How to Build a Pitch Deck That Gets Funded
In the competitive startup world, around 90% of startups fail, not always because the idea is bad, but often because founders can’t clearly communicate their vision. If you want to avoid becoming a statistic, you need a killer pitch deck.
Whether you’re raising funding, seeking strategic partners, or building industry credibility, a strong pitch deck is your most powerful tool. When done right, it can open doors to investors, big clients, or collaboration opportunities you never imagined. And as a bonus: if it convinces investors, it’s usually a good sign your product or service has market potential.
This guide will show you how to create a pitch deck that grabs attention, avoids common mistakes, and maximizes your chances of getting funded.
What Is a Pitch Deck?
A pitch deck is essentially a highlight reel of your business: a short, visual presentation that shows off your:
- Business model
- Product or service
- Vision & strategy
It gives audiences (investors, partners, clients) a clear overview of what you do, how you plan to make money, and why it matters, in a format that’s easy to digest. You can build one in PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, or other presentation tools.
While many pitch decks are delivered in person, more are being shared virtually now. No matter how it's delivered, simplicity, clarity, and storytelling are your best friends.
For inspiration, check out these pitch deck examples on Figma or explore real startup pitch decks on PitchDecky.
Why Your Startup Needs a Strong Pitch Deck
You may have an amazing product, but if no one understands why it matters, you’ll struggle. A pitch deck helps you to:
- Stand out in a sea of ideas
- Convince investors to fund you
- Attract partners to help you grow
- Clarify your vision for yourself and your team
Here’s a pro tip: The difference between “meh” and “memorable” is often in the design and presentation. Use clean visuals, consistent branding (colors/fonts), and images that support your story.
For examples of what works, see the 11 slides you need in your pitch deck or browse our favorite pitch decks.
What to Include in Your Pitch Deck
You want the deck to be compelling and tight. If a slide doesn’t add value, remove it. Generally, 10–12 slides hit a sweet spot.
Here’s a suggested structure:
- Vision & Value Proposition: One sentence about what your business is and what unique value it offers. Make it catchy and clear.
- The Problem: What real-world issue are you solving? Use a story or example so people feel the pain point.
- Target Market & Opportunity: Who your customers are, how many there are, market size, growth potential, backed up by data.
- The Solution: What you build or offer, how it solves the problem better or differently than others. Use visuals where possible.
- Business Model: How you’ll make money. Pricing, revenue streams, margins, revenue forecast (if you have one).
- Traction / Milestones: What you’ve done so far. Product launches, customer acquisition, revenue, partnerships, proof that momentum exists.
- Marketing & Growth Strategy: How you’ll reach customers, scale up, channels, costs, conversion strategy.
- Team: Who’s behind the startup. Highlight relevant expertise, networks, advisors. Investors often bet on teams.
- Financials: Projections and forecasts: revenue, expenses, profit/loss. Also risks and assumptions. Be realistic.
- Competition: Who else is in the space? What differentiates you? Why are you defensible?
- Use of Funds & Ask: How much funding you need, how you’ll spend it, and what outcomes investors can expect in return.
For real-world examples of these slides in action, check out the newest pitch decks from startups.
Quick Tips for an Excellent Pitch Deck
- Open with a story: lead with a customer, a problem, something concrete.
- Keep one main idea per slide; avoid information overload.
- Maintain consistency in style: fonts, colors, layout.
- Use large, readable fonts, especially for in-person presentation.
- Use high-quality images, but only when they support the narrative.
- Be ready to answer questions on any slide.
For more advice, check out HubSpot’s guide to fixing pitch deck mistakes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the best ideas can fall flat if the deck is poorly executed. Here are common pitfalls:
- Overloading slides with text: Focus on what matters. Use bullet points, visuals, one idea per slide. Learn more from Wezom’s breakdown of pitch deck mistakes.
- Weak or missing narrative: Start with the problem, then build to the solution and outcome. Waveup shares how to avoid this mistake.
- Not knowing your audience: Tailor your language and metrics to what investors care about. TechCrunch covers some of the most common pitch deck fails.
- Unrealistic financials or market sizing: Do your homework and show assumptions. See Benjamin Ball Associates’ article on investor presentation mistakes.
- Design/readability issues: Keep fonts large, layout clean, and style consistent. HubSpot has a useful write-up on avoiding design mistakes in pitch decks.
Pitch Deck Checklist Before You Present
Make sure your deck:
- Starts with a clear company vision & value proposition
- Conveys the problem or opportunity in a compelling way
- Has real data on your target market
- Shows a viable business model & revenue plan
- Demonstrates traction & future milestones
- Introduces your team & their expertise
- Provides realistic financials
- Includes a competitor comparison and your differentiation
- Clearly states the funding ask & how the money will be used
The Bottom Line
A well-crafted pitch deck can be a game changer. It’s your chance to tell your startup’s story: to inspire, explain, and convince. Do that with clarity, backed by real data and a compelling narrative, and you’ll greatly increase your odds of getting funded.
Ready to take the next step? Start with a proven framework like the 11 slides you need from LivePlan, get inspired by real pitch deck examples on Figma, or explore hundreds of startup pitch decks on PitchDecky to see how others are doing it.