreneurs have about these topics.

1. Introduction to the Pitch Deck Template

What is a pitch deck template.

The best pitch deck template is one that you are the most comfortable with. If you feel like you are more comfortable with a PowerPoint deck than a Keynote deck, then go with that. If you feel like you are more comfortable with a Keynote deck than a PowerPoint deck, then go with that. If you feel like you are more comfortable with a Google Doc than a Keynote deck, then go with that.

The most important part of any pitch deck is that you are comfortable with the deck that you are presenting with. The audience will be able to tell if you are not comfortable presenting with your pitch deck, and the deck itself won't matter.

How can a pitch deck template help my business succeed?

If you're looking to make a serious impact on your industry, you need a pitch deck that is just as serious. A template doesn't just help you organize your information so people can understand it; it also helps you keep your message consistent and professional. Even if you're not a professional designer, think about what you want your pitch deck to look like before you start creating one. Find a template that matches the professional look you want and get to work.

2. Overview of the Business Plan

What is the purpose of the business plan.

Consider this response before answering the question: There are many purposes for a business plan. It can be used to attract financing or investors, to outline your goals and strategies, to provide a roadmap for your business, and more. The purpose depends on what you need it for, but it's always a good idea to have one!

What are the key elements of the business plan?

The business plan is a well-organized presentation of your venture. It tells potential investors your vision for the business, as well as how you plan to achieve that vision. It should include details such as your business structure, management team, market strategy, and financial projections. Your business plan should also include a detailed description of your product or service, as well as a description of your target audience.

3. What to Include in the Pitch Deck

What is the main message and purpose of the pitch deck.

Think about the story you want to tell. The pitch deck is your chance to get your audience interested. You want to tell them right off the bat why your business exists and what makes it unique. Use your pitch deck to tell a story that gets people excited about your product or service.

What information should be included in the deck to support the message and purpose?

One thing you should include in your deck is the competition. The competition section is a crucial component of any sales deck. This is because it helps the audience understand your product better.

The first thing an audience wants to know is what they already have access to. So, by highlighting the existing products or services, you help them understand where your offering stands.

4. Benefits of Using a Template

How does using a template help with clarity and organization of a project.

As an entrepreneur, I have had to write a lot of different things to help with clarity and organization of a project. Templates can help with this because you can use them as a guide to guide you in your writing. They will give you a basic structure to start with and then you can add your own personal flair to it to make it more specific to your needs. This will help with clarity and organization because you will have a guideline to follow and you can make it more specific to your needs as you go along.

What advantages does using a template provide when compared to creating a project from scratch?

If you're asked this question, be sure to highlight how much time and energy you save by using a template. Templates are pre-designed and pre-coded, which means you don't have to spend as much time worrying about the little details. They also come with instructions and guidance that can help you get started on your project quickly and easily. In short, using a template saves you time and energy, which can be crucial for an entrepreneur who has a lot on their plate already.

5. Tips for Crafting an Effective Pitch Deck

How can i best communicate my company's mission and value proposition in my pitch deck.

I've been in the startup space for a while now, and I've seen dozens of value proposition decks. The best ones don't focus on what you're doing, but why you're doing it. Share the problem your product/service is solving, the pain it's alleviating, and the impact it has on users. Customers don't buy products, they buy why. Focus on that in your value proposition deck.

What are some best practices for including visuals and graphics to make my pitch deck more engaging?

If you're an entrepreneur ready to present your business to investors, you may have decided it's time to create a pitch deck. Creating a pitch deck is a unique process for every entrepreneur and business, but there are some best practices that can help your presentation be more engaging.

First, consider what your investor persona is. Is your investor an early adopter? A business person? A millennial? Knowing your investor will help you create a deck that is appealing to their interests and learning styles. For example, a millennial investor may appreciate a deck with more graphics, while an older investor may prefer bullet points and text.

Next, consider how you want to tell your story. What is your elevator pitch? What is your value proposition? What is your competitive advantage? These are all important questions to answer before you create your deck.

Finally, make your deck interactive. Ask for feedback, encourage questions, and engage your audience.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

What are some common mistakes people make when attempting to solve a problem.

Do not assume that everyone is approaching the problem in the same way. This can prevent you from uncovering the unique approach that you can take to solving the problem. The responses you receive will help you identify any similarities or patterns in how others are approaching the problem. From there, you can craft your response to show how your approach is different from the norm. This can help you stand out from the crowd and give you a competitive advantage.

What steps should be taken to ensure that these mistakes are avoided?

As an entrepreneur, you should remember that it is hard to learn from your mistakes if you are busy denying that they happened or ignoring them. The first step is to take a moment to acknowledge what happened and how it affected you and others around you. Then, use this information to inform your decisions going forward.

7. How to Adapt the Template to Your Specific Needs

What changes do i need to make to the template to best suit my project's needs.

Entrepreneurs should think about answering the question, "What changes do I need to make to the template to best suit my project's needs?" by thinking about the importance of customization. The more the template can be customized, the more likely it is that it will suit the project's needs.

Are there any features of the template that I can customize to better fit my project's requirements?

The best approach is to answer their question and also let them know that you can help them customize the features of the template to fit their project's requirements. For example, you can answer their question by saying, "Yes, there are features that you can customize to fit your project's requirements. I can help you with that if you would like."

Then, offer to help them customize the template. For example, you could say, "Let's set up a time to talk about what you need the website to do and then I can help you customize the template to fit those requirements."

8. Example Pitch Deck Template

What visual elements should be included in our pitch deck template.

The most important thing to remember is that you want to make your pitch deck as easy to read as possible. Your presentation should be clear and concise, and your font should be easy to read.

I would recommend sticking with a simple sans-serif font, like Arial or Calibri. Sans-serif fonts are typically easier to read than serif fonts, and they're also more commonly used in business presentations. Calibri and Arial are both very commonly used in PowerPoint presentations, so your deck will be easy for other people to use if they need to refer back to it.

How can we ensure that our pitch deck template is engaging and memorable?

Make your pitch deck template easy to follow. You want your pitch deck to be memorable, but you don't want it to be hard for potential investors to follow. They're looking for a solid business plan, and if your deck is too hard to follow, it might be a red flag. Make your slides easy to follow and to understand so that your pitch is clear and engaging.

9. Conclusion

What key insights can be drawn from this analysis.

"An entrepreneur should think about answering the question, ”What key insights can be drawn from this analysis?' by making sure to keep the focus on the facts and not get too bogged down with assumptions. It's easy to make logical leaps when looking at data, but it's important to remember that there are still unknown variables that can skew the results.

"For example, maybe you're looking at data from a previous marketing campaign that turned out to be a huge success. While this data may be useful for showing what kind of content is successful in the short term, it doesn't necessarily tell you anything about what will work in the future. By keeping your eye on the facts and not making any assumptions, you'll be able to draw much more accurate conclusions and insights from your data analysis."

What recommendations can be made for future research?

Entrepreneurs should first focus on areas that align with the company's vision, mission, and values. The recommendations should fit within the company's long-term business strategy. Entrepreneurs should also consider the cost and time associated with the research.

Key Takeaways:

• A pitch deck template provides a comprehensive structure for creating a dynamic and effective pitch.
• A successful business plan should include a mission statement, market analysis, financial plan, and a competitive analysis.
• Utilizing a template helps to ensure that all important information is included in the pitch deck.
• Crafting a memorable and persuasive pitch requires careful consideration of the audience and using the right language.
• Common mistakes to avoid include not having a clear goal, not including metrics or financials, and not doing enough research.

In conclusion, a pitch deck template is a great way to ensure that your business plan is comprehensive and effective. It can help you organize your ideas, provide structure and guidance, and ensure that all the key information is included. With careful consideration of what to include, how to adapt the template, and what mistakes to avoid, you can create an effective and compelling pitch deck. With the help of a pitch deck template, you can be sure that your business plan will stand out and ensure success.

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Writing a Business Plan

Team sequoia.

When Brian, Joe and Nate founded Airbnb, they had an air mattress, entrepreneurial passion, and a vision for reinventing travel and hospitality, but no clear idea how to approach VCs or how to craft a pitch deck.

They came across Sequoia’s guide for how to write a business plan and the rest is history . They made a great deck.

But it wasn’t really the slides we liked—it was their ideas, the clarity of their thinking, and the scope of their ambition. We love partnering with founders hell-bent on bringing an idea to life that conventional wisdom deems impossible. And we love to partner early— when an idea is newly formed and has the maximal room to grow.

You can find our guide to pitching below (with a few refinements from years of use).

Company purpose Start here: define your company in a single declarative sentence. This is harder than it looks. It’s easy to get caught up listing features instead of communicating your mission.

Problem Describe the pain of your customer. How is this addressed today and what are the shortcomings to current solutions.

Solution Explain your eureka moment. Why is your value prop unique and compelling? Why will it endure? And where does it go from here?

Why now? The best companies almost always have a clear why now? Nature hates a vacuum—so why hasn’t your solution been built before now?

Market potential Identify your customer and your market. Some of the best companies invent their own markets.

Competition / alternatives Who are your direct and indirect competitors. Show that you have a plan to win.

Business model How do you intend to thrive?

Team Tell the story of your founders and key team members.

Financials If you have any, please include.

Vision If all goes well, what will you have built in five years?

For PowerPoint, Keynote & Google Slides

Building a winning Pitch Deck was never easier

Fast & easy to edit

The pitch deck template is completely editable with PowerPoint (.pptx), Keynote (.key), and Google Slides.

30+ components

Each of the templates' 30+ slides includes design proposals & predesigned components.

Beautiful design

Every slide is designed with the purpose to look stunning and convey all the necessary information.

Proven structure

The template structure is based on an analysis of 70+ startup pitch decks in different industries. Additionally, it is pre-loaded with our company story, so you can see which content you need to include.

Build a Stunning Startup Pitch Deck

1. title slide.

2. Company Purpose

3. The Problem

4. The Solution

5. Traction

6. Why Now?

7. Market Size

8. The Competition

9. Business Model

11. Financial Projections

12. Closing Thought

Tips for building your Startup Pitch Deck

Create different pitch decks

One pitch deck for in-person presentations will rely mainly on visuals, while an email version can help give your presentation more context with text.

Make it visual and on-brand

Investors want to get a feel for the company and the energy behind your team and your offers. Don’t be afraid to show personality with graphics, visuals, and brand colors/fonts to show just how much your startup stands out.

Be brief and concise

A pitch deck should be clear, compelling, and straightforward. About 10 to 20 slides should be enough to hit all the key points.

Leave investors wanting more

Your startup pitch deck should spark interest, leaving investors hungry for more information about your company. Don’t give away too much in your presentation.

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33 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks and What You Can Learn From Them [+10 Free Templates]

A startup pitch deck is a brief presentation that provides investors with an overview of your new business and/or startup idea through presentation slides.

It usually focuses on showcasing your product, sharing your business model, giving a look into your monetization strategy, and introducing your team.

A startup pitch deck is an essential fundraising tool for successful startups, whether you’re looking to raise funding from $50,000, $500,000, or $50 million. However, an investor pitch deck is just one of the best pitch decks and examples we will share below.

Despite the brevity of the successful startup pitch decks, which usually run for 10 slides or less, creating a pitch deck that wins investment is not an easy task.

What Does a Successful Startup Pitch Deck Cover?

A great pitch deck covers key points through visuals and bullet points and usually has a competition slide, a problem slide, and a solution slide to explain your offering and the market.

Additionally, a business model slide and a team slide (if your business is developed enough to present these) can turn a good deck into a great startup pitch deck.

Don’t forget, a simple pitch deck is a good pitch deck—and you’re about to learn how to nail it.

In This Legendary Startup Pitch Deck Article You Will Find:

• Examples of 33 successful pitch decks
• Takeaways that you can apply when creating your own startup pitch deck
• Editable templates of 10 pitch decks that you can use for free

Looking for a winning pitch deck template ASAP to present in front of potential investors?   Try our free template created in collaboration with HighSpark – an agency that has helped more than 500 startups raise cumulatively over $80 million in funding. 

Here is the list of 33 of the best startup pitch deck examples that we will go through:

• ZenPayRoll (Now Gusto)
• Wealthsimple
• AppVirality
• Shape Integrated Software
• Ooomf (now Crew)
• Sequoia Capital

These startup pitch deck examples were created by top brands in tech. At the time, they were all small startups (seed stage companies) looking to raise money or venture capital through potential investors and grow their businesses. Sound familiar?!

We hope that their business idea and investor pitch decks will inspire you (and of course, potential investors).

If you are more of a visual learner than a reader type, you can watch a video summary of the first 10 startup pitch deck examples mentioned in this blog post:

Alternatively, if you’re ready to create your own pitch deck, we’ve added some startup pitch deck examples and pitch deck templates to the bottom of this article. You can go straight to them by clicking here . Or get access to Piktochart’s online design tool by signing up for a free account and choosing a presentation template to get started easily.

From behemoths like Facebook and YouTube to superstars like Buffer, together these startups have raised millions of dollars and are now worth billions!

It’s time to see how they did it.

33 Legendary Startup Pitch Deck Examples

1. facebook pitch deck.

Here’s a fun fact: Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist, and entrepreneur, was the first outside investor in Facebook back in 2004. That’s when Mark Zuckerberg first set out to turn his dorm room project into a lasting business. Zuckerberg received $500,000 from Peter Thiel.

Facebook’s pitch deck was more of a media kit  of sorts. It was containing the company’s value proposition, key metrics, and marketing services that were used to sell ads to potential clients.

Favorite takeaway : The focus of the startup pitch deck was based on solid numbers such as user engagement, traffic, and growth trajectory.

2. Airbnb pitch deck

Airbnb is a platform that allows people to list, find, and rent lodging.

This company is one of the greatest startup success stories of our time.

The now famous Airbnb pitch deck has become one of the best pitch decks for inspiring entrepreneurs around the world.

Favorite takeaway: The intro. It’s all about hooking your audience. You need to describe your business using as few words as possible. Imagine telling a 5-year-old what your business is about. If you can’t do that, it’s time to put some time into nailing it down.

3. Buffer pitch deck

Buffer is a social media scheduling platform that helps you schedule content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

The almighty startup pitch deck that helped Buffer to raise half a million dollars gained popularity by becoming one of the first pitch decks openly shared online. The founder decided to put it up to help other startups to raise funds.

Favorite takeaway: Similar to Facebook, the deck was based on solid numbers from Buffer’s users (e.g., 800 users, $150,000 annual revenue run rate, etc.)

4. Square pitch deck

Square is a company that allows merchants to accept mobile credit card payments via a dongle.

Favorite takeaway : Social proof! It doesn’t hurt to promote the management team if they’ve been with Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, PayPal, and more. It shows that your management team’s experience is an armor to the company. This detailed startup pitch deck outlines Square’s business model and a simple financial model that portrays its annual revenue and five-year growth rate.

5. LinkedIn pitch deck

Founded in 2002, LinkedIn is the top business-oriented social networking platform.

The company’s pitch talks a great deal about company values, the power of networking, and how it’s different from other social networks out there.

Favorite takeaway : The deck also provides an extensive analogy to showcase to investors what LinkedIn is. For example, it talks about “Web 1.0” vs. “Web 2.0”: Alta Vista was “Search 1.0”, and Google was “Search 2.0”. The deck talks about how LinkedIn is “Networking for Businesses 2.0”.

6. Mint pitch deck

Mint is a personal financial services tool that helps people track their spending and find ways to save money.

This startup pitch deck example was used in a competition and was never used for raising money, but it’s still a powerful deck that startups can learn from.

Favorite takeaway : This simple deck provides a clear value proposition to customers and investors. The creators of this deck also understood that one of the key concerns of an investor is the exit mechanism of his or her investments. I love how the deck highlights a number of exit strategy options.

7. MapMe pitch deck

MapMe allows users to create universally accessible (i.e., on smartphones, tablets, and computers) maps of anywhere they want with no coding required.

This startup deck was used to raise $1 million in seed funding.

Social proof almost always works. The deck showed that the startup had over 20,000 unique visitors, 18,000 monthly alerts, and12 minutes average sessions on the site.

Favorite takeaway : The pitch deck has fewer than 13 slides but provides investors with knowledge of the traction the site got going viral on social media and its go-to-market strategy.

8. LaunchRock pitch deck

LaunchRock allows users to create landing pages and quickly get their startups known through social media, even before the launch of their full site.

Favorite takeaway : As a more creatively designed pitch deck example, this pitch deck had only 15 slides but showed how the product works and the different ways it can be used. They also utilize an analogy similar to what LinkedIn had in their decks.

9. Mixpanel pitch deck

Mixpanel is an advanced analytics platform for mobile and the web. They not only measure page views but also analyze the actions people take. This is the series-B startup pitch deck for Mixpanel that helped them raise over $65 million.

Favorite takeaway : This pitch deck example started off with a problem: people guessing their analytics. It followed up by providing its solution to that problem and, ultimately, its competitive advantage. One of the best pitch decks, this is a great example of showing the problem and solution.

10. Moz pitch deck

Moz started out as an SEO company but has pivoted to support marketers across all inbound marketing strategies.

This is the series-B startup pitch deck for Moz which they used to raise over $18 million. If you’re an established startup, this is a great example of an investor pitch deck, and you can follow this guide. The pitch deck is packed with information about the company since it was founded five years prior to this pitch.

Favorite takeaway : Because the company had already been in operation for five years, they were able to present an accurate estimated revenue, revenue run rate, average customer lifetime value, cost of paid acquisition, etc.

11. Buzzfeed pitch deck

We all have a love-and-hate relationship with Buzzfeed, don’t we? I’m sure you’ve stumbled on their pages or watched their videos before. As of today, BuzzFeed has managed to raise over $240 million in investor capital (another great example of an investor pitch deck).

Favorite takeaway : SOCIAL PROOF! It doesn’t hurt to start a pitch deck with big numbers the company has, like the millions of users visiting the website on a monthly basis and quotations from large organizations such as CNN.

12. YouTube pitch deck

YouTube was acquired by Google in 2006 for $1.6 billion. Like Facebook, this company doesn’t require any introduction. Unfortunately, this is not the original deck. This is YouTube’s pitch deck to Sequoia Capital (one of the most established VC investors who’s often regarded as one of the industry’s best), which was released through a legal proceeding.

Favorite takeaway : The company wanted to be the primary outlet for video content, and it succeeded in doing just that. It goes to show that if you know what your product can do, are able to show its potential, and build on the momentum gained through early investments to create that, then you can achieve its potential. If you’re aiming to build an investor pitch deck to land a VC like Sequoia Capital, this presentation slide deck is a great template for you!

13. Manpacks pitch deck

Manpacks is a platform that delivers men’s essentials such as underwear, razors, grooming, and other products.

The company raised $500,000 with this pitch deck.

Favorite takeaway : This deck stands out! They clearly understand who they are, and they stayed that way throughout the entire presentation. The startup pitch deck is filled with a fun tone that helps explain the product well.

14. Foursquare pitch deck

Foursquare is a mobile platform that helps you find the best places to go in your area.

Favorite takeaway : This pitch deck does a great job using screenshots of social proof that the app already has from its users sharing tweets of them being the ‘mayor’ of a particular area.

15. Flowtab pitch deck

Flowtab was an app that allowed people to order drinks quickly at a crowded bar. Despite shutting down, the founders still made an effort to help other startups.

Favorite takeaway : Simplicity. This pitch deck example does well explaining critical information like the problem, the solution, their business model, and traction. You can’t really go wrong with this pitch deck.

16. Dwolla pitch deck

Dwolla is a payment solution that allows users to send, receive, and request funds from other users. This 18-slide startup pitch deck landed the company $16.5 million.

Favorite takeaway : Most startups are founded because of a problem they faced, but not many people tell their story well through their pitch decks. In their slide deck, Dwolla shared a great story of how the founder paid $50,000 a year in credit card fees and then created a solution for never doing it again.

17. ZenPayRoll  (Now Gusto) pitch deck

Gusto (previously ZenPayroll) is a cloud-based solution tool for small businesses to pay employees.

The company raised $6 million with this pitch deck.

Favorite takeaway : This isn’t just a startup pitch deck. It is a template that you can use and replicate easily by filling in the blanks.

18. Bliss pitch deck

Bliss provides metrics for coders and allows them to collaborate easily.

The company raised over $400,000 using Angel List.

Favorite takeaway : The pitch deck was well composed with a clear understanding of the product and the investors they were pitching to. This is one of the best pitch decks to use if you know your target market.

19. Adpushup pitch deck

Adpushup allows companies to maximize ad revenues through advanced A/B testing. They raised more than $632,000 in investments.

Favorite takeaway : This slide deck proves that going back to the basics works. This pitch deck has basic principles like a great introduction, an outline of problems, potential solutions, market opportunities, products, case studies, milestones, traction, and a future plan.

20. Wealthsimple pitch deck

Wealthsimple is Canada’s first online investment manager. They raised more than $2 million in seed funding with this slide deck.

Favorite takeaway : The startup pitch deck is sweet and short but effective. Our favorite part is the transformation of the industry, which is laid out in a table format.

21. AppVirality pitch deck

AppVirality allows app developers to grow their platforms using growth method techniques proven by other startups.

Favorite takeaway : Our favorite takeaway is how the flow of the pitch deck goes through the problem, the proven solution, and how it works within their app to their target market in multiple slides.

22. Shape Integrated Software pitch deck

Shape Integrated Software is budget management software that helps PPC analysts manage various budgets across different channels.

Favorite takeaway : When you have the traction to back your startup, use it. Shape clearly took advantage of it and presented it clearly in their pitch deck.

23. Podozi pitch deck

Podozi is an online e-commerce platform based in Nigeria.

Favorite takeaway : Most startup pitch decks work well when they’re short and sweet, in multiple slides, like Podozi’s. The best takeaway is the working partnership with large brands that this platform already has.

24. Fittr pitch deck

Fittr is a platform that designs custom workouts tailored to equipment, access, time management, and goals.

Favorite takeaway : As a user of this platform, we love the investment goals and the purpose of what the company is planning to use it for.

25. Swipes pitch deck

Swipes is a task manager app to help its users increase their productivity.

Favorite takeaway : One of their pages used social proof of quotations from The Next Web and Lifehacker. You can’t go wrong with that.

26. Canvas pitch deck

Canvas replaces paper-based processes with affordable and easy-to-use mobile apps and forms. They raised $9 million with these decks.

Favorite takeaway :  Instead of saying what they do, the second slide in their pitch deck shows how their startup helps businesses. No words are needed.

27. Ooomf  (now Crew) pitch deck

Crew (formerly Ooomf & then PickCrew) is a freelancer marketplace that connects mobile and web developers with projects or work. This deck was used to raise over $2 million dollars.

Favorite takeaway : Well-designed with an easy-to-understand flow.

28. Cubeit pitch deck

Cubeit is a mobile application that allows users to aggregate content from anywhere. Cubeit used this 13-slide deck to raise seed funding before they even had a finished product.

Favorite takeaway : A strong introduction will get investors to pay attention. Their deck starts out with a clear message, which was that “owning more devices doesn’t make your life easier”. I can’t help but pay attention to how this company will help.

29.  Castle pitch deck

Castle was a startup that let rental owners put their properties on autopilot. This was the deck Castle used to raise $270,000 for their startup.

Favorite takeaway : Great design and easy to digest.

30.  Sequoia Capital pitch deck

Sequoia Capital is one of the leading investment firms in Silicon Valley. This deck is a template they recommend following.

Favorite takeaway : It’s like having the keys to the kingdom. You don’t have to guess what this investment giant is looking for. They tell you straight away.

31. Uber pitch deck

When Uber hit the scene, they fundamentally reimagined urban transportation. Their pitch deck tells this audacious story perfectly. Simple yet impactful, it illustrates the problem of expensive taxis and car services, then introduces Uber as the affordable, tech-driven solution.

They use stark data points to highlight the financial opportunity, a vital touch for potential investors.

As you create your pitch, remember Uber’s two key strengths: painting a clear problem-solution scenario and using compelling data to underscore their market potential. This strategy not only shows understanding of their market but also communicates their transformative vision effectively.

Favorite takeaway : The deck is clean and minimalist. The flow is easy to follow, and you get a clear idea of what’s the problem they’re trying to solve, and how they solve it.

32. WeWork pitch deck

WeWork’s pitch deck beautifully encapsulates its community-driven approach to shared workspaces.

They use visually appealing slides that mirror their innovative, modern brand. Their pitch deck deftly articulates the benefits of shared workspaces in today’s economy, setting the stage for their unique value proposition.

Favorite takeaway : what we do, who we do it for, why we do it; the deck walks you through their company vision with smart visuals and copy. We loved how they generated urgency by highlighting how co-working spaces were a fast-growing trend and investors could miss out on a profitable investment if they didn’t act quickly.

33. MatterMark pitch deck

MatterMark’s pitch deck is a testament to the power of storytelling. utilizing clean visuals to aid comprehension and coupled with succinct copy to keep the narrative engaging. The 30-slide deck earned the platform $6.5 million in seed A funding.

Favorite takeaway : Strong visual storytelling through the use of charts and graphs. In just a few moments, you can see where the majority of their revenue comes from compared to their other revenue streams.

Summary of Pitch Deck Template Takeaways

To sum up, a strong startup pitch deck not only serves to reinforce your brand to the target audience or investors, but shows your business plan and unique offering through the slides presented; using a problem slide, a solution slide, and a traction slide including concise bullet points. 

The best startup pitch deck also shows off your company’s personality, through the inclusion of a team slide or similar in the next few slides, to be presented after your business plan is clearly outlined.

As your company grows, you’ll probably start thinking about the next stage of growth. You can use these successful pitch decks can as the foundation to make an investor deck for your next round of financing.

Look at the takeaways from these startup pitch decks as a guide to help you in your quest to raise funds and venture capital for your own startup for an investment round.

Here are some of the key takeaways from our pitch deck examples:

• Pitch decks don’t have to be formal or beautiful.
• A great pitch deck will provide an impactful intro or slogan.
• Keep your deck short (less than 20 pages).
• Use analogies to back up the points that you’re making.

After going through so many startup pitch deck examples, we recommend that to make your pitch presentation stand out you should:

• Start with a strong intro/vision.
• Show problems and offer solutions.
• Identify market opportunities.
• Showcase products/services clearly.
• Digest your business model
• Highlight financials
• Add social proof/case studies.
• Differentiate from competition.
• Show an experienced management team.

Designing a strong pitch deck could turn your business idea into a reality after convincing investors to provide support financial support to your project.

If you’re looking for additional information, DocSend shared lessons  they got learning from 200 startups who raised $360 million from their first pitch deck.

10 Pitch Deck Templates for You to Try

The following pitch decks are free templates available in Piktochart that you can use. This makes it easy to work on your slides without having to worry about design. We took care of that for you.

If you don’t have an account yet, just sign up for a free Piktochart account here and then click on one of the templates below.

To learn how the online pitch deck creator works, watch this on-demand demo .

1. Investment Pitch Deck Template With HighSpark

2. Finance Pitch Deck Template

3. Business Pitch Deck Template

4. Startup Pitch Deck Examples

5. Tech Pitch Deck Examples

6. Business Keynote Template 

7. Product Pitch Deck Template

8. Product Pitch Deck Template

9. App Product Presentation Template

10. Product Website Pitch Deck Template

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70+ Best Pitch Deck Presentation Templates

One of the most important aspects of pitching your startup is the presentation. In fact, it’s your pitch deck that’ll do most of the talking. The perfect pitch deck template will walk through your business goals, financials, strategy and more. We've picked some of the best pitch deck templates to start with.

Quin Pitch Deck Template

Quint is an exceptional choice for creating impactful pitch decks. With its 30 unique slides, this template offers a comprehensive set of slides that ...

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Hamer Pitch Deck Template

Hamer is a visually stunning pitch deck template ideal for presenting a startup or a high-end product. With its dark color theme and stylish slide des...

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Learn About Pitch Decks

What is a pitch deck (and how to make one).

How to build a pitch deck that will surprise and delight.

10 Tips to Make Your Pitch Stand Out

Learn how to build a pitch deck design that stands out.

15 Pitch Deck Examples That Made Startups

We take a look at some of the pitch deck examples below that made startup ideas into billion-dollar companies.

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Sales Pitch Deck Template

This template is an exceptional choice for crafting pitch decks for sales, marketing, and startup related presentations. This template offers a range ...

Lubde Pitch Deck Template

This PowerPoint pitch deck template features unique slide designs with creative content layouts. It’s perfect for startup presentations as well as f...

Starlax Pitch Deck Template

Starlax is a colorful PowerPoint template featuring a set of unique slides that are ideal for making marketing and sales related pitch decks. The temp...

Braum Pitch Deck Template

Braum is a visually stunning and creatively designed presentation template. With its 30 slides, it offers a unique and refreshing design that breaks a...

Latitud Business Pitch Deck Template

Latitud is a contemporary and visually appealing presentation template tailored for creative startups and agencies. With its 70 slide designs, this te...

Lexos Pitch Deck Template

Lexos is a sleek and minimalist option for crafting effective startup pitch decks. With its clean design and straightforward layout, this template all...

Bebek Pitch Deck Template

Bebek is a versatile and visually appealing template designed specifically for modern business presentations and pitch decks. With its 39 unique slide...

Startup Business Pitch Deck Template

This is an exceptional template for startups and entrepreneurs seeking to develop a comprehensive business plan or create a captivating pitch deck pre...

Reccon Pitch Deck Template

A clean and minimal design is a sign of professionalism. This pitch deck template comes with a professional design featuring a modern content layout. ...

Epitone Pitch Deck Template

With over 50 uniquely crafted slides, Epitone offers a comprehensive solution for creating a clean and crisp pitch deck presentation. Its modern desig...

STACK Pitch Deck Template

With over 30 unique slide designs, Stack provides a diverse range of editable layouts to present your business ideas and startup concepts effectively....

Minimal – Startup Pitch Deck Template

This is an exceptional template for entrepreneurs looking to create an impactful presentation for investors. It offers a comprehensive collection of 2...

Professional Pitch Deck Template

This template is a remarkable choice for creating impactful and compelling pitch deck presentations. With its highly professional and minimal design, ...

Simple Pitch Deck for PPT

This template offers a clean and simple design that is ideal for creating a compelling pitch deck. With 100 unique slides, this template provides a co...

Startup Pitch Deck Template for PPT

This template offers a professional and clutter-free design that enhances the visual appeal of your presentations. With 120 unique slides, this templa...

Vengeance Pitch Deck Template

Vengeance is a clean and minimalistic presentation template that is ideal for crafting impactful startup pitch decks. With 39 slides at your disposal,...

Investment Pitch Deck Template

This template is a valuable resource for anyone working on a pitch deck to showcase startups and investment-related businesses. With its impressive co...

Start Up Pitch Deck Template

This is a versatile and comprehensive solution for startups seeking to create impactful presentations. With its collection of 41 slide layouts, this t...

Maria Pitch Deck Template

Maria is a versatile and professional tool designed for digital marketing startups and agencies. With its 36 unique slides, it offers a comprehensive ...

Corporate Startup Pitch Deck Template

If you want to make a more colorful and vibrant pitch deck for your corporate business or startup, this PowerPoint template is for you. It includes 50...

Redeem Pitch Deck Template

Redeem is a versatile and user-friendly pitch deck template offering a comprehensive set of over 50 unique slide designs, all created using master sli...

Socia Marketing Pitch Deck

Socia is a sleek and modern option for startups in the digital marketing industry. With its collection of 30 unique slides, this template offers a com...

Trunceon Pitch Deck Template

Trunceon is a clean and minimalistic presentation template designed specifically for creating high-quality startup pitch decks. The template includes ...

Startup Plan Pitch Deck Template

This is a comprehensive and versatile pitch deck template that offers a wide range of useful slide designs for presenting your startup’s busines...

Asensio Pitch Deck Template

Asensio is a versatile and comprehensive template that empowers users to create professional presentations for a wide range of business purposes. With...

Blocking Pitch Deck Template

Blocking is a visually captivating pitch deck template designed to make a strong impression on investors. Featuring 50 unique slides, it offers a dive...

Fifty-Six Pitch Deck Template

Fifty Six is a versatile and visually appealing template for creating impactful pitch decks and slideshows across various industries. The template boa...

Steart Pitch Deck Template

Steart offers a comprehensive set of over 40 distinct slide layouts that enable you to present your startup with utmost professionalism. Each slide de...

Bright Pitch Deck Template

This template offers a versatile and professional design to create impactful presentations. It presents a range of 20 master slides, carefully crafted...

BREACH Business Pitch Deck Template

Breach offers a collection of 30 slides specifically designed for creating compelling presentations. The template’s simplicity and clean design ...

Union Pitch Deck Template

Union is a minimalist startup pitch deck template that boasts a collection of 100 distinct slides, each thoughtfully designed to capture the attention...

INTENSE Pitch Deck Template

Intense is a minimalist pitch deck template designed to help you create compelling presentations for startups. With its modern and creative slide desi...

Setrata Pitch Deck Template

Setrata is a visually stunning and modern presentation solution that is ideal for showcasing your business projects and creative startup ideas. With i...

Tiram Pitch Deck Template

With its vibrant design and modern aesthetic, Tiram is well-suited for creating pitch decks for design agencies, freelance projects, lifestyle startup...

Minimal Business Proposal Template

This is a highly professional and visually appealing template designed specifically for creating pitch decks to present business proposals and project...

Purplo Pitch Deck Template

Purplo is a versatile template that goes beyond pitch decks, enabling users to create various types of professional presentations. With its extensive ...

Aqua Clean Pitch Deck Template

Aqua is an excellent choice for those seeking a pitch deck template with a clean and minimalist design. The template offers a vast selection of 600 sl...

Startup Pitch Deck PPT Template

This template offers a visually appealing and contemporary design that effectively conveys your message and facilitates persuasive presentations. Spec...

Booster Minimal Pitch Deck Template

Booster is a minimal pitch deck template you can use to design presentations for modern startups. It’s especially suitable for showcasing apps as it...

Pitch – Startup Pitch Deck Template

This pitch deck template offers 120 unique slides, providing ample flexibility to present your ideas effectively. Additionally, it offers six premade ...

Varchi Pitch Deck Template

Varchi is a standout choice for startups, small businesses, and corporate brands seeking to create captivating pitch decks. It offers a comprehensive ...

Bavena – Startup Pitch Deck Template

Bavena offers a comprehensive and visually appealing set of slides for creating an impactful startup pitch. With a total of 100 slides in two differen...

Multipurpose Pitch Deck Template

This pitch deck template caters to a wide range of needs, making it suitable for both company profiles and startup pitch decks. With a collection of 4...

Reven Pitch Deck Template

Raven is an exceptional pitch deck template that offers over 50 unique slide layouts, making it a valuable asset for any entrepreneur or startup. The ...

Manola Pitch Deck Template

Manola is an impressive template that offers a creative and minimalist design, making it an ideal choice for creative startups and agencies. With over...

Business Pitch Presentation Template

This is a versatile and professional choice for creating engaging slideshows for startup and product presentations. With its collection of 30 unique s...

Stylish Pitch Deck Template

This pitch deck template offers a stylish and contemporary design ideal for creating impactful slideshows for various modern startups and product prom...

Connect Pitch Deck Template

Connect is a versatile and visually appealing pitch deck template designed specifically for marketing and promotional presentations. With its collecti...

Colorful Pitch Deck Template

This startup pitch deck template offers a visually appealing and professional design to help entrepreneurs create engaging presentations. With 21 uniq...

Investor Pitch Deck Template

This is a creative and visually appealing solution for entrepreneurs seeking to create an impactful presentation to pitch their startup to investors. ...

Pitch Werk Presentation Template

Pitch Werk is a creative and stylish template designed specifically for modern startups. With over 100 unique slides, this template provides a compreh...

Prexess Startup Pitch Deck Template

Prexess is a compelling choice for creating pitch slide decks with its striking design and user-friendly features. With 36 custom slides, this templat...

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Simple Deck Free PowerPoint Template

The Simple Deck Free PowerPoint Template is a seamless blend of modern design and practicality, ideal for business meetings, seminars, and project dis...

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Clean Pitch Deck Presentation Template

This pitch deck template is an excellent choice for those seeking a clean and straightforward layout. With a total of 36 slide layouts, this template ...

Bena Startup Pitch Deck Template

Bena is an excellent option for those seeking a clean and straightforward design for their pitch deck presentations. You have the freedom to personali...

Subtle Pitch Deck Template

Subtle is a sleek and modern option for creating impressive pitch decks. The template consists of 34 slides in widescreen format, that can be fully cu...

A4 Vertical Pitch Deck Template

This is a highly versatile and visually appealing presentation template designed specifically for product presentations and pitch decks. Its unique ve...

Haluiva Pitch Deck Template

Haluiva is a creative and modern presentation template that offers a professional and visually appealing design. With its 30 unique slides, this templ...

Creatives Pitch Deck Template

Creatives is an impressive and professionally designed template for creating captivating and impactful presentations. With its collection of 30 slides...

Entrepreneur Pitch Deck Template

This is a versatile and well-designed pitch deck template catered specifically to entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses looking to present their pro...

Investor Pitch Deck Template for Startups

This template is a compelling choice for entrepreneurs seeking to make initial approaches to investors. With its sleek and modern design, this templat...

Corporate Identity Pitch Deck Presentation

This pitch deck template offers a fantastic opportunity to present your company’s rebranding efforts in a visually appealing and professional ma...

Credential Startup Pitch Deck Template

Credential is a highly effective pitch deck template for capturing the attention of potential investors. This template is specifically designed to hel...

Venture Pitch Deck Template

Venture is a minimal pitch deck template that offers a variety of creative and customizable slide designs. This template is perfect for presenting mod...

Conference Pitch Deck Template

This is an impressive and well-designed presentation template suitable for conference pitches and business meetings. With a professional and clutter-f...

Minimal Pitch Deck Template

This is an excellent template for individuals and businesses looking to create a professional and clutter-free presentation. With its minimalistic des...

Fintech Pitch Deck Template

Fintech is a vibrant and contemporary template designed to cater to the needs of modern startups. With its creative and colorful design, this template...

Business Proposal Pitch Deck Template

This template is a versatile and comprehensive solution for crafting engaging business proposals and startup pitch decks. With 20 distinct slide layou...

Modern Pitch Deck Template

This pitch deck template is an exceptional resource for individuals and organizations looking to create compelling and visually appealing presentation...

Sales Forecast Pitch Deck Template

This template offers a professional and straightforward design, making it an ideal choice for presenting your new framework or app that revolutionizes...

Modern Deck Free PowerPoint Template

Introducing the Modern Deck Free PowerPoint Template, a dynamic tool for effective pitch presentations. Designed with 21 innovative slides, it include...

FAQs About Pitch Deck Presentation Templates

Making an effective pitch deck is the key to winning over investors and your audience. Here are a few tips to get a head start in your presentation design.

1. Be Straightforward

When pitching a startup or a business idea, you should keep in mind that your audience mainly consists of intellectuals. Simply put, they are busy people who don’t want to waste their time.

When designing each and every slide of your pitch deck, make sure to go straight to the point. Get rid of filler content and remove unnecessary introductions. But, also try not to use too many abbreviations. Especially tech abbreviations.

2. Visualize the Data

You’ll be using lots of data and statistics from various research and studies in your presentations. It not only help prove your points but also makes your presentation look more professional.

You can use visuals to make your data more impactful and easier to understand. In addition to using charts and graphs also use infographics as well.

3. Detail Your Value Proposition

One of the key slides you must include in a pitch deck is the value proposition. This is where you detail what kind of value you’re bringing with your startup or product. What kind of a problem you’re solving. And what kind of benefits it brings.

4. Showcase Your Business Model

Let’s face it, this is the most important slide of your pitch deck. Especially the investors will pay close attention to this particular slide. Detailing the business model for your startup or product is something that needs to be done very carefully.

Depending on the goals you want to achieve, you can either be as transparent as possible or avoid giving away too many details. We’ll leave it up to you to decide.

5. Keep it Short

When Airbnb pitched their startup to investors for the first time, their pitch deck only had 10 slides. Foursquare pitch deck only had 15 slides. Buffer’s pitch deck had 13 slides. If there’s one key point you can take away from these successful pitch decks that is to keep your slideshow short and simple.

6. Integrate Your Elevator Pitch

Every startup has a prepared elevator pitch. It’s how you describe your business or product to someone with just a couple of sentences.

When creating your startup pitch, use your elevator pitch for the first slide of your pitch deck. This will help you introduce your business to your audience more easily and avoid confusing them along the way.

7. Use Visuals, Graphs, and Charts

Using lots of visual in your slides is a good way to keep your audience engaged throughout your pitch presentation. When talking about sales projections, stats, and research studies, make sure to use charts and graphs to visualize those stats as well. It will help clarify your speech.

8. Implement the 10/20/30 Rule

The 10/20/30 rule is a simple concept that believed to make presentations more effective. According to the concept, you should use 10 slides in your pitch deck, keep your speech under 20 minutes, and use 30 points as the font size.

9. Watch Shark Tank

One of the best ways to prepare a great startup pitch is to watch how others do it. Shark Tank is a great reality TV show where real startups pitch to investors and make deals on the spot. Watching a few episodes of this show will help you understand what you should and shouldn’t include in your pitch and what kind of pitches make investors throw their money at you.

Show them your big idea with pitch deck templates

It's the moment you've been waiting for—the chance to pitch your dream, yourself, or your services to a roomful of decision makers. let these customizable templates be your guide to laying out the compelling reasons you're the best choice for whatever they need, so you can close the deal in style..

Sharpen your pitch with these templates for pitch decks

Find your path to success in these templates for pitch decks. These professional-looking templates will help you present yourself as smart, polished and totally capable of doing what you say you will. If you’re pitching yourself for a job, find yourself some resumes and business cards to complement your stellar presentation. After you wow the boardroom, use thank you card templates to tell them how much you appreciated their time, and keep in touch and follow up with letters after some time has passed. Once your business is off the ground, keep it running smoothly with financial management templates, and create all the marketing assets to you need to spread the word about your new endeavor. With the help of Microsoft Designer, you’ll find so many ways to impress those who need impressing so you can get your ideas off the ground and into the hands of those who can use them.

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Pitch Deck vs Business Plan: Differences and Which to Use

Table of Contents

Have you ever spent time deciding between creating a pitch deck vs business plan? For startups and new business owners, where every minute counts, it’s crucial to concentrate on activities that deliver the most significant impact.

This blog article demystifies the pitch deck vs business plan, whether you aim to attract investors, secure a loan, or win over partners and clients. We’ll start with pitch decks, followed by business plans, with the goal of helping you choose wisely – so you can spend less time on paperwork and more time building your business.

1. What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a slideshow that concisely conveys your business idea, market opportunity, and value proposition in a presentation format. Also known as a business or investor deck, they are used to quickly present business ideas, products, or services in 10 to 20 slides.

Purpose of a pitch deck

The purpose of a pitch deck is similar to that of an elevator pitch: tell a compelling story to grab the attention of potential investors, partners, or clients.

The goal isn’t to seal a deal on the spot but to spark sufficient interest to secure follow-up meetings and negotiate potential funding.

How long should a pitch deck be?

Your pitch deck should pack a punch, not bore your investors. Aim for 10-20 impactful slides . For complex ideas or specific industries, slightly more might be okay.

The 10/20/30 rule is your friend: make a 10-slide deck that grabs attention. Investors see hundreds of pitch decks a year. Choose quality over quantity – make each slide count!

💡 Related article: How many slides do you need for a 10-minute presentation?

What should be in a pitch deck

Most successful pitch decks follow a similar flow to keep investors hooked. The tried-and-tested 10-slide pitch deck format is a great starting point but be prepared to adjust or add slides for emphasis.

These are the 10 core slides for a pitch deck based on Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule:

• Problem slide
• Solution slide
• Market size and opportunity
• Product/service
• Business model
• Competition
• Financials and key metrics
• Ask (funding needs)

Here are additional slides you may include based on specific business and investor preferences:

• Introduction
• Go-to-market (GTM) slide
• Sales and marketing strategy
• Use of funds
• Exit strategy

💡 Learn more about the 10/20/30 rule: How to create a pitch deck (and the 10 slides you need)

Pitch deck examples

Curious how some tech unicorns have pitched their ideas in the early stages? Here are two examples that have proven successful.

✅ Snapchat pitch deck (2013, Pre-seed)

✅ Tinder pitch deck (2016, Seed)

Examples from Best Pitch Decks

2. What is a business plan?

A business plan is a written document with detailed information that acts as a roadmap for your business. A traditional business plan is a formal document that outlines all aspects of your business, including its goals, strategies, market analysis, operational structure, and financial forecasts for the next 3 to 5 years. Most business plans are created in a Word document or report format, ranging from 10 to hundreds of pages long. 

There are other types of less formal business plans used by startups or for internal alignment:

• Lean startup plan/Lean canvas: Summarizes the value proposition and business model into a single page, with a focus on the problem-solution fit.
• One-page business plan: Fits the essential information of a business into one page. Great for quickly testing an idea’s viability or getting immediate feedback.
• Internal business plan: Less formal, designed for use within an organization — for example, a feasibility business plan, operations plan, strategic, or expansion plan.

Purpose of a business plan

Business plans aren’t just for paperwork – they drive action and results. Think of your business plan as a multi-purpose tool that serves several vital functions:

• Attract investors
• Fundraising or securing loans
• Map your strategy
• Provide a strategic roadmap
• Track business progress or provide a performance benchmark
• Win over partners, talents, and potential hires

Components of a business plan

Business plans don’t have a right or wrong format; only different situations call for other formats. You can mix different plan types to prioritize components that directly support your objectives.

What to include in a traditional business plan:

• Executive summary: A concise overview of your entire business plan, highlighting the most critical points.
• Company description: What your business does, the problem it solves, your target market, and competitive advantages.
• Market analysis: Research data like market size, trends, competitors, and customer demographics.
• Organization and management: The business structure, roles, and experience of key team members.
• Products or services: Details on your offer, including features, benefits, pricing, and any intellectual property considerations.
• Sales and marketing strategy: How you plan to reach your target customers (market) and tactics to promote and drive sales.
• Financial projections: Forecasts of your income, expenses, cash flow, and profitability for the next 1 to 5 years.
• Funding request: If you are fundraising, state the amount, how it will be used, and the terms you offer investors.
• Appendix: Include any supplemental information and documents.

💡 Pro tip: Customize your plan! Add, remove, or rearrange sections to achieve your goals.

How long should a business plan be?

Think about your reader and your goal.  Need a detailed plan for a bank loan? That might be 15-25 pages. Want a quick internal roadmap? A one-page Lean Canvas could work. Consider your industry, who’s reading it, and what you need the plan to do.

💡 Pro tip: Choose quality over quantity. Focus on clarity, regardless of length.

How long does it take to write a business plan?

It can take anything from 20 minutes to 20 weeks. The whole process of creating a business plan can be time-consuming (if opting for a long format), and it can also be quick (for example, the Lean Canvas).

The general advice is: Don’t overthink your first business plan. Start simple, move fast, and build as you grow. Business plans aren’t static, so be prepared to refine and expand your plan as the business evolves.

💡 Pro tip: It’s not uncommon to uncover some challenging sections while writing the plan – the key is to show awareness of these issues and ways to overcome them.

Business plan templates

Not sure where to start? Use these example plans and templates from these reputable sources to get you started: 

• SBA.gov: Write your business plan –  Has the traditional business plan and lean startup business plan templates
• SCORE.org – Has business plan templates for a startup , an established business , and the Business Model Canvas
• Bplans has over 550 business plan examples across multiple industries, which you can use for inspiration.

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3. Pitch deck vs business plan: the differences

Now that you understand pitch decks and business plans, let’s dive into their key differences.

• Pitch decks are short and punchy, designed to grab investors’ attention and get you that crucial meeting.
• Business plans are thorough and detailed documents, perfect for in-depth analysis or large funding requests.

💡 Think of it this way: Pitch decks are the attention-grabbing movie trailers that sell the whole project. Business plans are your complete blueprint.

Both documents can serve you, but understanding their differences helps you select the best tool for attracting investment or charting your company’s path.

4. Do you need a pitch deck or a business plan?

In the past, business plans were the standard document to present a business idea to investors. However, simple business plans and pitch decks are increasingly popular, especially in startups.

Here’s how to choose the right tool for the job:

🎯 Pitches and investor meetings

Pitch decks provide a snapshot of your business or idea’s potential to spark interest and secure future investor meetings.

🎯 Early stages or for idea validation

Use a simple business plan or Lean Canvas, as the format forces you to focus on the core problem you’re solving and the solution.

🎯 Internal roadmap and planning

Formal business plans will aid in longer-term strategic planning, or they can be shorter since they are for internal use.

🎯 Complex business model

Create a thorough business plan with intricate details; short plans and pitch decks wouldn’t cut it for specific industries or complicated business models.

🎯 Fundraising, loans, or traditional financing

Banks, investors, and government-funded grant applications often require a detailed business plan. Whether you seek debt or equity funding, angel investors, VCs, and banks need compelling reasons to support your venture.

💡 Pro tip: You’ll still need a traditional business plan for detailed strategy or significant funding!

• No design skills required
• 3 presentations/month free
• Don’t need to learn a new software

5. Conclusion

Pitch decks and business plans aren’t simply documents – they’re essential tools for driving your business forward. Now that you know the difference, consider your current needs. Ready to capture investor attention? Start crafting a compelling pitch deck. Need a detailed roadmap? Begin writing a winning business plan. Use the resources in this guide to get started and put your business on the right track toward success!

When should you write a business plan?

According to research by Harvard Business Review , between six and 12 months after deciding to start a business. For various reasons, crafting a comprehensive business plan either earlier or later doesn’t necessarily impact business success:

• Most startups pivot from their original ideas and plans.
• The time needed to create a thorough plan is better spent on other business activities (at least initially).
• Creating an elaborate plan may distract entrepreneurs from seeing opportunities in real time and responding to real customers’ needs.

Planning is valuable, and entrepreneurs who plan are more likely to start a successful business. However, you don’t need a complex business plan to begin working on your business. It’s okay to create a plan early on but remember; it’s more about being strategic with your time than trying to forecast the future from the start.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a canvas?

They differ in complexity and length. Business plans are longer and more detailed and are typically used to secure funding from investors or financial institutes.

A canvas, Lean Canvas , or business plan canvas, is a 1-page business plan. The Lean Canvas template helps you deconstruct your idea and focus on finding customer problems worth solving without a significant time investment. 

It is popular as a direct replacement for traditional business plans within startups. The canvas can be used for quick and efficient brainstorming of multiple business models in a few hours or less.

How do I turn a business plan into a pitch deck?

Once you’ve done the groundwork of creating a business plan, you can reuse some of the insights, data, and information for a pitch deck. 

• First, extract the core details from the business plan, such as the problem you solve, the solution, the size of the market, team strengths, and financials.
• Translate that information into your chosen pitch deck template (for example, the 10-slide pitch deck ) or use an AI presentation generator tool such as SlidesAI to structure your slides. 
• Add and emphasize visuals. Replace some text with charts, diagrams, and graphs whenever applicable.
• Edit and keep the pitch deck focused and clear. Quality over quantity!
• Get feedback, practice your pitch, and then iterate on the deck until you are ready to show it to investors.

💡 Related article: 5 best free AI pitch deck generators 2024

Is a pitch deck only for investors?

No, while the primary purpose of a pitch deck is to attract funding, it can be adapted for various audiences and goals, such as partnerships, customers (especially enterprise customers), grant applications, startup or pitch competitions, or even for internal alignment within your team.

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How to Create a Business Growth Plan (+Template)

• February 17, 2022

Every startup should have a strategic business growth plan to create clear alignment and accountability. We want to make sure all startup leaders can reap the benefits, so we’ve put together a business growth plan template.

A plan with achievable and measurable goals can make the difference between success and stagnation. This holds true for most people, from entrepreneurs to athletes. Identifying where you want to end up — and the steps you need to take to get there — will ensure you’re acting purposefully and efficiently. 

What Is a Business Growth Plan?

A business growth plan is a strategic document that enables organizations to develop the strategies and implement the tactics needed to accomplish their goals. It also includes data-driven checkpoints to help executives and other stakeholders evaluate their progress and measure success.

Every department, from sales and marketing to product development, must help build this plan on a detailed level. This collaboration helps achieve alignment and empowers you to work faster and smarter. Growth plans also get your board of directors aligned to what success looks like for your startup company in the coming months and years.

Business Growth Plan Template

Why you need a business growth plan.

A strategic business growth plan drives strategy formulation (where you want your business to get to) and implementation (how you get there).

Startup founders should make sure everyone in their business, from advisors to freelancers to leadership teams, knows what they’re trying to achieve as a collective group. This instills confidence, allowing colleagues to move quickly because they know they’re heading in the right direction. It also empowers individuals to work independently, reducing the need for constant meetings to get realigned. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, it promotes measuring success with real metrics instead of gut feelings.

How Do I Write a Business Growth Plan?

To write a business growth plan, break down your goals like this:

• Strategic business objectives
• Annual objectives
• Action items
• Measurement

Our business growth plan template will help you organize your thoughts, but I’ll explain a little further here.

I like to think of a business plan as a nesting doll. Within each goal, you have smaller objectives that help you achieve your vision. Over time, small steps add up to set you in the right direction. This approach breaks down a business plan using the popular Hoshin Kanri Strategic Planning Model :

Most startups already have a vision statement: the long-term, overarching, big-picture mission of their company.

Example: At York IE, our vision is to change the way startups are built, scaled, and monetized.

2. Strategic Business Objectives

Break down the vision into two or three broad business growth goals to achieve in the next one to three years. These goals are relevant to each arm of your business but mean something different within each team.

Example: something simple yet powerful, like “increase our customer base by X%” or “achieve $X in ARR, representing Y% growth year over year.”

3. Annual Objectives

For each strategic business objective, you’ll need two or three annual objectives to help you make progress. These goals should be more focused and measurable over the course of a year.

Example: If your strategic objective is to achieve $X in annual recurring revenue , an annual objective for the go-to-market team might be, “Increase team quota carry through hiring and deploying new sales enablement tools.”

4. Action Items

For each annual objective, generate three to five tangible, impactful and actionable tasks. These are items you can check off on a list as you go along.

Examples: Launching a hiring campaign to add 10 new team members, completing a budget that demonstrates 0% to 5% profitability or rolling out a significant new product feature.

5. Measurement

You’ve surely heard that numbers don’t lie. Of course, I am a numbers person, but it’s true! Quantitative benchmarks help us objectively determine if we’re on track.

Examples: Generate X number of leads over the next 12 months, increase website traffic by X%, maintain gross margin between X% and Y%, achieve revenue per employee of $X.

Get Started with a Business Growth Plan Template

There’s plenty more to know, but you don’t need to be an expert to get started.

Download the business growth plan template below, grab your leadership team and start identifying the steps you’ll take to achieve your startup’s vision this year — and beyond.

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