The first time I tried to figure out how to write a winning startup pitch deck, I was sitting on my couch at 11:47 p.m., eating cold pizza straight from the box, scrolling through slides that all looked… identical. Same fonts or graphs. Same “We are disrupting X with AI” nonsense.
I remember thinking, Is this it? Is this what everyone’s pitching?
Also: Why does every deck look like it was designed by the same extremely confident robot?
Anyway. I bombed that pitch. Spectacularly. One investor literally said, “This is interesting, but I don’t feel anything.” Which—wow. Okay. Emotional damage.
But that failure (and several after it, let’s be honest) taught me what actually makes a startup pitch deck work. Not the theory. Not the blog posts written by people who’ve never pitched. The real stuff. The messy, human, oh wow this founder is not boring stuff.
So this is me telling you what I wish someone had told me back then—over coffee, probably, while complaining about email.
Before Anything Else: Your Pitch Deck Is Not a Resume
This took me way too long to understand.
A pitch deck isn’t:
- A business plan
- A data dump
- A flex contest
It’s a story. A short one. Like a movie trailer. Nobody wants the director’s commentary yet.
Investors aren’t asking, “Is this person smart?”
They’re asking, “Do I believe this person?”
Big difference.
The Night I Realized My Deck Was Trash
Quick story.
I once practiced a pitch in front of a friend who knows absolutely nothing about startups. Zero. Could not tell you what SaaS stands for if you paid them.
Halfway through, they stopped me and said:
“Wait… what problem are you actually solving?”
I had 14 slides. Four charts. A market size that made me look like a liar.
And I couldn’t answer that question clearly.
That’s when I learned rule #1 of how to write a winning startup pitch deck:
If a smart non-founder can’t explain it back to you, your deck is broken.
The Only 10 Slides You Actually Need (Yes, I’m Serious)
You’ll see decks with 20+ slides. Ignore them. That’s ego padding.
Here’s the version that’s worked for me (and for founders way smarter than me):
1. The Problem (Please Don’t Make This Boring)
This slide should hurt a little.
Not in a “world hunger” way unless you’re actually solving that. But in a “ugh, yeah, that’s annoying” way.
Bad:
“Businesses lack efficient solutions.”
Good:
“Every time a small business owner hires someone, they lose a weekend and part of their soul.”
Be specific. Be human. One problem. Not five.
2. The Solution (What You’re Actually Building)
This is where founders tend to spiral.
Keep it simple. One sentence. Two max.
If you need buzzwords to explain it, it’s not ready.
My internal test:
Could I explain this to my mom without her interrupting me?
If not—back to the drawing board.
3. Why Now (AKA “Why Didn’t This Exist 5 Years Ago?”)
This slide is sneaky important.
Why is now the moment?
- New tech?
- Behavior change?
- Regulation shift?
- People finally fed up?
If the answer is “because we thought of it,” that’s… not great.
4. The Market (Don’t Inflate This, Please)
Yes, you want a big market.
No, the market is not “everyone with a smartphone.”
Show you’ve thought about:
- Who pays
- Who uses
- Who cares enough to switch
I once watched an investor visibly relax when a founder reduced their market size and explained why. That honesty hits.
5. The Product (Screenshots > Words)
If you have a product, show it.
If you don’t, show what it will feel like.
This is where images help a ton. Even rough ones. Especially rough ones.
People invest in momentum, not perfection.
6. Traction (Even Tiny Wins Count)
Traction doesn’t have to mean revenue.
It can be:
- Users
- Pilots
- Waitlists
- Emails that say “when can I use this?”
I once put a slide that just said:
“3 customers. All angry if we shut this down.”
It worked. No joke.
7. Business Model (How Money Enters the Chat)
This doesn’t need to be fancy.
Just answer:
- Who pays?
- How often?
- For what?
If you say “we’ll figure it out later,” investors will also figure something out later—like not replying.
8. Competition (Yes, You Have It)
If you say “we have no competitors,” I assume you’re lying or confused.
Show:
- What people use today
- Why it’s not enough
- Where you win
Respect the market. It makes you look smarter.
9. Team (Why You, Though?)
This is not the LinkedIn slide.
This is:
- Why you care
- Why you won’t quit
- Why this problem annoys you specifically
Personal beats impressive here. Always.
10. The Ask (Clear, Calm, Confident)
How much are you raising?
What will it get you?
How long will it last?
That’s it.
No desperation. No rambling. Just clarity.
The Free Pitch Deck Template (Finally, I Know)
Okay, yes. I promised a free template.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Google Slides
- Simple fonts
- White space
- One idea per slide
You can grab a clean, no-BS template here:
👉 https://pitchdeck.io (solid examples, no fluff)
Use it as a starting point. Then make it yours. Please.
Things I’d Tell Past Me (So I’m Telling You)
- Your deck is not your company
- Investors invest in belief before metrics
- If it sounds fake, it feels fake
- Nervous is okay—boring is deadly
Also: spellcheck. I once pitched with a typo in the company name. Still hurts.
Random Side Note (Because My Brain Does This)
If you want to see how storytelling works outside startups, read Wait But Why:
👉 https://waitbutwhy.com
It’s chaotic, human, and weirdly persuasive. Just like a good pitch.
So… How Do You Know It’s Good?
Here’s my test now.
I read the deck out loud.
Alone.
Like a weirdo.
If I cringe—edit or
If I get excited—keep that part.
That’s how you write a winning startup pitch deck. Not by copying. By caring.
And yeah, you’ll still mess it up sometimes. We all do.
But when it clicks?
Man. That feeling is better than cold pizza at midnight.
