In short
A team slide shows each founder and key team member with a photo, name, role and the single most relevant fact about them, such as a past company, deep domain experience or a technical achievement. Add genuine advisers and the key roles you will hire with this round.
At the earliest stages, investors are mainly betting on people. The team slide should show why this group is the right one to solve this problem.
What to include
- Photo, name and role for each founder.
- One line of relevant experience, not a full CV.
- How long the founders have worked together, if relevant.
- Key early employees or advisers who are genuinely involved.
- Roles you will hire with the money you raise.
What makes a team convincing
- Founder-market fit: personal experience of the problem.
- Complementary skills, usually building and selling.
- Evidence of getting things done: products shipped, revenue grown, teams led.
Common mistakes
- Long lists of logos with no explanation.
- Advisers who are names only.
- Missing gaps, such as no technical founder for a technical product, with no plan to fill them.
Frequently asked questions
Where should the team slide go in a pitch deck?
Near the end in most decks, but move it to the second or third slide if the team is your strongest asset, which is common at pre-seed.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All pitch deck resources.