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Pitch decks · checked 11 November 2026
Take the order from Sequoia's outline or YC's seed deck template, about ten slides, and open with what you do in one plain sentence.
Answer an investor's doubts in the order they arrive: problem, solution, why now, market, product, traction, business model, competition, team, and what you are raising. Put revenue or usage early if you have it, keep a reading version to send and a lighter one to present, and check it against Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule. Pitch has a free plan, and Gamma drafts a deck from your outline.
The steps 22 answers
- How do I pitch my startup to investors? Starting Up
- Where can I find a good pitch deck template? Starting Up
- What slides should my pitch deck have, and in what order? Starting Up
- What should be in my seed pitch deck, and what kills a deck in the first 30 seconds? Starting Up
- How do I tell a compelling story instead of just listing features? Starting Up
- What actually happens inside a VC partner meeting when I pitch? Starting Up
- What are the most common mistakes that kill a pitch deck? Starting Up
- How long should my deck be, and what goes in the appendix? Starting Up
- How do I make a title slide that gets an investor to keep reading past slide one? Starting Up
- What financial numbers actually belong on the deck versus the data room? Starting Up
- How do I build a market size slide that is credible instead of the fantasy 'we just need 1% of a billion-dollar market'? Starting Up
- Should I send my deck ahead of the meeting or present it live, and how do I make a deck that works both ways? Starting Up
- How do I pitch when I have almost no traction yet? What replaces revenue on the deck? Starting Up
- How should I present my team slide when we are first-time founders with no big-brand names on it? Starting Up
- How do I design a good-looking deck when I have no design skills and no budget for a designer? Starting Up
- How do I handle a pivot in my pitch, when the deck has to explain why the old thing did not work? Starting Up
- What is the right way to show competition without either ignoring rivals or trashing them? Starting Up
- How do I present my ask and use of funds so it does not sound like a random number? Starting Up
- How do I open a pitch in the first 30 seconds so the room actually pays attention? Starting Up
- How do I tailor the same deck for different investors without rebuilding it every time? Starting Up
- Why draft your deck narrative, FAQ, and data-room answers with AI? How Founders Use AI
- How do founders use AI to rehearse their pitch and prep for tough investor Q&A? How Founders Use AI
Tools that do it for you
- PitchLaying out the deck with a team, on the free plan
- GammaA first draft of the deck from your outline
The readingMost used across these answers
- High Pitched Assessments: the exhaustive list of what makes a good pitch deck Read · 9 answers
- Writing a Business Plan (The Sequoia Pitch Deck Template) Use · 5 answers
- Airbnb Pitch Deck: Teardown and Redesign Read · 4 answers
- How to Build Your Seed Round Pitch Deck Read · 4 answers
- What You Can Really Expect When Pitching Your Seed-Stage Startup at a VC Partner Meeting Read · 4 answers
- Take Your Fundraising Pitch from Mediocre to Memorable with Storytelling Read · 4 answers
- A Playbook for Fundraising (and building your pitch) Read · 4 answers
- How to design a better pitch deck Read · 3 answers
- Free customizable pitch deck presentation templates Use · 2 answers
- A Guide to Seed Fundraising Read · 2 answers
The terms
Pitch DeckTractionTotal Addressable MarketElevator PitchProduct Demo
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