Pitch deck guides and templates for startups

Start here

• How to make a pitch deck: a step-by-step guide for foundersHow to make a pitch deck in 10 steps: story, slide order, market size, traction, the ask and design, with the mistakes that lose investors.
• Pitch deck checklist: 40 checks before you send your deckA free pitch deck checklist with 40 checks on story, numbers, team, the ask, design and sending your deck to investors.
• Pitch deck and startup fundraising glossaryPlain-English definitions of 50 startup fundraising terms, from TAM, SAM and SOM to CAC, LTV, burn rate, SAFE, cap table and term sheet.
• Pitch deck FAQ: 50 questions answered50 answers on startup pitch decks: how many slides, what investors look for, market size, traction, valuation, the ask, sending and pitching.

How to make each slide

What to put on every slide of an investor pitch deck, with examples and common mistakes.

• Pitch deck title slide: what to includeWhat to put on the first slide of a pitch deck: company name, logo, a one-line tagline and contact details, with examples of strong and weak taglines.
• How to write the problem slide in a pitch deckHow to write a pitch deck problem slide investors believe: one customer, one painful number, today’s workarounds and why they fail, with an example.
• How to present your solution in a pitch deckHow to make a pitch deck solution slide: show the product, link each feature to the problem and state the result for the customer, with common mistakes.
• The how it works slide: showing your product in stepsHow to make the how it works slide in a pitch deck: two to four steps from the customer’s view, simple icons or screenshots, and what to leave out.
• The why now slide: proving your timing to investorsHow to write the why now slide of a pitch deck: the technology, regulation, cost or behaviour changes that make this the right moment for your startup.
• How to show market size in a pitch deck: TAM, SAM and SOMHow to calculate and present TAM, SAM and SOM on a pitch deck market size slide, with a bottom-up example and the mistakes that make investors doubt you.
• Competition and unique advantage slide in a pitch deckHow to make a pitch deck competition slide: name real alternatives, compare them on the criteria customers care about and explain the advantage you can keep.
• How to show traction in a pitch deckHow to show traction on a pitch deck slide: pick your strongest metric, chart it over time, label every number and what to show before you have revenue.
• Product roadmap slide: milestones investors trustHow to make a product roadmap slide for a pitch deck: three to five milestones, what is already done, and how the plan ties to the money you are raising.
• Target customer slide: who your startup is forHow to describe your target customer in a pitch deck: segments, their size, who buys and who uses, and your go-to-market plan for reaching them.
• Pitch deck team slide: how to present foundersHow to make a pitch deck team slide: founders and key people, the one credential that makes each right for the job, advisers and the hires you plan.
• The ask slide: how much to raise and use of fundsHow to write the ask slide of a pitch deck: the amount you are raising, the instrument, use of funds, runway and the milestones the money will reach.
• Financial projections slide in a pitch deckHow to present revenue projections in a pitch deck: three to five years, the assumptions behind them, key costs and how to keep forecasts believable.
• Business model slide: how your startup makes moneyHow to explain your business model on a pitch deck slide: who pays, pricing, revenue streams, unit economics and the common models startups use.
• Press and recognition slide in a pitch deckWhen to include a press, awards or partners slide in a pitch deck, what counts as credible recognition and how to show it without clutter.
• Pitch deck closing slide: how to end your pitchWhat to put on the last slide of a pitch deck: a one-line summary, the ask, a clear next step and contact details that make it easy to follow up.

Pitch deck templates by industry

Slide order, the metrics investors check and the mistakes to avoid in eight sectors.

• SaaSFree SaaS pitch deck template: slide-by-slide outline, the recurring revenue metrics investors check, what makes a software deck stand out and mistakes to avoid.
• FintechFree fintech pitch deck template: slide outline, the regulatory, risk and transaction metrics investors look for, and the mistakes that sink financial startups.
• HealthtechFree healthtech pitch deck template: slide outline, clinical evidence, regulatory and reimbursement slides, metrics investors look for and common mistakes.
• EdtechFree edtech pitch deck template: slide outline, the learning outcome and engagement metrics investors check, who pays in education and mistakes to avoid.
• D2C and consumer brandsFree D2C pitch deck template for consumer brands: slide outline, the margin, repeat purchase and acquisition metrics investors check, and common mistakes.
• MarketplacesFree marketplace pitch deck template: slide outline, GMV, take rate, liquidity and repeat-use metrics investors check, and the chicken-and-egg question.
• Climate tech and cleantechFree climate tech pitch deck template: slide outline, emissions impact, cost curve and deployment metrics, funding sources and mistakes climate founders make.
• AI startupsFree AI startup pitch deck template: slide outline, how to show a defensible edge beyond the model, usage and cost metrics investors check and common mistakes.

Pitch deck templates by funding stage

What a deck needs to prove at pre-seed, seed and Series A.

• Pre-seedFree pre-seed pitch deck template: slide order for founders with little or no revenue, what investors look for at the earliest stage and how to show early demand.
• SeedFree seed pitch deck template: slide order, the early traction and product-market fit signals seed investors look for, and how to frame the ask.
• Series AFree Series A pitch deck template: slide order, the growth, retention and unit economics Series A investors expect and how to present a scalable plan.

Made by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India, for founders raising money anywhere in the world.