business planning deck

10 Corporate Deck Examples & Templates (That Stand Out)

Get tips for creating an impressive corporate pitch deck, see high-performing corporate slide deck examples, and grab a battle-tested corporate deck template.

8 minute read

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Short answer

What does a corporate deck include.

A typical corporate deck includes the following elements:

• Introduction (UVP + hook)
• Problem (your market segment has)
• Solution (you have that no one can copy)
• Market size and opportunity
• Business and revenue model
• Traction and validation
• Marketing/growth strategy
• Team (authority & experience)
• Investment and use of funds

Without an outstanding deck, you won't get funded.

The highly competitive business landscape makes it challenging to impress investors with your pitch. Countless hours spent crafting the perfect pitch may not be enough.

If you don't have a well-crafted corporate deck, you risk losing investors and missing out on the funding your business needs to succeed.

Read on to learn the key components of a winning corporate deck and get insights from templated corporate deck examples that have successfully secured funding for other companies. Let’s go!

What is a corporate deck?

A corporate deck, or corporate pitch deck, is a presentation designed to convey the essential aspects of a business to potential investors, partners, or stakeholders. A corporate deck includes slides that outline the company's business model, products or services, target market, competition, team, financials, and growth strategy.

Corporate pitch deck vs. startup pitch deck

The difference between a corporate deck and a startup deck is subtle. While a corporate deck is pitched to corporate incubators or departments for projects under the corporate umbrella, a startup pitch deck is pitched to investors as an independent business with the promise of a successful exit.

What is the goal of a corporate deck?

The goal of a corporate deck is to secure their investment, partnership, or stakeholder buy-in. To achieve this objective, corporate pitch decks should be heavily focused on showing the impact of the product, service or initiative on market-share, growth, and revenue.

If you're looking for other types of business presentations, check out our dedicated guides:

• Make a Sales Pitch Deck That Turns ‘Maybe’ to ‘Yes!’
• Create a Sales One-Pager (Examples, Writing Tips, Templates)
• Make a Winning Business Proposal Presentation in 12 Steps
• How to Create a Marketing Deck (Strategy, Tips & Templates)

Why most corporate decks fail (and how to avoid it)

The hard truth is that 99% of corporate decks fail to impress investors. That's a staggering statistic, but it's not surprising given the common pitfalls that many companies fall into when creating their presentations.

Here are the reasons why corporate decks fail and how to avoid these mistakes:

1. They use static slides that kill engagement

Static slides are engagement killers - there’s no option to visualize your data, include an actionable CTA, or deliver a pleasant reader experience on a mobile device.

Reengage your audience by incorporating interactive elements into your deck. Things such as videos, animations, clickable charts, or interactive ROI calculators.

Interactive content allows investors to explore the data on their own at their preferred pace. And when you allow investors to interact with your presentation, you’re increasing the chances of them reading it in full by 41% .

2. They offer facts rather than tell a story

Corporate slide decks that rely too heavily on listing out facts and figures are dry and tiring.

Instead of spouting facts, structure your deck around a compelling narrative that captures investors' attention and makes them care about your mission and vision.

If you’re not sure how to get started, here’s a video on how to improve storytelling in a pitch deck:

3. They are generic and fail to personalize

Investors are swamped with corporate decks on a daily basis, and they can smell generic from a mile away.

If you truly want to stand out from the crowd, you need to do your research ahead of time to understand the specific needs of your target audience.

By understanding what matters most to them, you can create a presentation that speaks directly to their concerns and demonstrates how your company can deliver value. Personalization gets 68% more people to read your deck in full .

4. They fail to use behavior data to continually optimize

Make sure you’re making data-driven decks instead of flying blind. If you’re sending out PDFs or PowerPoints that collect zero data about how readers engage with your deck there’s no way you’ll ever achieve a top performing deck.

The good news is that Storydoc decks collect insight on how your audience interacts with your deck, down to the slide and even button level. Where they skip, where they linger and when they share it with other decision-makers. Imagine what you could do with this info!

Corporate deck examples that stand out

A beautiful corporate presentation deck is a basic requirement - it’s not gonna make you stand out.

To create a deck that drives real results you’ll wanna take a close look at our list of the top corporate deck examples.

These corporate deck samples were all created using Storydoc and have been optimized for high engagement.

And the best part? All the examples are templated, which means you can use any of them to create your best-performing corporate deck in minutes!

Jump ahead to each example:

Startup pitch deck

What makes this deck great:

• The cover slide video enhances interaction, increasing engagement by up to 32% . This boosts the chances of potential investors reading the deck in its entirety and taking the desired action at the end.
• The roadmap slide offers a clear and concise presentation of your start-up’s journey. Meanwhile, various data visualization elements are perfect for demonstrating financial projections, proving that your business is making progress.
• The calendar integration on the final slide simplifies the process for investors to schedule the next meeting immediately after going through your corporate deck.

Light mode invest pitch deck

• The minimalist design makes your deck easy to follow even for those unfamiliar with the industry.
• With image and video placeholders , showcasing your solution and how it solves problems is effortless, without relying on complicated terminology.
• The interactive slides showcase the team behind your solution, illustrating their capability to steer it towards success.

Light mode product pitch deck

• The powerful personalization features enable you to produce an infinite number of versions of your deck in just a few clicks, resulting in 68% more people reading it entirely .
• The AI assistant lets you create relevant visuals or copy for the corporate pitch deck in just a few clicks.
• The intuitive editor automatically extracts the essential visuals of your company, ensuring that your deck maintains its brand consistency.

Investor pitch deck

• The fresh, contemporary design is sure to capture the attention of potential investors, particularly in trend-led industries.
• The perfect balance of text-based slides and engaging visuals enables you to present your key metrics while providing necessary context.
• The scroll-based interactive design facilitates explaining your solution to potential investors and guides them through a compelling narrative.

Pitch deck essentials

• The compact design makes it easy to communicate essential information in fewer slides, saving the investors' time.
• Various interactive slides provide potential investors with all the critical insights at first glance. By clicking through tabs, they can discover more about your solution, enhancing their engagement.
• The smart CTAs allow you to incorporate a live chat widget or calendar, smoothly directing potential investors to the next step.

Product pitch deck

• The combination of visual slides is ideal for presenting the product's primary features and use cases without overloading investors with walls of text.
• Videos that can be embedded and played directly from the deck allow you to include case studies from past customers to legitimize your product.
• An easy, intuitive editor ensures complete control over your presentation. If you release a new product version or make a typo in the specs, you can quickly make the necessary tweaks at any time, even after sending your deck.
• Powerful interactive design that doesn't detract from the main message. By using our running numbers slides and data visualization elements, you can present key metrics or financial projections to potential investors in an eye-catching, easy-to-understand format.
• Several data visualization elements that can be customized to your specific use case. You can also add real-time variables to your charts.
• The dynamic content allows your audience to interact with the deck. For example, you can embed an interactive ROI calculator that they can fill out to determine if they're getting their money's worth.

General invest pitch deck

• The versatile components make it suitable for pre-seed, seed, or series A funding. It includes all the necessary corporate deck elements that you can use to create a master deck.
• The ability to add customizable fields that can be filled in within seconds, making it possible to personalize your corporate deck at scale.
• The intuitive, user-friendly editor ensures that anything you add automatically adjusts to the overall deck layout. This means you don't have to worry about breaking the design.

Creative pitch deck

• The attention-grabbing design , featuring vibrant colors and animated elements, can convert casual scrollers into engaged readers.
• The fully interactive layout of this corporate deck increases interaction and extends the average reading time.
• The combination of visual and data visualization slides enables you to showcase snippets of your portfolio while emphasizing the most crucial metrics.

Bonus: successful corporate deck example by a Storydoc client

Finally, we left the best for last - a real-life corporate deck example created for one of our clients operating in the medical cannabis industry. It has been designed according to the best practices for creating a powerful corporate deck and delivered outstanding results.

• The running numbers slides enable readers to quickly and easily access the most critical metrics.
• The roadmap slide provides a clear and concise visualization of the company's current growth and significant milestones.
• The narrator slide simplifies complex financial metrics by directing the reader's attention to the exact numbers they should be focusing on at any given time.

How to create a corporate deck that stands out?

Putting together a corporate deck that leaves an impression and gets buy-in takes a lot of time and effort (and know-how) to get right.

But the truth is this task does not have to be so daunting. You can dramatically cut down the time and effort involved by leveraging corporate deck templates .

We have some tried and tested corporate pitch deck templates for you that are optimized for engagement and designed for making a lasting impression.

Make your best deck ever.

How to measure the effectiveness of a corporate deck.

To create a highly performing deck in the top 1%, it’s critical to measure performance, identify problems, and fix them.

Key corporate deck performance metrics to measure and optimize:

• Open rate: Measure the percentage of investors who open your corporate deck to understand how effective your deck is at generating initial interest.
• Reading time: Measure the total amount of time viewers spend reading your deck to gauge their level of interest.
• Engagement: Track how long viewers stay on each slide, how often they interact with the deck, or where they drop off to determine which parts of your corporate deck are most captivating and identify areas for improvement.
• CTA conversion rate: Measure the percentage of investors who take the desired action, such as scheduling a meeting, after viewing your corporate deck.

Here's a short video explaining how to get started with our analytics panel:

What is the best tool for making a corporate deck?

The best tool for making a corporate deck is intuitive, has lots of ready-made templates, and provides an outcome that stands out.

There are 2 types of tools on the market, legacy tools and next-generation tools, but only the next-gen tools will help you stand out.

Legacy tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides, Canva, and Visme will make same-old decks. But our own next-gen corporate deck creator makes interactive content experiences that make an impression.

Grab a template and see for yourself -

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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Creating the perfect pitch deck and business plan: Examples and best practices [2022]

• January 7, 2022

I know you’ve probably been told that a good pitch deck and business plan are essential in the world of startups. It’s true — they are — but there is a LOT of conflicting advice out there on how to create them. (Hint: There isn’t just one right way.) I want to share some ideas based on solid research and real-world experience so you can create something that works for you.

What is a pitch deck?

What is its purpose, do you need a pitch deck and a business plan, who should create the pitch deck, how do you create a pitch deck, what is a financial model, what is a financial forecast, how accurate does a startup financial model need to be, what to include in an early-stage pitch deck, what should i avoid putting into my pitch deck, slide #0 – title, slide #1 – executive summary, slide #2 – trends, slide #3 – problem, slide #4 – solution, slide #5 – business model, slide #6 – market, slide #7 – competition, slide #8 – go to market, slide #9 – traction, slide #10 – team, slide #11 – investment proposal (the ask), keep it simple, stick to a consistent layout, make it easy to read, use a pitch deck template, beautiful.ai, key takeaways.

In this article, I’ll discuss what a pitch deck is, explain its purpose and its importance in the outreach process, give you tips and practices to create your perfect pitch deck, and what to include in it. We’ll also look at an example of a pitch deck template, using slides from startups that have raised hundreds of millions from VCs. We’ll also explore why you must build a financial model alongside your pitch deck.

Before we get started, remember that pitching on stage and building your pitch deck are two very different things. Pitching is a form of art. Anyone can present a business plan or startup idea to another person, but only a few pitches are memorable and truly capture the interest of investors.

Practice makes perfect, and the better you get at pitching, the more likely you are to succeed. So sign up to pitch competitions, put yourself out there, and get feedback. The more you pitch, the better you will become at it. It’s better to make mistakes when it doesn’t matter than pitch unprepared to critical investors and risk disaster.

Now let’s dive into what it takes to build a great pitch deck!

Pitch decks are an essential document for every founder to master, but there is a lot of conflicting information out there, and no one-size-fits-all template.

To help you get started, we’ve pulled together pitch deck examples and best practices for new founders and early-stage startups.

Using this information to guide you, you’ll be able to create a pitch that will wow investors and get you the funding that your business needs.

A pitch deck is a condensed business plan that communicates your business idea to investors or partners. It should be clear, concise, and well-organised so that it promotes a conversation, not just information that needs to be digested. The pitch deck is used as an elevator pitch during your outreach process and should highlight the key aspects of your startup in a way that gets investors excited about working with you.

The pitch deck itself isn’t going to fund or run your startup — it’s just one piece of the puzzle — but it’s an important one. As Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva, former Chief Evangelist at Apple, and author of The Art of the Start puts it .

The purpose of a pitch is to stimulate interest, not to close a deal.

While the pitch deck is an information-packed overview of your startup, it should be more than just numbers and figures. A winning pitch deck also captures the imagination by telling a story and getting the audience emotionally involved. People don’t buy products, they buy stories — pitch decks help people to see your startup as a compelling narrative instead of just an idea on paper.

A pitch deck helps you generate interest from investors so that they will fund or work with your company in some way. It is a way to quickly pitch your business idea and get feedback, without having to go through the entire business plan. The pitch deck should be used as a tool to start a conversation with potential investors so that you can get their feedback and determine if they are interested in what you’re doing.

For an early-stage startup, the pitch deck and financial model are the business plan. There are too many uncertainties to waste time writing a 100-page business plan. Founders should use tools like the Lean Canvas to help them think through the different aspects of their business, but a pitch deck and financial model are essential when trying to raise money and get investment.

The pitch deck should be created by the founder or co-founder of the company. They are the ones who know the most about their business and can best pitch it to investors. Remember, the pitch deck isn’t what wins you the investment, but it will start the conversation and get people interested in what you’re doing.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question, as the pitch deck needs to be tailored to your specific startup and its investors. However, there are some best practices that you can use to make sure your pitch deck is as compelling as possible.

Financial Model

The pitch deck should always include a financial model, typically as a supporting document, that shows financial projections for the next three to five years. This will help investors understand how you will manage the financial risks associated with your startup.

A financial model is a document that shows how your business will make money and what kind of return investors can expect on their investment. It includes projected revenue, expenses, and profits over a specific period of time.

Investors will expect to see a three to five-year financial forecast, broken down by year and month.

The financial model should also include a section on the startup’s burn rate – how much money the company is spending each month and how long it can continue to do so before running out of funds.

A financial forecast is a projection of future income, expenses, and profits. It typically covers a period of three to five years and breaks down revenue, expenses, and net cash flow by month.

The financial model doesn’t need to be complex, but it should show a realistic understanding of the numbers behind your startup.

It is important to remember that venture capitalists and angel investors do not expect your financial forecasts to be 100% accurate – they simply want to see that you have put thought into your business, that your operational plans are accounted for, and that you understand the basics of financial forecasting.

Pitch Deck Structure

As a founder, you’ll quickly learn that you’ll need more than one pitch deck. Different pitch decks are used for different purposes, and you may end up using a pitch deck that is specific to your target investor, the stage of investment, or the format in which you’ll be pitching.

This means that there is no magic formula for your pitch deck structure. However, there are a few essential slides that should be in every business pitch deck.

• Title or cover slide
• Market size and opportunity

These slides will give the pitch deck a good structure and focus on the key elements that you want to talk about. There may be more slides depending on your company, but those are the main ones that should always appear somewhere in every pitch deck.

Early-stage startup pitch decks are used to spark interest in your idea and the founding team. Venture capital firms and angel investors will be comfortable with greater uncertainty and higher risk in this pitch deck, so there is more leeway to experiment with different ideas and concepts. This doesn’t mean that you should just throw in everything without a thought though!

At this early stage, there will be multiple unknowns that you are setting out to solve, including exactly how you’ll build your solution to the problem, how you’ll find your scaleable route to market, and maybe even how you’ll convert users to paying customers.

It’s normal to not have all the answers to these questions, and that’s OK! It doesn’t mean that you should pitch an idea if you don’t know how it will work yet. All of this is just a reality check for potential investors — they need to see that you have a realistic idea of what you need to do and a plan for how you might do it.

It’s a common mistake for first-time founders to try to put too much information into their pitch decks. This can include everything from detailed financial models to a full history of the company’s founding story. While it’s important to have all this information ready, it’s best to save it for when you’re actually speaking with investors.

Your pitch deck should be focused on your idea and the current state of your company. It should be set up in a way that clearly lays out who you are, what problem you’re solving, and how you plan to solve it. You want investors to see the actual value in investing in your startup so avoid including anything that’s not absolutely necessary for them to understand this concept.

– Do not include unnecessary information or graphics

– Keep your pitch deck to a maximum of 20 slides

– Stick to clear and concise language

– Make sure all the data is accurate and up to date

Be cautious about adding in anything that doesn’t support your pitch deck theme or the key points you want to make. If it isn’t relevant, remove it! You don’t have time for extra fluff when pitching investors; be direct and focus on what matters most.

Early-Stage Pitch Deck Example

The following pitch deck template is a good example of how you can tell a story that builds investor confidence in your startup idea. Using this format will set a great first impression and can help you with raising capital.

This is the most important slide in the whole deck, you need to grab the attention of the investor with a title slide that convinces them to keep reading. Your title slide must:

• Showcase your logo and brand name.
• In one phrase, state your value proposition.
• Engage the reader by promising them an interesting pitch.

It’s important to make your startup feel credible and trustworthy. Just as people will judge a book by the cover, investors will judge your pitch deck in less than five seconds, so make sure you have a strong first impression!

A common mistake that founders make with the title slide is not making the most of the opportunity. Taking inspiration from other industries, a prize-winning sticker on a book cover or a wine bottle has a tremendous impact on sales. What can you do to make your pitch deck stand out?

After catching your audience’s attention, you should include a company summary on slide one. Investors are unlikely to know anything about you or your company, so this is where you need to tell them what you do, where you’re going, and why they should care.

In just a few sentences, you should be able to concisely state the following:

• What your company does
• The stage you’re at
• The traction you’ve made so far
• Where you’re heading

If the title slide is about grabbing attention, the executive summary is about keeping it.

You need to get investors hooked and hungry for more information.

With the investor’s attention now captured, it’s time to give them some context. What industry are you in? What trends are happening in that industry?

Trends are the market conditions that you have zero influence over. But, by showing how you understand them and how they impact your startup, you can demonstrate that not only is your startup inevitable, but that the risk of failure is also reduced.

Your goal with the trends slide is to show that your startup idea isn’t some crazy gamble, it’s obvious and inevitable, and that the market is about to change in a big way.

In the context of startup ideas, the important things to consider about trends are whether they are weak or strong, societal and cultural, or technological.

Weak Trends: These are usually easy to spot and include things like the aging population, increasing internet penetration rates, or a growing demand for a new product or service.

Strong Trends: These are hard to argue against. They will be big and happening quickly. They could be something like the rise of mobile payments, a technology reaching critical mass, or a new way of thinking about an old problem.

Technological Trends: These trends focus on the development of new technologies. For instance, the rise of drones, Web3, and artificial intelligence technologies are all technological trends that would be relevant to an investor pitch deck when combined with a startup idea.

Societal and Cultural Trends: These trends are about the way people are living their lives, and integrating new technologies into them. A good example of this is the trend towards health and wellness. This could be anything from the increasing popularity of mindfulness to people taking more interest in their food.

It’s important to consider societal trends alongside advances in technology, just because a technology is possible, doesn’t mean that people will want to use it (remember Google Glass?).

Building into emerging trends can lead to you raising millions without even having a pitch deck , like Hopin, or still whilst the world is in lockdown and your app is still in beta – like Clubhouse.

Now that you’ve got the pitch deck rolling, it’s time to talk about your startup idea. What problem are you solving? What is happening right now? What are people not happy with?

When it comes to the problem slide, be specific. Don’t just say that there is a problem. Tell them what it is and make your audience feel the pain; they should be able to recall having had it themselves or easily empathise with those that do.

As a founder, you need to prove that you have a deep awareness and understanding of the problem you’re solving. You need to demonstrate that you can stand in the shoes of your customers and see the problem as they do.

Ideally, you should be able to summarise all of this into a problem statement. This is a simple one or two-sentence explanation that describes the problem, identifies the pain points, and explains why it needs solving.

Providing data to back up your problem statement is also important, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You’re not trying to show the size of the market, just the severity of the problem.

Having built up an understanding of the problem, you now need to explain how you plan on solving it. What is your solution? How will your startup solve this problem? What makes your product or service different?

Your solution slide should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. You should have a brief paragraph explaining what your startup does, followed by supporting information in the form of screenshots, images, or diagrams.

Remember, during live pitching or conversations, you may be able to talk about your solution in more detail – maybe even showcase a live demo – but in your pitch deck, you need to keep it simple.

If you’re having trouble boiling down your complex solution then consider how you would sell it to a potential customer. If you can pitch it to them in a way that they understand and see the value, then your pitch deck will be able to do the same.

With the problem and solution explained, it’s time to move on to your business model. This is a critical slide for any pitch deck as it demonstrates how you plan to make money from your startup idea. It’s showing your investors that you understand the business side of things and that you have a plan for growth.

This slide can be a little tricky to get right, as you don’t want to overload your audience with too much information (especially at idea stage, when you don’t have a fully formed business model). However, you need to convey that the unit economics make sense and that there is a path to profitability.

There are lots of different ways to structure this slide, but the most common model breaks it down into a one-paragraph pitch of your business model, followed by one or two diagrams showing the relationships between your costs and revenue. By using simple visuals, you can convey complex ideas far more effectively than words alone.

Unfortunately, pitch decks don’t have the space to explore every aspect of your business model. It’s a good idea to create a separate document for this, which you can then share with interested investors or partners.

Now it’s time to move on to the all-important question of market size. Market sizing for early-stage startups can be a contentious issue.

Many entrepreneurs think that they need to show huge total addressable markets (TAM), and pitch themselves as the next billion-dollar startup. However, most sophisticated investors how that for most early-stage startups this is not appropriate.

Pitching a large TAM isn’t going to impress investors, they’ve seen it all before, but pitching yourself as the best company in your segment will demonstrate that you have a great understanding of your industry and the opportunity at hand.

It’s most important to be able to show that there is a market for your product or service, that it’s growing, and that there is room for you to compete. You don’t need to pitch yourself as a billion-dollar company, just pitch that you have a good understanding of the market segment, that people are spending money solving this type of problem, and that you’re going to be one of the best companies in your space.

For example, if your idea is to launch the next big analytics platform, don’t pitch a market size that includes every business in the world. Instead, focus on a specific industry or sector and show how behaviours in that industry are changing, paving the way for your product or service.

Again, you don’t need to go into too much detail in your pitch deck. A one-paragraph pitch of your market size is usually enough, followed by a simple diagram showing the trends that are opening up opportunities for your startup.

This is another key slide for any pitch deck, as it demonstrates that you have done your research and that you understand the competitive landscape.

Start by defining the market segment you are targeting, and then show the key points of differentiation when compared to your primary competitors.

Describe how they fit into the customer’s perspective of the market, show where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you plan to compete with them.

This isn’t the place for a full analysis of your competitors, but you should be able to pitch yourself as the best company in your space, with a clear understanding of how you’re going to win.

There are two common ways to visualise your competitor analysis, the magic quadrant (or 2×2 matrix) and a comparison table.

The magic quadrant is a way of plotting your competitors on two axes, based on two factors that you’ll pluck from thin air. These visualisations are rarely credible unless you have a lot of experience in the market you are analysing, or they’ve been produced by large consultancies like Deloitte or Gartner.

On the other hand, comparison tables can be very effective as they’re easy to digest, position you alongside recognisable brands, and allow you to highlight the key differences between your company and your competitors. By comparing factors that are demonstrably important to customers, you’ll come across as more credible and able to back up your pitch with cold, hard facts.

Now it’s time to talk about marketing and sales strategy, or how you’re going to get your product or service in front of customers. This is where you’ll pitch your go-to-market strategy. Your go-to-market slide should include the following elements:

• The channels you will use to reach your target audience
• The actions you will take to put your product in front of potential customers
• The milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan
• The resources you will require to reach your target successfully

Start by describing your target market and how you plan to reach them. This might include explaining your distribution channels, sales strategy, or marketing approach. You can also use this slide to talk about any partnerships you have in place, or how you plan to leverage them.

Next, explain the actions you will take to reach your target audience, and how you plan to measure success. These actions should fit within each of the channels that you’ve already identified. For example, if you’re using digital marketing, your actions might be things like website development, SEO, or social media campaigns.

Lastly, list the key milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan, and identify the resources you will require to achieve them. You can include your team, budget for marketing activities, or specific assets like signage.

As a startup, traction is key. Investors want to see that you’re making progress and that your product is resonating with customers. This slide is often one of the trickiest for startups at idea-stage, as it can be difficult to show commercial progress and it will be too early for product-market fit.

There are a few different ways to pitch traction, and you need to choose the one that works best with your company and the stage you’re at. Some options include user base, revenue growth, or market validation.

If you’re focusing on your user base, you’ll want to pitch a clear and compelling story about your customer base. If you have a small data set, it’s worth showcasing your first 100 customers as this makes the numbers seem more real.

If you have a large customer base, pitch your exponential growth in terms of percentage or absolute figures. For example, pitch how many customers you signed in the past quarter or year.

Revenue Growth

If you’re focusing on revenue growth, pitch your current (or projected) sales figures. You can also pitch the average ticket size or value of your deals. Alternatively, pitch your revenue growth (in terms of percentage or absolute figures) over the past year.

Market Validation

If your product is still at idea-stage and still has a long way to go before it’s ready for market, pitch your progress in terms of real-world validation. For example, pitch the number of people who have registered to use your product or service, or pitch the number of companies that have expressed interest during interviews.

Most importantly, be honest about your progress. If they are interested, investors will dig into your traction claims and you’ll need to back them up with data – if it turns out that you’ve lied or embellished the facts, you’ll not only lose trust and credibility, you’ll probably lose the investment too.

Having set the scene in which your startup operates, it’s time to introduce the management team behind your startup. Investors will be keen to learn about who is leading your company and how they will transform your idea into a profitable business.

The focus here must be you and your co-founders. People invest in people, so you’ll need to show how you have the vision, experience, and motivation required to deliver on your pitch.

Keep your team slide short and sweet. You’ll want to include the founding team, highlighting their relevant experience in the industry or field that you’re operating within.

Pictures help to make your presentation more personal, so make sure you have a good quality headshot of each team member, consistently formatted so that everyone appears the same size and in focus.

The team slide should only include the founding team, though it is acceptable to include key team members, as well as notable advisors or investors if beneficial. If you do this, ensure that there is a clear visual separation between the two groups.

This is the big one. The pitch deck wouldn’t be complete without a clear proposal of what you’re asking for from your investors. This slide should clearly state the amount of money you’re seeking, as well as what you plan to do with it.

It’s important to remember that investors are looking for a return on their investment (ROI), so your proposal must be realistic and demonstrate how you will use the funds raised to reach key growth milestones.

To convince investors, your “Ask slide” will need to answer these three questions:

• How much are you seeking to raise?
• What will you do with the money?
• What do you intend to accomplish with the funds?

Always remember to pitch the ask in terms of how it benefits the investor – not just you. For example, if you’re seeking a £100,000 investment, explain how that money will help you reach a specific milestone that will create value for your investors.

Be specific about how much you need to raise, and where you plan to deploy the money. This will show that you’ve done your homework and understand how you will grow your business.

A simple pie chart with the breakdown of how you plan to use funds can go a long way towards demonstrating to investors that you’re serious about using their money wisely. For example, if 25 percent goes towards marketing spend, 30 percent for technology development, and 45 percent for new hires, that’s a good indication you have your priorities straight.

It’s unlikely that you will be profitable before the next round of funding, but it is usually worth highlighting the key numbers from your financial projections to give investors an idea of the scale and trajectory of your business.

Perhaps the most important factor in your investment ask is demonstrating that you understand how much capital you require to hit key growth milestones without requiring further funding rounds for at least 12-18 months. This is something that almost every investor will expect you to have a solid plan for.

Pitch Deck Design

Whether you’re sharing your deck by email or presenting on stage, the design of your pitch deck matters. However, you can’t afford to hire a professional pitch deck designer to help. So, what do you do?

KEEP. IT. SIMPLE.

Your pitch deck is not the place to show off your design skills – or highlight any lack of expertise in this department! The only goal of your pitch deck is to communicate information clearly and concisely so that investors understand what you’re pitching and can get excited about it.

Keep your presentation simple, use bold typography, highlight key information, and stick to a maximum of two or three colors. Resist the urge to use lots of graphics and animations, as these can be distracting and take up valuable space on your slides.

How to design a better pitch deck

There are a lot of things to consider when designing your pitch deck presentation. Below are some tips on how to make your pitch more effective:

The average investor has a short attention span, so keep your deck concise and easy to follow. Use clear language, avoid complex graphs and charts, and stick to a maximum of 15 slides.

Use the same fonts, colors, and layouts throughout your pitch deck to create a cohesive look.

Slides that are crowded with text and images will be difficult for your audience to read and comprehend.

A pitch deck template is a great way to ensure that your pitch deck looks professional and follows the proper design guidelines.

Pitch deck design tools

Today, there is a huge selection of online design tools and no-code builders to help you build your perfect deck. Below are just a few of the design platforms that can help you craft your pitch.

An easy-to-use platform that allows startups to build a beautiful slide deck without any special design skills. Start from scratch or create your slides using predefined pitch deck templates.

https://slidebean.com/

Offers a wide range of design tools and templates for creating professional pitch decks. The free version includes limited features, while the paid plans start at $12/month.

This pitch deck design app is great for startups and entrepreneurs who need to create a pitch deck quickly. The basic plan starts at $12/month (billed annually) but there is a 14-day free trial.

https://www.beautiful.ai/

The tools provided by Pitch allow you to quickly produce a high-quality pitch. Even if you’re not a designer, you can create a strong pitch deck that looks great. The basic plan is free, but you’ll need to upgrade to the paid plans for more features.

https://pitch.com/

While these design tools can be extremely powerful, it still pays to follow the same basic guidelines to ensure that your pitch deck is easy for investors to understand; Keep it simple, avoid animation, stick to a consistent layout, and make sure your text and images are easy to read.

When you’re trying to capture investors’ attention and raise equity funding, you need to show them that you have a good plan. But startups aren’t traditional businesses and they don’t use traditional business plans.

like the Holy Grail, the business plan remains largely unattainable and mythological. Most experts wouldn’t agree, but a business plan is of limited usefulness for a startup because entrepreneurs base so much of their plans on assumptions, “visions,” and unknowns. Guy Kawasaki

This is why pitch decks are the perfect approach to sharing a startup business plan.

Fundamentally, your pitch deck is used to share your vision, attract investors, and start conversations. As a founder, you should be prepared for investors who may not “get” your pitch deck right away — this doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested in what you’re doing.

Be prepared to answer questions and have an engaging conversation about your startup. Investors want to see that you have a clear understanding of your business, the problem you’re solving, and how you plan on making money. They also want to know that you’re capable of executing your vision.

Remember, pitch decks are just one part of the overall investment process. If you’re able to create a pitch deck that effectively communicates your idea and leaves investors wanting more, then you’re on the right track!

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• Write Your Business Plan | Part 1 Overview Video
• The Basics of Writing a Business Plan
• How to Use Your Business Plan Most Effectively
• 12 Reasons You Need a Business Plan
• The Main Objectives of a Business Plan
• What to Include and Not Include in a Successful Business Plan
• The Top 4 Types of Business Plans
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Presenting Your Business Plan in 10 Slides
• 6 Tips for Making a Winning Business Presentation
• 3 Key Things You Need to Know About Financing Your Business
• 12 Ways to Set Realistic Business Goals and Objectives
• How to Perfectly Pitch Your Business Plan in 10 Minutes
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 2 Overview Video
• How to Fund Your Business Through Friends and Family Loans and Crowdsourcing
• How to Fund Your Business Using Banks and Credit Unions
• How to Fund Your Business With an SBA Loan
• How to Fund Your Business With Bonds and Indirect Funding Sources
• How to Fund Your Business With Venture Capital
• How to Fund Your Business With Angel Investors
• How to Use Your Business Plan to Track Performance
• How to Make Your Business Plan Attractive to Prospective Partners
• Is This Idea Going to Work? How to Assess the Potential of Your Business.
• When to Update Your Business Plan
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 3 Overview Video
• How to Write the Management Team Section to Your Business Plan
• How to Create a Strategic Hiring Plan
• How to Write a Business Plan Executive Summary That Sells Your Idea
• How to Build a Team of Outside Experts for Your Business
• Use This Worksheet to Write a Product Description That Sells
• What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition? Use This Worksheet to Find Your Greatest Strength.
• How to Raise Money With Your Business Plan
• Customers and Investors Don't Want Products. They Want Solutions.
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 4 Overview Video
• 5 Essential Elements of Your Industry Trends Plan
• How to Identify and Research Your Competition
• Who Is Your Ideal Customer? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself.
• How to Identify Market Trends in Your Business Plan
• How to Define Your Product and Set Your Prices
• How to Determine the Barriers to Entry for Your Business
• How to Get Customers in Your Store and Drive Traffic to Your Website
• How to Effectively Promote Your Business to Customers and Investors
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 5 Overview Video
• What Equipment and Facilities to Include in Your Business Plan
• How to Write an Income Statement for Your Business Plan
• How to Make a Balance Sheet
• How to Make a Cash Flow Statement
• How to Use Financial Ratios to Understand the Health of Your Business
• How to Write an Operations Plan for Retail and Sales Businesses
• How to Make Realistic Financial Forecasts
• How to Write an Operations Plan for Manufacturers
• What Technology Needs to Include In Your Business Plan
• How to List Personnel and Materials in Your Business Plan
• The Role of Franchising
• The Best Ways to Follow Up on a Buisiness Plan
• The Best Books, Sites, Trade Associations and Resources to Get Your Business Funded and Running
• How to Hire the Right Business Plan Consultant
• Business Plan Lingo and Resources All Entrepreneurs Should Know
• How to Write a Letter of Introduction
• What To Put on the Cover Page of a Business Plan
• How to Format Your Business Plan
• 6 Steps to Getting Your Business Plan In Front of Investors

A Step-by-Step Guide to Presenting Your Business Plan in 10 Slides How the 10–20–30 rule will help you create a concise and compelling presentation.

By Eric Butow Oct 27, 2023

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

This is part 8 / 12 of Write Your Business Plan: Section 1: The Foundation of a Business Plan series.

Using a deck for your business plan is a quick, to-the-point means of providing your best-selling points while still providing the necessary details. The question is: How do you best organize and minimize the breadth of a business plan in a PowerPoint presentation?

Follow the 10–20–30 rule—ten slides, 20 minutes, and a minimum of a 30-point font. Here's how it works:

What Is the 10–20–30 Rule?

1. Your first slide is your title slide, providing the name of the business, your name and title, and contact information— plus a slogan if you have one. If you can, use one succinct sentence to describe what your business does.

2. The next slide should introduce a problem that persists and is relatable to your target market . You want the audience to relate to the problem or understand how it affects others. Use can cite statistics to help support your claims, but narrow them down to one or two.

Related: 6 Tips For Making A Winning Business Presentation

3. The third slide should get to your solution. In simple terms, briefly describe how your business has figured out how to alleviate the problem. Make sure the audience understands that you have a unique approach. You might also add a few words to support your overall value proposition.

4. Explain how you will make money. What are your revenue sources? Who are your customers? What is your pricing structure? Then, describe briefly about how you expect to profit.

5. This is the slide where you present more detail on your operating plan. How does it all work? Is it self-service? Kiosks? Personal service? Give the reader a short version of how the business operates. Provide a summary, from buying the goods to marketing them to sales and shipping. You can include a little technology, but remember to keep it in layman's terms. This is where you may need a second visual slide to show how it all works.

6. Present your marketing plan in a few short words. After all, if you want to create dynamic advertising and promotional campaigns, what better way to start than briefly explaining how you plan to market the business? Share a few specifics rather than saying "on the internet" or "on TV." Let your listeners know you have a marketing plan and can keep it within a reasonable budget .

7. Mention your key competitors—but be nice. Explain what gives you the competitive edge.

Related: Vusi Thembkwayo's 7 Rules Of Pitching

8. This is where you introduce your team, with a few very brief highlights (one line) of each member's background related to the business. Remember, people invest in other people.

9. Financials. This slide should show a clear projection with a three- to five-year forecast. Explain the method you used to arrive at your numbers.

10. Lastly, show them where your business is at present. What have you done thus far, and how are you looking to move forward sooner rather than later? Offer a positive call to action based on what you have accomplished and what you will accomplish in the future.

Should you stop at 10 slides? It depends. There are many ways to go about putting together your deck. If you need to go to twelve slides, do so, but try not to go longer.

Related: How To Pitch Your Business In Just 10 Minutes

Presentation Tips

If you are asked to present your business deck, follow these handy do's and don'ts.

• Don't talk in jargon . Not everyone is deeply embedded in your industry.
• Don't read your slides word for word . Your audience can read what's on the screen. Instead, highlight something easy for them to digest and use your comments to provide a little deeper explanation. This way, you present more information, some printed and some verbally.
• Take a breath. There's no need to rush. Remember to breath between slides so you don't start motoring along.
• Do not focus on technology. Technology is interesting in small doses, but too much can take the focus off of the human element of your business.
• Don't overload slides. You've heard the term TMI? The same goes for business decks. People can only read and digest so much.
• Less is more. Don't pack too much into a PowerPoint presentation. You want to avoid the dreaded "PowerPoint Poisoning" effect, in which and overload of information casts a spell on your audience or puts them to sleep.

Related: Crafting A Simple Business Plan

How to Write a Business Growth Plan

We highly recommend growth planning to get the most from your business plan. It's an ongoing business planning process that combines the simplicity of the mini plan (or one-page plan) with the continuing use and focus of the working plan.

It just takes four simple steps:

• Create a plan Quickly size up the potential of your idea, validate that it can be a real business, and set goals to make it work.
• Build your forecast Develop an expense budget and financial projections to understand better where your business is now and where it is headed.
• Review the results Compare your forecast against your actual sales and expenses each month to stay accountable and uncover new ideas.
• Refine your strategy Adjust your business plan and forecast based on your learnings.

Related: A Few Pointers On The Worst Way To Write A Pitch Deck

Remember, the goal of growth planning isn't just to produce documents that you use once and shelve it. Instead, it helps you build a healthier company that will outlast all the business failure statistics. It's faster than traditional business planning. You can complete an initial one-page plan that covers all of the necessary details about your business in just thirty minutes. You can revise your plan and strategy in minutes instead of hours. This means that your plan stays up-to-date and useful for identifying potential problems and opportunities. It's concise. Because growth planning requires you to document your ideas with limited text, your ideas are distilled to their essence.

More in Write Your Business Plan

Section 1: the foundation of a business plan, section 2: putting your business plan to work, section 3: selling your product and team, section 4: marketing your business plan, section 5: organizing operations and finances, section 6: getting your business plan to investors.

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What is a Pitch Deck? Examples, Tips and Templates

Written by: Mahnoor Sheikh

A pitch deck is a brief presentation that gives potential investors or clients an overview of your business plan, products, services and growth traction.

As an entrepreneur, you probably know this: your company or idea needs financing.

Oftentimes, this financing will come from external sources—i.e. people who aren’t friends or family. This means that you’ll need to communicate your ideas to potential financiers in a way that gets them excited about investing in your business.

In other words, you’ll need a pitch deck .

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit pitch deck templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Table of Contents

What is a pitch deck, what’s included in a pitch deck presentation, 8 real-life pitch decks to know, the dos and don'ts of pitch decks, how to create a pitch deck in 3 easy steps, pitch deck faqs, looking for presentation software.

• A pitch deck is a visual presentation that tells the story of a business to persuade and engage potential investors.
• The most common pitch deck slides are introduction, problem, solution, market size and opportunity, product, traction, team, competition, financials and use of funds.
• Learn from the eight real-life pitch deck examples to get inspired about creating your own.
• Visme helps you create pitch deck presentations to secure funding in just three steps: choose a template, customize it and download or present it.
• Sign up for Visme's free online presentation software and start customizing your pitch deck templates now.

A pitch deck, also known as a start-up or investor pitch deck, is a presentation that helps potential investors learn more about your business.

As strange as it sounds, the primary goal of a pitch deck is not to secure funding—it’s to make it to the next meeting.

Surprised? Wait, let me explain!

Securing funding is a multi-step process. A good, informative pitch deck is the first rung on the ladder. You’ll want to present investors with an idea that intrigues them and gets them to engage with you.

Build relationships with customers and drive sales growth

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What is a Pitch Deck Presentation?

A pitch deck presentation usually consists of several slides that help you tell a compelling story about your business . You can put one together using a generic software like PowerPoint or use a modern tool like Visme to create an out-of-the-box presentation.

What is an Investor Deck?

An investor deck is a presentation entrepreneurs prepare when seeking financing rounds from investors. It presents valuable information about the business, which is critical when seeking financing or looking to convince the best investors.

When faced with busy executives who won't sit through a presentation, opt for a startup one pager as an alternative. It'll help you grab their interest faster and secure a meeting where you can share your pitch.

Interested in learning more about creating compelling investor decks? Read this article and take advantage of our professional design templates to get started.

It’s tempting to dump information onto investors. As a founder, every part of your business is important to you. But the best pitch decks are ones that are short and easy to follow.

A good rule of thumb is to include no more than 19 slides in a pitch deck.

There are many different opinions about the components of a pitch deck. But when we looked at some successful startup pitch decks out there, we noticed 10 key slides included in most of the presentations.

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Let’s take a look at each of these slides in detail.

1 Introduction

The first slide of your pitch deck is also the most important one. It’s your chance to make a great first impression, so make sure you don’t let this opportunity go.

Keep the introduction slide short and sweet—tell people who you are and why you’re here.

You can also use this slide to communicate the value proposition of your business . Try to articulate it in a single phrase or sentence, like:

“We make video games for doctors.”

“We make Happy Meals for adults.”

“We’re Sephora for pets.”

You get the point.

A good value proposition will make your audience sit up straight and want to listen to the rest of your presentation.

Image Source

If your business idea doesn’t solve an actual problem, what are you doing?

You should identify a problem your target audience faces, a gap that the market is currently not addressing.

A good problem slide will identify two or three problems your product will tackle without being long-winding. Keep the text focused so that investors will have an easy time following.

Airbnb’s ‘problem slide’ from their original pitch desk is a great example.

In this slide, identify a concise and clear solution that investors can easily follow. This is an important slide that makes your product deck captivating.

Airbnb’s solution slide highlights how they aim to solve each of the three problems they pointed out earlier in big and bold letters.

In this slide, identify a concise and clear solution that investors can easily follow.

Airbnb’s solution slide highlights how they aim to solve each of three problems they pointed out earlier in big and bold letters.

Avoid making grand statements like “we are the only ones doing this.” Most people in the room will probably know multiple companies trying to address the problem you’ve identified.

Another good strategy is to offer multiple possible solutions to the problem presented and then move on to the one you have chosen and why. This shows investors your dedication and research.

Instead of uniqueness, focus your presentation on your research, drive, commitment and capability in solving the problem.

But make sure you don’t put all of that on your slide. Keep it simple and to the point, and let these guidelines shape your entire presentation.

Airbnb Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Airbnb that you can customize for your own startup.

Customize now!

Customize this pitch deck template to make it your own! Edit and Download Now

Visme's AI Writer is a game-changer for crafting pitch decks. It provides clear, concise information, making sure your pitch deck impresses every audience. Just explain the tool about what you want write and it will take care of the rest.

4 Market Size and Opportunity

When creating a sales pitch structure, be sure to include a summary of your market research.

The market will determine if you get your funding or not. If you are operating in a small market, investors might find that the potential ROI is too small or too risky to fund you.

Using sources from your research, a solid market slide will graph out past market growth and future potential market growth so that investors can easily see what the potential of your product is.

A good example of a market size slide is from Lunchbox’s pitch deck.

Notice how the slide clearly shows the market size and identifies the opportunity in measurable numbers.

Create a powerful pitch deck in minutes!

• Choose from hundreds of ready-to-use templates
• Customize text, images, logos and more
• Add interactive buttons and animations

This is the part where you show off the actual product or service your business is selling.

If it’s a physical product, add professional photos of your product from different angles. You can also include exploded or cutaway views that highlight the materials and features of your product.

If your product is an app, online tool or service, consider adding screenshots that show off its most unique features.

Dandelion Energy's product slide includes a comprehensive explanation of their product in a concise and easy-to-understand manner with an illustrated graphic.

To take things further, you can also do a physical demo of your product in the middle of your presentation. Or embed a video or link into your slide to do a virtual demo.

TouristEye Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by TouristEye that you can customize for your own startup.

This slide should be all about the growth of your business—the numbers of sales you’ve made, the major goals you’ve achieved till now and the next steps.

Most startups include a hockey stick growth chart in the traction slide of their pitch deck.

This slide in Buffer’s pitch deck is a great example of how you can show off your current achievements to investors.

The traction slide plays a crucial role in crafting a compelling pitch deck for investors as it reduces risk in their eyes. They want to see proof that your business idea or solution has what it takes to be profitable.

Buffer Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Buffer that you can customize for your own startup.

Customize this pitch deck template to make it your own!

• Add your own text, images, logo and more
• Customize anything to fit your brand image and content needs

Your pitch deck outline will include your core team members. The investor is interested in the drive of these people and what makes them unique enough to see this project to its success.

Under each core team member, consider including bullets, descriptions or titles that show why they are central to your mission.

Here’s an example of a team slide from Teton AI's pitch deck.

Keep the members here limited to your core team. Advisors need not be included.

8 Competition

Utilize the competition slide to visually illustrate your competitors and communicate the factors that make your startup special.

Airbnb has a great slide in this regard.

Notice how they use affordability and ease of access as the driving force setting their business apart from other travel or listing companies.

Buzzfeed also does great by showing how they offer more than what their competition can. They use their plan to reach across the aisle and offer the services of multiple competitors as their selling point.

Buzzfeed Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Buzzfeed that you can customize for your own startup.

9 Financials

The financials slide in your pitch deck is one that investors spend the most time looking over.

Your pitch deck outline should contain your company’s projected growth over the next three to five years, along with details about your business model and finances.

Enlive’s pitch deck does a good job at showcasing their income statement projection in this slide.

Create engaging data visualizations for your presentations!

• Upload an Excel file or sync with live data from Google sheets
• Choose from 16+ types of charts, from bar and line graphs to pyramid and Mekko charts
• Customize anything, from backgrounds and placement of labels to font style and color

The use of colors and a bar chart makes the financials easier to understand and definitely look more interesting than a boring spreadsheet full of numbers.

A lot of this information is not set in stone. No one can accurately predict where you’ll be in the next three years, but investors expect to see you outline your plan and show that you have the financial knowledge to reach it.

You can also explain your economic plan here. This includes your operating structure and distribution channels as well as your plan to make money.

10 Investment and Use of Funds

Before you wrap up, don’t forget to tell investors what you need from them.

But instead of just asking for a certain amount of funding, also let them know what you plan to do with the money.

When you justify your ask, it helps build trust and lets investors take you seriously.

Here’s a no-nonsense investment slide from Intercom’s original pitch deck as an example.

Remember to be strategic here. Let your investors know the amount you are asking for, but keep it real. You don’t want to lose out on a big investment simply by aiming too high. Cover your bases.

Intercom Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Intercom that you can customize for your own startup.

While there’s no universal structure for creating pitch decks, make sure your pitch deck outline contains the slides we’ve highlighted.

When it comes to choosing pitch deck dimensions, you can either use the 4:3 aspect ratio or 16:9 aspect ratio. When emailing your pitch, ensure the file size isn’t larger than 10MB.

Learning from real examples is like getting advice from experts. By looking at what has worked for other businesses, you can better understand how you should design your own pitch deck.

So, here are some good pitch decks and examples that real-life companies have used recently to secure funding.

1. Finix ($126M)

Finix's pitch deck presents a tailored solution for businesses to manage payments, emphasizing their platform's efficiency and scalability. It effectively visualizes their unique value proposition, revenue model and market opportunity with a sleek and professional design that reflects their purpose well.

2. Softr ($15.7M)

Softr's deck uses aesthetic consistency with clear visuals to highlight their no-code platform's functionalities. Their compelling narrative includes discussion on market trends, competitive differentiation and growth plans, capturing the essence of their vision.

3. Lunchbox ($72.1M)

Lunchbox is a restaurant technology platform that enhances the customer experience by offering online ordering, loyalty programs, and other digital solutions to streamline operations.

They've cleverly included lots of additional visual elements like icons, illustrations, charts and data visuals in their presentation. Everything in their deck shows how they mix food and technology together.

If you want to elevate your pitch deck's visual appeal using unique and high-quality graphics, like this example, Visme's AI image generator is there to help.

It can help you generate any graphic in different formats, like icons, illustrations, drawings, abstracts and more. Use the tool to generate a high-quality graphic to emphasize your pitch deck content.

4. Plum ($82.4M)

With its sleek, minimalist design, Plum's pitch deck establishes its mission to automate wealth management effectively. Their slides are rich with data on target markets, growth strategies and financial projections, reflecting their drive to democratize personal finance. Also, they limited their slides to 9 and still managed to cover enough.

5. Teton AI ($6.4M)

Teton's pitch deck features a clean and professional design, aligning with its focus on cutting-edge AI technology in healthcare. They've used Venn diagrams, charts, shapes and high-quality, relevant images to emphasize their deep learning and computer vision products.

6. Vue Storefront ($38.9M)

Vue Storefront's pitch deck smartly incorporates its brand color – a refreshing green scheme. This not only aligns with their brand identity but also infuses vibrancy and a distinctive sense of innovation into the design.

They used boxes for text organization to convey clarity and structure, making information easily digestible.

7. Party Round ($7M)

Party Round, with a recent funding of $7 million, is dedicated to simplifying the fundraising process for founders.

This pitch deck is smartly designed with a balanced layout that quietly hints at automation and user-friendliness. The use of big letters boldly captures attention, while adding 3D design elements adds a layer of dynamism, creating a visually engaging presentation that stands out.

8. Dandelion Energy ($134.5M)

The color choice of Dandelion Energy's pitch deck aligns with the company's focus on sustainable energy, evoking warmth and eco-friendliness. The deck incorporates visual elements such as bar graphs, images, and an illustration to vividly explain how their geothermal product works.

Now that you’re clear on what a pitch deck is and what a good one contains, let’s take a look at some common dos and don’ts for creating and giving powerful pitch presentations.

But before that, make sure you watch the video below on the top pitch deck design tips for creating the perfect startup pitch.

When Designing 

Do use bullet points on slides..

Remember that this is a presentation with a short time span. Make your sales pitch deck brief and to the point.

Don’t overwhelm your audience with a lot of text. Explain the things you want to explain in detail but don’t cram them onto your slides.

DON’T stuff your slides with text.

As you can see from the examples above, it’s best to have bullets, not paragraphs, on slides.

Furthermore, use large font sizes, lots of visuals and a readable color scheme. This will help you put together an engaging and informative presentation.

DO include your contact details.

Make sure you include your contact information at the end of your presentation to let your audience know who to reach out to for queries.

Here is the contact slide from Facebook’s 2004 pitch deck.

This slide also allows your business to have a ‘face’ and encourages investors to look this person up.

DON’T add too many team members.

In your Team slide, stick to core members. Too many executives can overwhelm; your investors want to know who is piloting the ship.

When Presenting

Do tell a story..

Make sure you present your audience with an engaging narrative that allows them to feel why your business is tackling the problem it is and how this will affect them.

DON’T focus on only the stats.

Without a cohesive narrative and a bigger picture dealing with the why of your business and what it will bring to your customers, all your stats sound dry and boring.

Make sure a purposeful narrative runs throughout your presentation, not just at the beginning. The stats are important, especially financial stats, but they aren’t the only important thing.

DO elaborate and minimize as you see fit.

What is on the slides is important, but so is how you present it.

As you’re speaking, gauge your audience, their interests in the particulars of your business, and what they most care about. Then, tailor your company pitch deck to their needs.

DON’T just read from the slides.

Tailor your presentation to keep your audience engaged and never just recite what is written on your slides.

Remember, investors can read. The reason this is a presentation and not an email is so you can engage with them.

Creating a startup pitch deck doesn’t need to be difficult. If you’re short on time, you can use a design tool like Visme to put one together in literally just a few minutes.

No more starting from scratch and creating slides one by one. You can simply use ready-made templates and replace the placeholder content with your own.

Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Choose a template.

To get started, sign in to your Visme dashboard and choose a pitch deck template that fits well with your content and type of business.

There are hundreds of presentation templates in Visme’s library, and they’re all fully customizable.

Customize your favorite pitch deck template! Edit and Download

You can also mix and match slides of a similar style using our presentation themes.

Step 2: Customize.

When you find a pitch deck template you like, click on Edit to start customizing it inside the Visme editor.

You can change anything and everything to fit your content needs. The editor is easy-to-use with drag-and-drop functionality. You can use it even without any prior design experience.

Change colors, fonts and images. Swap icons for relevant ones using our free icon library. Add and customize data visualizations to make boring numbers more interesting. Insert animations and links, embed videos, and more.

You can also add, remove or rearrange slides as you see fit. Use Dynamic Fields to keep your personal, company and other key information accurate and consistent throughout your presentation.

The entire customization process will barely take you an hour if you just replace the placeholder content with your own.

Step 3: Download or share.

You can download your pitch deck in image or PDF format, or as a PowerPoint file.

Generate a link to share it privately with specific people, like in an email. You can also publish your presentation on the web so it can show up in search results on Google.

You can also embed the pitch presentation on your company website using a responsive code. Once you’ve shared your deck, you can start tracking analytics to see how many people viewed it or have taken action.

Running out of time? You can generate a complete and captivating AI pitch deck in minutes using Visme's AI presentation maker .

Just describe the type of presentation you want the tool to create and Visme's Chatbot will suggest different template styles. Once you've chosen the most relevant template for your presentation, you can wait for the tool to create the design.

After that, you can preview, regenerate, or open your project in the Visme editor. Once you're sold on the template design, you can further customize it using the wide range of design tools and assets available in Visme's pitch deck maker.

Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you clear any doubts about creating your pitch deck.

Q1. What should you avoid in a pitch deck?

When developing a pitch deck, you should take care of several pitfalls to deliver an effective and impactful presentation:

• Avoid using unnecessary jargon and complex terminologies to keep your explanation simple and clear.
• Don't overcrowd a single slide with too much information, as it can make it hard for your viewers to grasp the key elements.
• Ensure to include the unique aspects of your product or service that set it apart from others in the market.
• While you need to recognize your competitors, highlight what makes your venture different and, perhaps, more appealing.
• Be realistic with your revenue predictions; overly optimistic numbers can cause investors to doubt your credibility.

Q2. How long should a pitch deck be?

The ideal pitch deck should be about 10 to 15 slides long. Each slide should discuss critical business aspects, like problem statement, market size, solution, business model, etc. However, the number of slides may change based on your business complexity and target audience.

Q3. What is the difference between a pitch deck and a business plan?

A pitch deck and a business plan are both critical for startups but serve different purposes:

Pitch Deck: A pitch deck is a brief presentation to give your audience (typically potential investors, partners, or customers) a quick overview of your business plan. It's generally used during face-to-face or online meetings and should be engaging, concise and to the point.

Business Plan: A business plan, on the other hand, is a formal document that details the tactics and strategies you intend to employ to start and grow your business. It covers minute aspects such as your business model, detailed market analysis, organizational structure, cash flow projections, etc.

Q4. What is the best software for creating a pitch deck?

It depends on your business, but you’ll generally want to choose software that blends the ease of use with cutting-edge functionalities. In that case, Visme is the best software for creating a pitch deck with advanced features like data visualization tools , presenter notes , presenter studio , animated graphics and more.

Q5. Cost of making a pitch deck?

The cost of making a professional pitch deck can vary depending on whether you hire a designer or do it yourself. Hiring a designer to create a custom deck from scratch could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

However, tools like Visme allow you to easily create high-quality decks without design experience or costs. Visme offers free online presentation software with hundreds of professionally designed templates for pitch decks and other types of presentations.

Q6. What types of investment pitch decks are there?

There is no universally accepted classification of investment pitch decks into specific types, but they vary based on the nature of the business or the purpose of the pitch.

However, there are a few common types or themes of pitch decks that companies often use:

• Pre-Seed Pitch Deck: This pitch deck serves the purpose of securing initial funding to shape and refine a business concept. This deck outlines the problem, solution, market potential, basic financials and team.
• Seed Pitch Deck: Crafted to attract funding for the launch and early development of the business. It builds upon the pre-seed deck by offering more details on market validation, product development, and initial traction.
• Series A/B/C Pitch Deck: This type of pitch deck is for seeking significant funding rounds for growth and expansion. They provide comprehensive information on market leadership, financial performance, scaling strategies, competitive landscape and potential exit plans.

Q7. What is the difference between a pitch deck and a presentation?

A pitch deck is a type of presentation designed specifically to propose an idea, product, solution or opportunity to potential clients, investors or partners. A presentation, on the other hand, is a content format composed of slides, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be used for pitching purposes.

Q8. What should not be included in a pitch deck?

A pitch deck should not include irrelevant information, unrealistic financial projections, unverified claims, technical jargon and overly complex data or slides. You should also steer clear of presenting negative information like potential risks or challenges without offering mitigation strategies or solutions.

A powerful pitch deck can help you secure the funding you need to make your business idea a reality. This article will give you the confidence you need to design and present a killer investor pitch deck .

If you want to learn more about pitch decks and giving great presentations, check out some of the resources below.

• 17 Pitch Deck Templates Inspired By Real-Life Startups and Businesses
• 15 Expert Tips for Giving a Powerful Business Presentation
• Presentation Success Formula: How to Start Strong and End Powerfully

You can also watch this video on how to structure your presentation to keep your audience hooked till the very end.

If you're looking for an easy-to-use, professional presentation software to help you make a powerful pitch deck, Visme can be just what you're looking for.

You can browse through fully designed pitch deck templates that are inspired by real-life pitch decks of successful companies, such as Airbnb, Buffer and more.

Each template is customizable, so you can easily plug in your own content, graphics and brand assets, and download it in PowerPoint or PDF format, or publish it online.

Ready to create your very own pitch deck? Sign up on Visme for a free account and take it for a test drive!

Create captivating pitch decks in minutes using Visme

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About the Author

Mahnoor Sheikh is the content marketing manager at Visme. She has years of experience in content strategy and execution, SEO copywriting and graphic design. She is also the founder of MASH Content and is passionate about tea, kittens and traveling with her husband. Get in touch with her on LinkedIn .

12 Startup Pitch Deck Examples [+ Template]

A great startup pitch deck is an integral part of launching a business. This deck is presented to prospective investors to convince them to invest and help you grow your startup . The trick to having the best pitch deck possible is to include enough information to explain your goals and methodology without losing your audience’s interest.

Pitch decks are usually in PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, or Google Slides to make them easier to present to potential investors. However, the deck can also have an alternative format like a Word document or even a video. For inspiration, let’s go through some successful startup pitch deck examples and discuss what they got right. 

Pitch Deck Basics

There are some overarching characteristics that make for a great pitch deck. While we’ll go through what a deck typically includes and some relevant business pitch examples, you can pick and choose certain elements as long as your startup pitch deck has the following basic qualities:

• Design-forward: Customers expect a better experience with your product and that’s achieved through better UX and graphic design. Show your team’s design chops with thoughtful deck design and mock-ups.
• Comprehensive: Be prepared to answer any questions from potential investors. Your slides should cover enough so if they check back for reminders after the presentation, they’ll find the most important information.
• Engaging: A startup pitch deck inevitably includes some boring elements. Your job is to keep it exciting and break up information-heavy slides with features like illustrations and block quotes.
• Straightforward: It’s easy to get caught up with sharing every detail, but it’s more important that your potential investors understand your pitch. For more complicated slides and ideas, pare down your pitch to make it easier to understand.

1. Problem Slide

Your pitch deck should open with a key problem — this is the whole justification for your business and why consumers will find it valuable. A common structure for this slide is to bullet pain points and create a story your potential investors can relate to.

The problem slide is the basis for your presentation. Creating a relatable story makes for an engaging presentation that’s easy to follow and understand.

Uber Example

Why it works : Although it’s not the most visually engaging, Uber’s business pitch example clearly explains how Uber solves key issues with traditional cabs. Uber’s deck is broken down into multiple slides to deliver all the necessary information without overwhelming the audience.

2. Solution slide

After presenting the problem, you should follow up directly with a solution. An effective solution slide structure covers current industry solutions and identifies the gaps your startup fills. This slide has a general overview of any proprietary technology, covers basic product features, and includes relevant interface mock-ups to show investors what your product will do for consumers.

Intercom Example

Why it works : Intercom’s solution slide is simple but effective. While some extra design could elevate this slide, the bullet points are easy to understand and effectively explain Intercom’s unique selling proposition (USP) in the SaaS market.

3. Market validation slide

Market validation is especially important to investors because it shows proof that there are people who will purchase your product. This slide should include any relevant statistics for current sales if your startup has launched or competitors’ sales if it hasn’t. Don’t forget to cover basic information about your target market, their purchasing power, and their habits in your industry. This slide is especially important if your prospective investors aren’t familiar with your product or industry.

LinkedIn Example

Why it work s: At 37 pages, LinkedIn’s pitch deck is longer than we’d recommend.  But what it lacks in brevity it makes up for with powerful market validation using clear data from top competitors. It also breaks down barriers to growth and revenue for these competitors and shows how LinkedIn would improve their models.

4. Market size slide

Market size goes hand in hand with market validation. Once you’ve confirmed your target market has enough purchasing power, you need to justify your product’s longevity.

Focus on continued sales. The two most common elements to ensure your startup brings in long-term revenue are:

• A very large market
• A business model built for continuous purchases (e.g., subscription models)

Facebook Example

Why it works: Facebook is the poster child for successful startups. Its market size slides effectively communicate how Facebook’s initial launches succeeded and justify further growth. The slides with market statistics about college students also explain clearly how Facebook will create revenue.

5. Product slide

The product slide is your chance to nail your pitch and sell your vision to investors. This slide should center your value proposition. A popular strategy for this section is to pose a few questions about your industry and show how your product is the answer. Take the time to craft this slide carefully, polishing it up from the copy to design details.

Dropbox Example

Why it works: Dropbox’s product slides are effective because they show how Dropbox truly innovates over other file sharing services. They justify why now is the time to launch and why consumers will choose Dropbox over competitors.

6. Business model slide

The business model slide covers how the startup will run and launch its product for sustainable growth. This section can compare your startup to other businesses or use internal data if the product has launched.

Moz Example

Why it works : While some of these slides can look busy, Moz’s business model was ahead of its time by calling out why organic marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) have untapped potential. This deck does a good job of explaining the business model to investors who might not be SEO savvy.

But wait...there's more!

7. market adoption slide.

It’s important to show some proof that your target market has interest in purchasing your product, especially if there are other competitors in the market. This is a lot easier if your product has already launched because you can include sales data. If your startup is pre-launch, showing potential market adoption can be tricky. In this case, you can use social proof from similar competitors. If you do this, it’s also important to note how your product differs from these competitors, especially if you can resolve a customer’s complaint. If possible, include case studies in the market adoption slide. These show proof that you can use investments to increase the reach of your startup.

Buffer Example

Why it works : Buffer’s market adoption slides show social proof through key statistics outlining Buffer’s success so far. With an extremely high profit margin and growth rate for their user base, Buffer shows off why their product will offer a larger ROI for potential investors.

8. Competition slide

Many investors look at your competition to help contextualize your startup. If an investor has little or no experience in your vertical, showing competitors they’re familiar with gives them real examples of success. This slide should cover the following topics related to your competition:

• Revenue data
• What competitors do well
• What competitors don’t do well
• How your startup bridges product gaps

Mint Example

Why it works : Mint’s competitor slides are effective because they show current competitors along with future projections for these competitors. This slide effectively shows how Mint creates more value for customers over time and uses competitors as inspiration in their defensive strategy.

9. Team slide

A team slide helps investors get to know the minds behind your startup. Include information about founders, leadership, and top existing investors to show why your team is qualified to launch this startup. Any evidence of past successes with your leadership, consultants, or investors is important to include, as it shows new investors that you have relevant experience to launch your startup. If there’s any relevant history about your startup, such as a higher ROI than expected for a former investor, be sure to include this in your pitch deck.

Contently Example

Why it works : While Contently’s team slide has a lot of information, it’s all relevant to potential investors. In addition to founders and investors, Contently includes top employees, proprietary technology, advisors, and the amount they’ve raised so far. This, along with their financial model slide, show potential investors that Contently will make good use of their investment and even make them some profit.

10. Press slide

The press section of your startup pitch deck is a great opportunity to show off any buzz and get your investors excited about your business. Focus on positive reviews or attention related to your product. Stay away from negative press unless you can show you’ve changed those negative opinions. Make sure to keep these slides focused and succinct. It’s easy to get caught up in showing off product buzz, but press slides should always demonstrate potential for a more widespread product adoption.

Snapchat example

Why it works : Snapchat was in a unique position at the time this deck was created, as its press slide has strong social proof. Snapchat calls out popular users, including press and media sources, that are already using the app. The wide variety of users, including household names like MTV, shows how Snapchat is a well-known social media platform.

11. Testimonial slide

Testimonials give investors insight into what existing customers really think about your product. Testimonials can also shed light on the public perception of your product, especially compared to competitors.

Seventy-two percent of consumers only take action after reading positive reviews. You can use this logic with your potential investors, too.

Positive testimonials show that your customers have brand loyalty and that users are satisfied with the product and customer service. This section of the startup pitch deck is only possible for startups that have launched their product.

AirBnB Example

Why it works : Not every pitch deck includes testimonials, especially if the startup hasn’t launched, but it makes sense to include feedback for Airbnb. Showcasing new users makes this slide simple yet effective. It could also benefit from including average Airbnb ratings for stronger evidence of positive reception.

12. Financial model slide

The financial model slide shows how your product creates revenue. For example, if your product is a subscription-based service, has premium features, or other horizontal integration, you’ll explain that model on these slides. Potential investors should walk away from your presentation knowing exactly how your startup creates revenue and understand any plans to ensure a steady stream of income.

Shopify Example

Why it works : Shopify offers a great pitch deck example of when breaking some pitch norms can work in your favor. Although it’s nearly 30 slides, the entire deck is informative and engaging. The financial model slides work well because they show how Shopify and its past investors turned a profit. Not only do they explain their current financial model, but Shopify also covers their plans for future growth to reassure investors they’ll make a profit, too.

What should you avoid putting in a startup pitch deck?

The best pitch deck is completely tailored to your startup. While there’s no hard-and-fast rule about what you shouldn’t include, make sure everything you’re presenting is relevant to potential investors. 

How do I present my startup pitch deck to investors?

It’s almost always better to present a pitch deck live to investors. Designate one member of your leadership team, ideally a founder, to present your deck to investors. 

Following a script can come across as disingenuous, but using notes is OK, so get lots of practice in before you present to investors.

What should a startup pitch deck include?

A typical startup pitch deck template includes the following slides:

• Market validation
• Market size
• Business model
• Market adoption
• Competition
• Testimonials
• Financial model

However, every pitch deck is different, so your final pitch might skip some of these topics or use multiple slides to expand on certain sections.

Built to scale with HubSpot for Startups

It takes some time to put together a startup pitch deck that works, but once you’ve nailed your presentation, you can reuse it for multiple pitches with just a few tweaks to update any data or statistics. HubSpot for Startups helps you track marketing and sales data to make this process easier. New investors can rest easy knowing you’ve got the support of HubSpot’s powerful CRM at your fingertips.

Get the pitch deck template

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• Presentations
• Pitch Decks

New PowerPoint Pitch Deck Templates (From Envato Elements - For 2024)

It’s challenging to craft a compelling investor pitch PowerPoint template. You need a narrative that resonates with slides designs that engage and don’t overwhelm.

Your PPT deck must: showcase your team, the problem and your innovative solution . It must include your business plan and financial evidence for investors to know.

Here's a handful of the best new PowerPoint business plan pitch deck templates. These are trending on Envato Elements:

1. Startup Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint

First, let's look at this investor presentation template for PowerPoint that has all the elements a winning pitch needs. Its premium look and design are perfect for professionals and entrepreneurs. The business plan PPT template's features speak for themselves:

• Google Slides and PPTX files
• 30 total slides
• fully editable elements
• documentation file

2. Pitch Deck - Business Plan Template for PowerPoint

Check out this P owerPoint pitch deck template. These creative slides designs are ready to customize for your business pitch presentation. You'll find many professional PPT slides, graphs, charts, tables, and diagrams. As for its features:

• over 100 unique slides
• full HD resolution
• 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio
• free updates and support

Use this great business pitch presentation example. Chowcase how your ideas are ready for success.

3. Fintech - Startup Pitch Deck Template PPT Presentation

Use this Fintech Startup presentation template for your startup company presentation. These slide designs have unique designs styles. They also use stand out colors and modern gradients. The pitch deck template PPT download includes:

• 40 unique slides
• 16:9 slide format
• 7 pre-made color variations

Impress investors with a revenue business model slide pitch deck.

4. Startup Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

Are you preparing a business pitch deck for an investor? This startup pitch PowerPoint template is one of the best choices. It comes packed with all the slides a startup business plan PPT presentation needs:

• 200 total slides
• dark and light versions
• over 4000 vector icons

5. Farand - Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

Use this great startup presentation template for your next pitch. It's a great PowerPoint pitch deck template. The PPT deck includes:

• 40 Master Slide layouts
• resizable and editable graphics
• content placeholders
• mockup devices

Trust in this investor pitch PowerPoint template!

6. Maven - Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint

Maven is an elegant and modern creative business slide deck. Is perfect for agencies and other projects. Choose the layout that works best for your business proposal deck.

See what you'll get in this complete business pitch PowerPoint template:

• 100 gorgeous layouts
• based on Master Slides
• 16:9 aspect ratio

7. Corporate Infographic Business Plan Template for PowerPoint

Try this business pitch presentation template if you want to impress your audience. This pitch deck template comes with detailed infographics to put a powerful business plan deck together. 

This business plan template for PowerPoint includes:

• 1000+ slides
• animated slides
• over 1000 vector icons

Customize this download for your business model slides.

8. MakeIT - Business Plan PPT Template

Use the MakeIT template for both business presentations as well as to make pitch decks. The template is very customizable and features a modern and versatile design. It includes:

• 150 unique slides
• 5 pre-made color variations
• handcrafted infographics
• editable and resizable graphics

This business plan PPT template is suitable for IT startups and IT companies.

9. Sales Pitch Deck Template for PPT

This premium business pitch presentation template is great for sales and pitch presentations. Its modern and clean design makes it a versatile option. It works for an elevator pitch PowerPoint presentation. Also use it for a pitch deck with a pitch deck revenue model slide. On top of that, the template includes:

• seven color options
• 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios

10. Union - Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

This is one of the best business plan templates for PPT. It's a top-notch business proposal pitch deck template that has what you need to create a powerful and winning presentation. This template comes with:

• 50 unique and professional slides
• 2 theme variations
• vector shape illustrations
• easy-to-edit graphs, charts, tables, diagrams

11. Business Overview - Business Plan Template for PPT

This premium template has a classic and versatile look. It comes with image placeholders to quickly customize your content. A great option for an investor pitch PowerPoint template. It has:

• 30 unique slides
• HD resolution
• elegant slide transitions
• infographics and graphs

Use this PowerPoint pitch deck template to showcase what your business is all about.

12. Subtle - PowerPoint Pitch Deck Template

Subtle is a unique and beautifully design pitch template ideal to put together and elevator pitch PowerPoint. It comes with:

• 36 fully editable slides
• easy customization options
• Google Fonts used

It's a great option for creative industries looking for investment to take their business to the next level.

13. Pitch Werk - Elegant PowerPoint Pitch Template Deck

You can create your professional slide deck quickly thanks to this easy-to-use PowerPoint template. Every object in this presentation design is fully editable in PowerPoint. Check out some of its highlights:

• more 100 unique slides
• 5 pre-made color schemes
• PDF documentation included

14. Tsaly - PowerPoint Pitch Deck Template

Tsaly is a modern startup PowerPoint template with a contemporary design. It's made for a digital startup that’s got one both feet in the future. There’s a compelling mix of simplicity and high end design. This pitch PowerPoint template is packed with:

• drag-and-drop editing
• media placeholders

15. Jozeka - Investor Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

Are you pitching a fresh business plan and need a business model slides template? This PowerPoint slide deck is designed to appeal to investors. It features:

• 60 slides with a polished design that’s contemporary, colorful, and clean
• light and dark variations
• RGB color moders
• hundreds of icons and polished data visualizations

16. Startup Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

With all the features in this template, you’ll have your PowerPoint pitch deck ready in no time:

• 30 slides designs and many layout options
• dark and light color theme variations
• icon variations

With this flexible design you can craft a presentation that hits all the key points. Showcase your business plan presentation. Illustrate how your company offers solutions to complex problems. Present exactly the data that'll secure venture capital.

17. Up! - Pitch Deck and Business Plan Template for PPT

If you're looking for a modern business pitch presentation template for your company, Up! is the right choice. Its high contrast color palette along with its subtle gradient applications makes it look almost futuristic. The features only add to its allure:

• 35 total slides
• free web fonts

18. Business Proposal Presentation PowerPoint Template

This business pitch presentation template is ideal to tell your company story. This classic proposal deck keeps things simple and to the point with its "to the point" layout. Its highlights include:

• 15 total slides
• based on Master Slides for easy editing
• documentation included

19. PLUSS - Elevator Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint

This is a pitch PowerPoint presentation template bundle that includes:

• three sets of PPT designs and 32 slides
• 16:9 landscape slide forma
• fully customizable elements

If you need a number of style and presentation options, with high quality design, and minimal aesthetic, then this bundle is a great deal.

20. Startia - Business Pitch Presentation Example

Startia is an excellent proposal deck template for startups and companies looking to grow. Wow investors with a fresh business plan deck that has everything you need, like:

• 30 slide designs

Highlight the market you’re targeting and pitch your business concept to potential investors.

21. StartUp Business Plan PPT Template

This startup pitch deck template for PowerPoint offers a quick and stunning way to show off your ideas. Inspired in a 2009 pitch deck classic, this business pitch presentation template has:

• Keynote, Google Slides, and PowerPoint files
• functional and modern design
• documentation

22. Lanzo - PowerPoint Pitch Deck Template

If you need a creative deck to feature your new startup to investors, Lanzo is a stunning business presentation template design. It's got:

• 16:9 widescreen slide format
• proper documentation

This startup presentation template also has inventive design features like high contrast data charts.

23. Quint Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

You can't help but to feel a sense of trust as your browse through Quint's slides. This is a clean slide deck template, with a unique color palette. This premium business plan deck includes:

• 30 unique slide designs
• resizable vector elements

24. Business Plan Template for PowerPoint Presentations

This modern business plan template for PowerPoint is versatile. Use it for many types of businesses that are reaching out to potential investors. This investor presentation template set has:

• more than 30 slides
• high-quality resolution
• device mockups

25. Pitch Deck Ready Business Plan Template for PPT

One of my favorite features in this pitch deck template for PowerPoint is its unique geometric slide layouts. It includes:

• 150 total slides
• 5 color pre-made schemes

This template will increase your chances of investment and support.

26. Pitchmo - Creative Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template

Pitchmo offers a unique set of ideas to approach pitch deck template design. Plus, it comes with amazing features, such as: 

• PPT and PPTX files
• more than 30 unique slides
• free support

You'll also get access to a huge library of icons that help you highlight your information. Update them easily to create a sense of visual interest in your next pitch deck presentation.

27. Business Pro - Business Plan Template for PPT

Looking for different pitch deck templates? Why don't you try a minimal and aesthetic approach to the business model slide template?

This unique PPT deck will surprise your audience. You'll get:

• over 150 total slides
• pixel-perfect illustrations

28. Pro Business Pitch Presentation Example Template

The pitch deck proposal template hits all the stops when it comes to presenting a tight business proposal. It can be used in many industries to create a beautiful pitch deck and it comes with:

This is a premium template with a well though out color palette and structure.

29. Marketing Business Plan Template for PowerPoint

Already mapping out that marketing plan for your startup? This premium elevator pitch PowerPoint template offers all the best tools to display data. The startup presentation template includes:

• 36 slide designs
• light and dark color schemes
• fully editable infographics and maps
• vector icons and elements

30. Scofe - Business Model Slide Pitch Deck

Last but not least, check out this business pitch PowerPoint template. It's a minimal business slide deck with 45 creative slides. This business model slide pitch deck download also features:

• 16:9 widescreen ratio
• gallery and portfolio slides
• 700+ pixel-perfect icons

How to Make Startup PPT Pitch Deck Template Customizations Quickly

Premium PowerPoint pitch deck templates make startup PPT presentations easier. The best of these templates includes powerful placeholders that enable almost instant customization. 

When you’re creating your pitch deck, it’s important to use visual aids to get your message across.

Show off wordy slide after wordy slide and you’ll lose the audience in no time. But by using visuals, you keep them engaged and focused on you.

1. Customize Charts

Let’s begin by looking at a chart from Pitch Werk , a business plan PPT deck from Envato Elements.

Charts in PowerPoint work by linking directly to an embedded version of Excel. That's Microsoft’s spreadsheet software.

To edit a chart like this, right-click on one of the columns and select  Edit Data . An Excel window will pop up, and you can make edits to the chart labels and data. As you type in new values, the chart will adjust to match.

2. Customize Maps

Let’s say you want to showcase your business operations across the United States. You could make a list, but those are dull. Instead, try a color-coded map. Add color fill to states where you've got offices. 

To customize a map, simply right-click on a state. Then, click  Format Shape  in the drop-down. A sidebar will open over on the right side of your screen. Click  Fill,  then  Solid Fill,  and select a color from the chooser. Just like that, you can build a beautiful custom map.

3. Customize Device Mockups

They’re meant to demo your app or website by showing how it looks on a real device. Suppose you've got a mobile website that’s key to your pitch.

 The first step is to capture a screenshot on a mobile device, then transfer it to your computer. Once you’ve done that, the process is very simple. Simply click inside the image placeholder, browse to the screenshot, and click to insert it. Just like that, the image will drop onto the phone screen. It looks real and takes only seconds!

Remember, the best pitch deck templates are incredibly easy to customize and offer stunning features just like these. It’s up to your sense of creativity to bring them to life. All the tools you’ll need lie right at your fingertips.

5 Quick Pitch Deck (Startup Business Plan) Presentation Tips

Great startups, and exciting small business ideas don’t magically get funded. You've got to get out there and work hard for every dollar of investing you bring in. It’s challenging to get funding at any stage of your company.

1. Include Only What Investors Are Looking For

Investors have a never-ending stream of pitches they review on an ongoing basis. There’s an expected framework to professional and effective pitch decks, which you need to work within.

For most early-stage startups or innovative small businesses, just 10 to 15 slides is on target, but ten or less is better. You want to keep your presentation concise: more like a 10 to 15 minute short, than a feature-length movie.

Here are a few quick-fire, pitch deck tips to keep your business presentation on point—including exactly what investors want to see. 

2. Design Simple and Direct Pitch Deck Slides

Keep in mind that you don’t want to include much more than those ten or so slides in your initial pitch. The more information you try to pack into your pitch, the quicker it becomes confusing for investors.

Move your key data points to early in your deck, so you can grab attention quickly. Avoid trying to hit every nuance of your company's expected positioning.  

A great presentation focuses on the message you’re giving. Great design and visuals need to complement your message.

Consider using a PowerPoint business pitch template. It should have easy-to-use pitch deck slides already included. Here are three templates designed for presenting your business plan to investors:

• Pitch Werk - Simple PowerPoint Pitch Deck Template . If you need a simple and modern pitch deck template, this set of over 100 slide designs is a great choice. Whether you want to make a new business plan proposal or investor pitch deck.
• Business Plan PowerPoint Infographics . This is an attractive pitch PPT template with a modern design and all the slide layout choices a compelling pitch deck needs. With it you can create a perfect pitch backed by a great design.
• Vinue Business Plan . This is a versatile business plan template for PowerPoint that can be used for many business types looking to get investor funding. Learn how to customize this PowerPoint template , so you’re able to quickly prep your deck.

3. Deliver Your Message and Startup Story

What’s that key problem that you’re solving? What’s the competitive advantage that allows you to take advantage and move quickly? What’s the innovative way you’re doing this that'll disrupt the market?

Your pitch deck should be an overall narrative that communicates your startup’s story. User stories of how your company solves a problem for its target market are great.

Hit your big points in a clear way and avoid too much detail. You don’t need to overshare.

You can include appendixes if you deliver your deck out as a PDF. Your presentation is where you paint the big picture and spice it with just enough detail to pique interest.

Bottom line, don’t forget to ask for the money. Be really clear and specific about your ask and how you plan to use the funds.

Learn more about how to craft a compelling narrative and persuade with your PowerPoint presentation:

4. Focus on Company Growth

It's often said that investors focus on growth. Basically, you're trying to create a "fear of missing out." Showcase the side of your company that anyone would want to invest in.

That's why it helps to include a growth slide, particularly one with a chart and graph. Focus on a key metrics like new subscriptions or active users increment. 

5. Make an Ask at the End

The format of a pitch deck presentation implies you're going to make an "ask" of the audience. Make sure that slide gives the audience an option to jump on board with your company. 

Examples of "asks" that you might make at the end of a pitch deck presentation include:

• apply to open positions within your company as you search for talent to take things to the next level
• investment to get the critical funding it takes to keep your company running and growing
• introductions to others who can help you achieve your growth goals

5 Top Pitch Deck PowerPoint PPT Design Trends for 2024

If you want to make sure your pitch deck stands out, it has to be professional and modern. Keep the latest design trends in mind.

We've got the top 5 pitch deck PowerPoint trends for you to use. 

1. Contrasting Colors

Color plays an important role in any design. This year, combine two contrasting colors for the most impact. Take cues from this Simple Presentation template . It combines yellow and black to make your information stand out. 

2. Slides Don’t Have to Be White

The use of background images with color overlays or full colored backgrounds is trending. This trend is sure to make your pitch deck stand out and make it look more on brand. 

3. Consider Space On Your Data Slides

Key information must stand out. Follow this PowerPoint design trend. Leave plenty of space around your charts, graphs, and infographics. This will make it easier for your audience to remember key points and important information.

This Pitch Deck PowerPoint template makes great use of white space in its slides.

4. More Than One Font or Font Weight

For example, choose a serif font paired with a sans serif font. If you’re not sure what fonts go well together, consider experimenting with regular and bold font weight to add contrast. 

5. Get Creative With Shapes

Shapes are a great way to spice up the plain white background of any slide layout. But you don’t have to limit yourself to squares and circles. Experiment with other shape types as well as the position of the shape.

The Getta PowerPoint template does an excellent job of using shapes creatively.

Important PowerPoint Slides Every Pitch Deck (Business Plan Presentation) Needs

Building a business plan presentation? There are a few slides that you should always include. Each one's designed to help you communicate crucial details to potential investors. These really set the stage for your pitch and guide you to success.

• A strong intro. Any successful business proposal presentation has to start off by introducing your company and your team. In doing so, your audience can place faces with names and make an instant personal connection.
• Outline your goals . If you’re asking for funding, chances are you’ve got a big idea. This business plan PPT slide puts that idea front and center: it's a statement of exactly what you aim to accomplish.
• Highlight plans. Once you’ve stated your ideas and goals, it’s time to detail how you’ll accomplish them. This slide should include your core competencies, elements of your team that set your firm apart. Also focus on specific actions you plan to take to reach the objective.
• The revenue model. Any investor expects a healthy return. Here, you detail your path to profit. Be specific and honest and highlight both monetary totals and timelines.
• The funding pitch. Last but not least comes the reason for the business plan presentation. Here's where you outline your funding needs and make the crucial ask from investors. Again, focus on detailed plans for use of the money, and revisit earlier discussions about forecasted returns.

Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be, thanks to amazing pitch deck templates from Envato Elements. These business pitch templates come with these slides—and countless others—ready for you to use. 

They’re professionally designed, so you can be sure to get top quality throughout. All you've got to do is drop in your own content!

Let’s take a closer look at Redeem , a pitch deck presentation from Envato Elements.

The Intro Slide

As you can see, this business plan PPT has an intro slide built in. You don’t have to worry about building slides from scratch, thanks to powerful templates like this.

The intro sets the stage for the entire presentation. Break free of being simply another pitch deck. Establish strong personal relationships with your audience. If they connect with the people behind your idea, they’re more likely to invest in it.

To add an image, you can simply select the Replace Image Here box, and drop in your own photo.

To change the text, triple-click on a line and type over it. It’s that easy!

The Growth & Revenue Slide

The best business plan templates for PPT include charts and graphs built in. These are especially useful when you need to share a lot of data in a clear and concise way.

Let’s look at the Revenue slide, which can be used to outline your financial growth strategy.

The centerpiece of the slide is the colorful bar graph. Some business model slides templates include detailed charts that can be edited with PowerPoint’s embedded Excel editor. You can click and drag on the bars to precisely scale them.

Be sure to swap out the legends and axis labels to fit your needs. And then tie everything together with a strong description. Using a chart like this is far more engaging than merely talking about numbers. 

The Investment Ask Slide

Finally, we come to the true reason for a business plan presentation: the funding ask. This is the moment that counts, and that pays. Here, you ask investors to trust in your vision with their dollars.

This slide is structured as a pricing table. But it’s also perfect for pitching a two-phase venture capital effort. 

Begin by adding a title and subtitle over on the right. Continue by labeling the two boxes with the names and timelines of your fundraising rounds. Substitute funding targets for the prices and wrap up by highlighting planned uses for the money.

These slides vividly show the value of using professional pitch deck templates. You've got more time to focus on your ideas, as you leave arduous slide design work to the experts!

Apply these tips and tricks to create complete pitch deck slides. Work with premium slides for pitch decks to close your next investment deal.

Find More Professional Pitch Deck Templates 

Now you know the most important slides every pitch deck needs. Let's look at some of our best business plan templates for PPT, Keynote and Google Slides: 

Common PowerPoint Pitch Deck Questions Answered (FAQ)

Making the best pitch PowerPoint presentation can be stressful, especially if you're just starting in this area. But don't worry, I'm here to help you with some of the most frequently asked questions:

1. What Types of Presentations Are There?

Before you even start working in PowerPoint, define what type of presentation you'll deliver. There are many types, and each will give you a different result. Here are the most common:

• Persuasive . Presentations that are designed to change the mind of the audience or impart your perspective.
• Decision-driven . Often found in the corporate world, these presentations provide a recommendation or path forward. 
• Introductory . An introductory presentation is the first point of contact. It basically showcases your business and work to potential clientele.
• Informative (educational) . With no ulterior motive, informative presentations are about showing knowledge or new ideas to an audience.

2. What Mistakes Should I Avoid When Making My Pitch Deck?

Doing a pitch presentation isn't as easy as it might sound. The top mistakes you should avoid are:

• Using animation effects on the slides . They tend to slow your presentation and distract your audience. Plus, most transition effects don't look professional so it's best to avoid them.
• Doing a long pitch . On average, we've got an attention span of less than 20 minutes on a task we're not motivated to complete. Keep this in mind for your presentation. If you stick to 20 minutes, it forces you to make your message more concise and you'll keep your audience engaged. 
• Having a weak conclusion . If you want your presentation to stick, don't go for a simple ending. By giving the notion you're wrapping up your presentation, only to conclude with an amazing fact, your message will stick better.

3. How Can I Make Slide Layouts in PowerPoint?

Technically, a layout is the combination and arrangement of the objects on a slide. In practice, the layout is a one-click starting point for your presentation and a real time-saver. That's why it's important to know how to create your own layouts and not limit yourself to the ones included in PowerPoint.

Learn all about it here:

4. What's the Right Size for My PPT Slides?

When you're projecting your finished presentation, you may find the slides appear cut off on the edges or boxed in on the screen. To prevent this, consider the size and aspect ratio of your presentation. 

The first step is to figure out in what device your presentation is most likely to appear on:

• laptop screens
• conference room projectors
• iPads and tablets
• widescreen or large format displays

Each display has a different aspect ratio that describes the width versus height of the screen. The same presentation will appear differently on each device because the aspect ratio varies. Check more about this topic here:

5. How Can I Work With Others in PowerPoint?

If you're working on a pitch deck presentation, chances are it's a team effort. So, you need to make a collaborative presentation. This way, all the members can work on it at the same time. 

Thankfully, Microsoft PowerPoint has added many collaborative, online features in its recent versions. It's very easy to learn how to share a pitch PowerPoint here:

Learn More About How to Make Great Investor Pitch Deck Presentations

When you're building a business plan in PowerPoint, there are tons of tools available. Using a business pitch template is a surefire step to save time and focus on the content.

There are also helpful resources to learn from pitch deck pros, right here on Tuts+. I recommend checking out our guide. How to Make Great Pitch Decks (Startup Presentation Guide) is a comprehensive resource.

Check out the resources below for more articles and tips to build your best pitch deck yet:

Download Our Free PDF eBook on Making Great Presentations

We've got the perfect complement to a professional PowerPoint template. This will help you learn how to write, design, and deliver great presentations.

Download  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations for FREE. Just subscribe to the Tuts+ Business newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that'll move your audience. 

Best PowerPoint Pitch Deck Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

You can find hundreds of the best PowerPoint pitch deck templates on Envato Elements. Premium pitch deck PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements are designed for business plan presentations.

Need the best pitch deck template for PowerPoint that you can customize quickly? We've got the best ones to work with in this article.

PowerPoint Pitch Decks

These business model slide pitch decks for PowerPoint have unique designs choose from. You can use them to showcase the concepts in your PowerPoint pitch deck with pre-built slides for your:

• business plan
• product vision
• business model
• market size
• infographics

A PowerPoint pitch deck template will save you hours of design work. Add your business ideas and key data to these business plan PPT slides. Prep your business pitch template, and get ready to win over investors!

Subscribe to Envato Elements and download as many premium PPT pitch decks as you want. All for one low monthly price!

Not only that, but you get access to thousands of premium creative assets. Find logo templates, graphics, royalty-free music, and more!

Plus, now Envato Elements has introduced an AI-powered search feature ! This new tool allows you to input a description of your project to effortlessly locate the finest human-crafted resources. 

Start experimenting with this enhanced search tool! Discover the ideal pitch deck PowerPoint templates for your business plan presentations.

Grab the Best Pitch Deck Template for PowerPoint Today!

Put one of the designs above to use now. Or check out the wide variety of PowerPoint slide deck templates available for sale on Envato Elements. We've got the best PPT decks and business plan PPT templates  and innovative new pitch deck designs to choose from. 

Grab a quality business plan template for PowerPoint today. Learn how to customize it quickly, and use it to help secure the investor funding you need for your startup or small business!

Editorial Note :  This post has been updated with contributions from Lex Soto ,  Brenda Barron , Maria Villanueva and Dacia Egurrola . Maria is the Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Design channel. Brenda is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+. Lex and Dacia are staff writers for Envato Tuts+.

👀 Turn any prompt into captivating visuals in seconds with our AI-powered design generator ✨ Try Piktochart AI!

33 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks and What You Can Learn From Them [+10 Free Templates]

A startup pitch deck is a brief presentation that provides investors with an overview of your new business and/or startup idea through presentation slides.

It usually focuses on showcasing your product, sharing your business model, giving a look into your monetization strategy, and introducing your team.

A startup pitch deck is an essential fundraising tool for successful startups, whether you’re looking to raise funding from $50,000, $500,000, or $50 million. However, an investor pitch deck is just one of the best pitch decks and examples we will share below.

Despite the brevity of the successful startup pitch decks, which usually run for 10 slides or less, creating a pitch deck that wins investment is not an easy task.

What Does a Successful Startup Pitch Deck Cover?

A great pitch deck covers key points through visuals and bullet points and usually has a competition slide, a problem slide, and a solution slide to explain your offering and the market.

Additionally, a business model slide and a team slide (if your business is developed enough to present these) can turn a good deck into a great startup pitch deck.

Don’t forget, a simple pitch deck is a good pitch deck—and you’re about to learn how to nail it.

In This Legendary Startup Pitch Deck Article You Will Find:

• Examples of 33 successful pitch decks
• Takeaways that you can apply when creating your own startup pitch deck
• Editable templates of 10 pitch decks that you can use for free

Looking for a winning pitch deck template ASAP to present in front of potential investors?   Try our free template created in collaboration with HighSpark – an agency that has helped more than 500 startups raise cumulatively over $80 million in funding. 

Here is the list of 33 of the best startup pitch deck examples that we will go through:

• ZenPayRoll (Now Gusto)
• Wealthsimple
• AppVirality
• Shape Integrated Software
• Ooomf (now Crew)
• Sequoia Capital

These startup pitch deck examples were created by top brands in tech. At the time, they were all small startups (seed stage companies) looking to raise money or venture capital through potential investors and grow their businesses. Sound familiar?!

We hope that their business idea and investor pitch decks will inspire you (and of course, potential investors).

If you are more of a visual learner than a reader type, you can watch a video summary of the first 10 startup pitch deck examples mentioned in this blog post:

Alternatively, if you’re ready to create your own pitch deck, we’ve added some startup pitch deck examples and pitch deck templates to the bottom of this article. You can go straight to them by clicking here . Or get access to Piktochart’s online design tool by signing up for a free account and choosing a presentation template to get started easily.

From behemoths like Facebook and YouTube to superstars like Buffer, together these startups have raised millions of dollars and are now worth billions!

It’s time to see how they did it.

33 Legendary Startup Pitch Deck Examples

1. facebook pitch deck.

Here’s a fun fact: Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist, and entrepreneur, was the first outside investor in Facebook back in 2004. That’s when Mark Zuckerberg first set out to turn his dorm room project into a lasting business. Zuckerberg received $500,000 from Peter Thiel.

Facebook’s pitch deck was more of a media kit  of sorts. It was containing the company’s value proposition, key metrics, and marketing services that were used to sell ads to potential clients.

Favorite takeaway : The focus of the startup pitch deck was based on solid numbers such as user engagement, traffic, and growth trajectory.

2. Airbnb pitch deck

Airbnb is a platform that allows people to list, find, and rent lodging.

This company is one of the greatest startup success stories of our time.

The now famous Airbnb pitch deck has become one of the best pitch decks for inspiring entrepreneurs around the world.

Favorite takeaway: The intro. It’s all about hooking your audience. You need to describe your business using as few words as possible. Imagine telling a 5-year-old what your business is about. If you can’t do that, it’s time to put some time into nailing it down.

3. Buffer pitch deck

Buffer is a social media scheduling platform that helps you schedule content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

The almighty startup pitch deck that helped Buffer to raise half a million dollars gained popularity by becoming one of the first pitch decks openly shared online. The founder decided to put it up to help other startups to raise funds.

Favorite takeaway: Similar to Facebook, the deck was based on solid numbers from Buffer’s users (e.g., 800 users, $150,000 annual revenue run rate, etc.)

4. Square pitch deck

Square is a company that allows merchants to accept mobile credit card payments via a dongle.

Favorite takeaway : Social proof! It doesn’t hurt to promote the management team if they’ve been with Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, PayPal, and more. It shows that your management team’s experience is an armor to the company. This detailed startup pitch deck outlines Square’s business model and a simple financial model that portrays its annual revenue and five-year growth rate.

5. LinkedIn pitch deck

Founded in 2002, LinkedIn is the top business-oriented social networking platform.

The company’s pitch talks a great deal about company values, the power of networking, and how it’s different from other social networks out there.

Favorite takeaway : The deck also provides an extensive analogy to showcase to investors what LinkedIn is. For example, it talks about “Web 1.0” vs. “Web 2.0”: Alta Vista was “Search 1.0”, and Google was “Search 2.0”. The deck talks about how LinkedIn is “Networking for Businesses 2.0”.

6. Mint pitch deck

Mint is a personal financial services tool that helps people track their spending and find ways to save money.

This startup pitch deck example was used in a competition and was never used for raising money, but it’s still a powerful deck that startups can learn from.

Favorite takeaway : This simple deck provides a clear value proposition to customers and investors. The creators of this deck also understood that one of the key concerns of an investor is the exit mechanism of his or her investments. I love how the deck highlights a number of exit strategy options.

7. MapMe pitch deck

MapMe allows users to create universally accessible (i.e., on smartphones, tablets, and computers) maps of anywhere they want with no coding required.

This startup deck was used to raise $1 million in seed funding.

Social proof almost always works. The deck showed that the startup had over 20,000 unique visitors, 18,000 monthly alerts, and12 minutes average sessions on the site.

Favorite takeaway : The pitch deck has fewer than 13 slides but provides investors with knowledge of the traction the site got going viral on social media and its go-to-market strategy.

8. LaunchRock pitch deck

LaunchRock allows users to create landing pages and quickly get their startups known through social media, even before the launch of their full site.

Favorite takeaway : As a more creatively designed pitch deck example, this pitch deck had only 15 slides but showed how the product works and the different ways it can be used. They also utilize an analogy similar to what LinkedIn had in their decks.

9. Mixpanel pitch deck

Mixpanel is an advanced analytics platform for mobile and the web. They not only measure page views but also analyze the actions people take. This is the series-B startup pitch deck for Mixpanel that helped them raise over $65 million.

Favorite takeaway : This pitch deck example started off with a problem: people guessing their analytics. It followed up by providing its solution to that problem and, ultimately, its competitive advantage. One of the best pitch decks, this is a great example of showing the problem and solution.

10. Moz pitch deck

Moz started out as an SEO company but has pivoted to support marketers across all inbound marketing strategies.

This is the series-B startup pitch deck for Moz which they used to raise over $18 million. If you’re an established startup, this is a great example of an investor pitch deck, and you can follow this guide. The pitch deck is packed with information about the company since it was founded five years prior to this pitch.

Favorite takeaway : Because the company had already been in operation for five years, they were able to present an accurate estimated revenue, revenue run rate, average customer lifetime value, cost of paid acquisition, etc.

11. Buzzfeed pitch deck

We all have a love-and-hate relationship with Buzzfeed, don’t we? I’m sure you’ve stumbled on their pages or watched their videos before. As of today, BuzzFeed has managed to raise over $240 million in investor capital (another great example of an investor pitch deck).

Favorite takeaway : SOCIAL PROOF! It doesn’t hurt to start a pitch deck with big numbers the company has, like the millions of users visiting the website on a monthly basis and quotations from large organizations such as CNN.

12. YouTube pitch deck

YouTube was acquired by Google in 2006 for $1.6 billion. Like Facebook, this company doesn’t require any introduction. Unfortunately, this is not the original deck. This is YouTube’s pitch deck to Sequoia Capital (one of the most established VC investors who’s often regarded as one of the industry’s best), which was released through a legal proceeding.

Favorite takeaway : The company wanted to be the primary outlet for video content, and it succeeded in doing just that. It goes to show that if you know what your product can do, are able to show its potential, and build on the momentum gained through early investments to create that, then you can achieve its potential. If you’re aiming to build an investor pitch deck to land a VC like Sequoia Capital, this presentation slide deck is a great template for you!

13. Manpacks pitch deck

Manpacks is a platform that delivers men’s essentials such as underwear, razors, grooming, and other products.

The company raised $500,000 with this pitch deck.

Favorite takeaway : This deck stands out! They clearly understand who they are, and they stayed that way throughout the entire presentation. The startup pitch deck is filled with a fun tone that helps explain the product well.

14. Foursquare pitch deck

Foursquare is a mobile platform that helps you find the best places to go in your area.

Favorite takeaway : This pitch deck does a great job using screenshots of social proof that the app already has from its users sharing tweets of them being the ‘mayor’ of a particular area.

15. Flowtab pitch deck

Flowtab was an app that allowed people to order drinks quickly at a crowded bar. Despite shutting down, the founders still made an effort to help other startups.

Favorite takeaway : Simplicity. This pitch deck example does well explaining critical information like the problem, the solution, their business model, and traction. You can’t really go wrong with this pitch deck.

16. Dwolla pitch deck

Dwolla is a payment solution that allows users to send, receive, and request funds from other users. This 18-slide startup pitch deck landed the company $16.5 million.

Favorite takeaway : Most startups are founded because of a problem they faced, but not many people tell their story well through their pitch decks. In their slide deck, Dwolla shared a great story of how the founder paid $50,000 a year in credit card fees and then created a solution for never doing it again.

17. ZenPayRoll  (Now Gusto) pitch deck

Gusto (previously ZenPayroll) is a cloud-based solution tool for small businesses to pay employees.

The company raised $6 million with this pitch deck.

Favorite takeaway : This isn’t just a startup pitch deck. It is a template that you can use and replicate easily by filling in the blanks.

18. Bliss pitch deck

Bliss provides metrics for coders and allows them to collaborate easily.

The company raised over $400,000 using Angel List.

Favorite takeaway : The pitch deck was well composed with a clear understanding of the product and the investors they were pitching to. This is one of the best pitch decks to use if you know your target market.

19. Adpushup pitch deck

Adpushup allows companies to maximize ad revenues through advanced A/B testing. They raised more than $632,000 in investments.

Favorite takeaway : This slide deck proves that going back to the basics works. This pitch deck has basic principles like a great introduction, an outline of problems, potential solutions, market opportunities, products, case studies, milestones, traction, and a future plan.

20. Wealthsimple pitch deck

Wealthsimple is Canada’s first online investment manager. They raised more than $2 million in seed funding with this slide deck.

Favorite takeaway : The startup pitch deck is sweet and short but effective. Our favorite part is the transformation of the industry, which is laid out in a table format.

21. AppVirality pitch deck

AppVirality allows app developers to grow their platforms using growth method techniques proven by other startups.

Favorite takeaway : Our favorite takeaway is how the flow of the pitch deck goes through the problem, the proven solution, and how it works within their app to their target market in multiple slides.

22. Shape Integrated Software pitch deck

Shape Integrated Software is budget management software that helps PPC analysts manage various budgets across different channels.

Favorite takeaway : When you have the traction to back your startup, use it. Shape clearly took advantage of it and presented it clearly in their pitch deck.

23. Podozi pitch deck

Podozi is an online e-commerce platform based in Nigeria.

Favorite takeaway : Most startup pitch decks work well when they’re short and sweet, in multiple slides, like Podozi’s. The best takeaway is the working partnership with large brands that this platform already has.

24. Fittr pitch deck

Fittr is a platform that designs custom workouts tailored to equipment, access, time management, and goals.

Favorite takeaway : As a user of this platform, we love the investment goals and the purpose of what the company is planning to use it for.

25. Swipes pitch deck

Swipes is a task manager app to help its users increase their productivity.

Favorite takeaway : One of their pages used social proof of quotations from The Next Web and Lifehacker. You can’t go wrong with that.

26. Canvas pitch deck

Canvas replaces paper-based processes with affordable and easy-to-use mobile apps and forms. They raised $9 million with these decks.

Favorite takeaway :  Instead of saying what they do, the second slide in their pitch deck shows how their startup helps businesses. No words are needed.

27. Ooomf  (now Crew) pitch deck

Crew (formerly Ooomf & then PickCrew) is a freelancer marketplace that connects mobile and web developers with projects or work. This deck was used to raise over $2 million dollars.

Favorite takeaway : Well-designed with an easy-to-understand flow.

28. Cubeit pitch deck

Cubeit is a mobile application that allows users to aggregate content from anywhere. Cubeit used this 13-slide deck to raise seed funding before they even had a finished product.

Favorite takeaway : A strong introduction will get investors to pay attention. Their deck starts out with a clear message, which was that “owning more devices doesn’t make your life easier”. I can’t help but pay attention to how this company will help.

29.  Castle pitch deck

Castle was a startup that let rental owners put their properties on autopilot. This was the deck Castle used to raise $270,000 for their startup.

Favorite takeaway : Great design and easy to digest.

30.  Sequoia Capital pitch deck

Sequoia Capital is one of the leading investment firms in Silicon Valley. This deck is a template they recommend following.

Favorite takeaway : It’s like having the keys to the kingdom. You don’t have to guess what this investment giant is looking for. They tell you straight away.

31. Uber pitch deck

When Uber hit the scene, they fundamentally reimagined urban transportation. Their pitch deck tells this audacious story perfectly. Simple yet impactful, it illustrates the problem of expensive taxis and car services, then introduces Uber as the affordable, tech-driven solution.

They use stark data points to highlight the financial opportunity, a vital touch for potential investors.

As you create your pitch, remember Uber’s two key strengths: painting a clear problem-solution scenario and using compelling data to underscore their market potential. This strategy not only shows understanding of their market but also communicates their transformative vision effectively.

Favorite takeaway : The deck is clean and minimalist. The flow is easy to follow, and you get a clear idea of what’s the problem they’re trying to solve, and how they solve it.

32. WeWork pitch deck

WeWork’s pitch deck beautifully encapsulates its community-driven approach to shared workspaces.

They use visually appealing slides that mirror their innovative, modern brand. Their pitch deck deftly articulates the benefits of shared workspaces in today’s economy, setting the stage for their unique value proposition.

Favorite takeaway : what we do, who we do it for, why we do it; the deck walks you through their company vision with smart visuals and copy. We loved how they generated urgency by highlighting how co-working spaces were a fast-growing trend and investors could miss out on a profitable investment if they didn’t act quickly.

33. MatterMark pitch deck

MatterMark’s pitch deck is a testament to the power of storytelling. utilizing clean visuals to aid comprehension and coupled with succinct copy to keep the narrative engaging. The 30-slide deck earned the platform $6.5 million in seed A funding.

Favorite takeaway : Strong visual storytelling through the use of charts and graphs. In just a few moments, you can see where the majority of their revenue comes from compared to their other revenue streams.

Summary of Pitch Deck Template Takeaways

To sum up, a strong startup pitch deck not only serves to reinforce your brand to the target audience or investors, but shows your business plan and unique offering through the slides presented; using a problem slide, a solution slide, and a traction slide including concise bullet points. 

The best startup pitch deck also shows off your company’s personality, through the inclusion of a team slide or similar in the next few slides, to be presented after your business plan is clearly outlined.

As your company grows, you’ll probably start thinking about the next stage of growth. You can use these successful pitch decks can as the foundation to make an investor deck for your next round of financing.

Look at the takeaways from these startup pitch decks as a guide to help you in your quest to raise funds and venture capital for your own startup for an investment round.

Here are some of the key takeaways from our pitch deck examples:

• Pitch decks don’t have to be formal or beautiful.
• A great pitch deck will provide an impactful intro or slogan.
• Keep your deck short (less than 20 pages).
• Use analogies to back up the points that you’re making.

After going through so many startup pitch deck examples, we recommend that to make your pitch presentation stand out you should:

• Start with a strong intro/vision.
• Show problems and offer solutions.
• Identify market opportunities.
• Showcase products/services clearly.
• Digest your business model
• Highlight financials
• Add social proof/case studies.
• Differentiate from competition.
• Show an experienced management team.

Designing a strong pitch deck could turn your business idea into a reality after convincing investors to provide support financial support to your project.

If you’re looking for additional information, DocSend shared lessons  they got learning from 200 startups who raised $360 million from their first pitch deck.

10 Pitch Deck Templates for You to Try

The following pitch decks are free templates available in Piktochart that you can use. This makes it easy to work on your slides without having to worry about design. We took care of that for you.

If you don’t have an account yet, just sign up for a free Piktochart account here and then click on one of the templates below.

To learn how the online pitch deck creator works, watch this on-demand demo .

1. Investment Pitch Deck Template With HighSpark

2. Finance Pitch Deck Template

3. Business Pitch Deck Template

4. Startup Pitch Deck Examples

5. Tech Pitch Deck Examples

6. Business Keynote Template 

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550+ Business Plan Examples to Launch Your Business

Need help writing your business plan? Explore over 550 industry-specific business plan examples for inspiration.

Find your business plan example

Accounting, Insurance & Compliance Business Plans

• View All 25

Children & Pets Business Plans

• Children's Education & Recreation
• View All 33

Cleaning, Repairs & Maintenance Business Plans

• Auto Detail & Repair
• Cleaning Products
• View All 39

Clothing & Fashion Brand Business Plans

• Clothing & Fashion Design
• View All 26

Construction, Architecture & Engineering Business Plans

• Architecture
• Construction
• View All 46

Consulting, Advertising & Marketing Business Plans

• Advertising
• View All 54

Education Business Plans

• Education Consulting
• Education Products

Business plan template: There's an easier way to get your business plan done.

Entertainment & Recreation Business Plans

• Entertainment
• Film & Television
• View All 60

Events Business Plans

• Event Planning
• View All 17

Farm & Agriculture Business Plans

• Agri-tourism
• Agriculture Consulting
• View All 16

Finance & Investing Business Plans

• Financial Planning
• View All 10

Fine Art & Crafts Business Plans

Fitness & Beauty Business Plans

• Salon & Spa
• View All 36

Food and Beverage Business Plans

• Bar & Brewery
• View All 77

Hotel & Lodging Business Plans

• Bed and Breakfast

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IT, Staffing & Customer Service Business Plans

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Manufacturing & Wholesale Business Plans

• Cleaning & Cosmetics Manufacturing
• View All 68

Medical & Health Business Plans

• Dental Practice
• Health Administration
• View All 41

Nonprofit Business Plans

• Co-op Nonprofit
• Food & Housing Nonprofit
• View All 13

Real Estate & Rentals Business Plans

• Equipment Rental

Retail & Ecommerce Business Plans

• Car Dealership
• View All 116

Technology Business Plans

• Apps & Software
• Communication Technology

Transportation, Travel & Logistics Business Plans

• Airline, Taxi & Shuttle
• View All 62

View all sample business plans

Example business plan format

Before you start exploring our library of business plan examples, it's worth taking the time to understand the traditional business plan format . You'll find that the business plan samples in this library and most investor-approved business plans will include the following sections:

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your business plan and is ideally only one to two pages. You should also plan to write this section last after you've written your full business plan.

Your executive summary should include a summary of the problem you are solving, a description of your product or service, an overview of your target market, a brief description of your team, a summary of your financials, and your funding requirements (if you are raising money).

Products & services

The products & services chapter of your business plan is where the real meat of your plan lives. It includes information about the problem that you're solving, your solution, and any traction that proves that it truly meets the need you identified.

This is your chance to explain why you're in business and that people care about what you offer. It needs to go beyond a simple product or service description and get to the heart of why your business works and benefits your customers.

Market analysis

Conducting a market analysis ensures that you fully understand the market that you're entering and who you'll be selling to. This section is where you will showcase all of the information about your potential customers. You'll cover your target market as well as information about the growth of your market and your industry. Focus on outlining why the market you're entering is viable and creating a realistic persona for your ideal customer base.

Competition

Part of defining your opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage may be. To do this effectively you need to get to know your competitors just as well as your target customers. Every business will have competition, if you don't then you're either in a very young industry or there's a good reason no one is pursuing this specific venture.

To succeed, you want to be sure you know who your competitors are, how they operate, necessary financial benchmarks, and how your business will be positioned. Start by identifying who your competitors are or will be during your market research. Then leverage competitive analysis tools like the competitive matrix and positioning map to solidify where your business stands in relation to the competition.

Marketing & sales

The marketing and sales plan section of your business plan details how you plan to reach your target market segments. You'll address how you plan on selling to those target markets, what your pricing plan is, and what types of activities and partnerships you need to make your business a success.

The operations section in our business plan examples covers the day-to-day workflows for your business to deliver your product or service. What's included here fully depends on the type of business. Typically you can expect to add details on your business location, sourcing and fulfillment, use of technology, and any partnerships or agreements that are in place.

Milestones & metrics

The milestones section is where you lay out strategic milestones to reach your business goals.

A good milestone clearly lays out the parameters of the task at hand and sets expectations for its execution. You'll want to include a description of the task, a proposed due date, who is responsible, and eventually a budget that's attached. You don't need extensive project planning in this section, just key milestones that you want to hit and when you plan to hit them.

You should also discuss key metrics, which are the numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common data points worth tracking include conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, profit, etc.

Company & team

Use this section of your business plan to describe your current team and who you need to hire. If you intend to pursue funding, you'll need to highlight the relevant experience of your team members. Basically, this is where you prove that this is the right team to successfully start and grow the business. You will also need to provide a quick overview of your legal structure and history if you're already up and running.

Financial projections

Your financial plan should include a sales and revenue forecast, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, and a balance sheet. You may not have established financials of any kind at this stage. Not to worry, rather than getting all of the details ironed out, focus on making projections and strategic forecasts for your business. You can always update your financial statements as you begin operations and start bringing in actual accounting data.

Now, if you intend to pitch to investors or submit a loan application, you'll also need a "use of funds" report in this business plan section. This outlines how you intend to leverage any funding for your business and how much you're looking to acquire. Like the rest of your financials, this can always be updated later on.

The appendix isn't a required element of your business plan. However, it is a useful place to add any charts, tables, definitions, legal notes, or other critical information that supports your business plan. These are often lengthier or out-of-place information that simply didn't work naturally into the structure of your plan. You'll notice that in these business plan examples, the appendix mainly includes extended financial statements.

Types of business plans explained

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. To get the most out of your business plan, it's best to find a format that suits your needs. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan

The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used for external purposes. Typically this is the type of plan you'll need when applying for funding or pitching to investors. It can also be used when training or hiring employees, working with vendors, or in any other situation where the full details of your business must be understood by another individual.

Business model canvas

The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

The structure ditches a linear format in favor of a cell-based template. It encourages you to build connections between every element of your business. It's faster to write out and update, and much easier for you, your team, and anyone else to visualize your business operations.

One-page business plan

The true middle ground between the business model canvas and a traditional business plan is the one-page business plan . This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business.

By starting with a one-page plan , you give yourself a minimal document to build from. You'll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences making it much easier to elaborate or expand sections into a longer-form business plan.

Growth planning

Growth planning is more than a specific type of business plan. It's a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, forecast, review, and refine based on your performance.

It holds all of the benefits of the single-page plan, including the potential to complete it in as little as 27 minutes . However, it's even easier to convert into a more detailed business plan thanks to how heavily it's tied to your financials. The overall goal of growth planning isn't to just produce documents that you use once and shelve. Instead, the growth planning process helps you build a healthier company that thrives in times of growth and remains stable through times of crisis.

It's faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your business plan is always up-to-date.

Download a free sample business plan template

Ready to start writing your own business plan but aren't sure where to start? Download our free business plan template that's been updated for 2024.

This simple, modern, investor-approved business plan sample is designed to make planning easy. It's a proven format that has helped over 1 million businesses write business plans for bank loans, funding pitches, business expansion, and even business sales. It includes additional instructions for how to write each section and is formatted to be SBA-lender approved. All you need to do is fill in the blanks.

How to use an example business plan to help you write your own

How do you know what elements need to be included in your business plan, especially if you've never written one before? Looking at business plan examples can help you visualize what a full, traditional plan looks like, so you know what you're aiming for before you get started. Here's how to get the most out of a business plan sample.

Choose a business plan example from a similar type of company

You don't need to find an example of a business plan that's an exact fit for your business. Your business location, target market, and even your particular product or service may not match up exactly with the business plans in our gallery. But, you don't need an exact match for it to be helpful. Instead, look for a business plan sample that's related to the type of business you're starting.

For example, if you want to start a vegetarian restaurant, a plan for a steakhouse can be a great match. While the specifics of your actual startup will differ, the elements you'd want to include in your restaurant's business plan are likely to be very similar.

Use a business plan example as a guide

Every startup and small business is unique, so you'll want to avoid copying an example of a business plan word for word. It just won't be as helpful, since each business is unique. You want your business plan to be a useful tool for starting a business —and getting funding if you need it.

One of the key benefits of writing a business plan is simply going through the process. When you sit down to write, you'll naturally think through important pieces, like your startup costs, your target market , and any market analysis or research you'll need to do to be successful.

You'll also look at where you stand among your competition (and everyone has competition), and lay out your goals and the milestones you'll need to meet. Looking at an example of a business plan's financials section can be helpful because you can see what should be included, but take them with a grain of salt. Don't assume that financial projections for a sample company will fit your own small business.

If you're looking for more resources to help you get started, our business planning guide is a good place to start. You can also download our free business plan template .

Think of business planning as a process, instead of a document

Think about business planning as something you do often , rather than a document you create once and never look at again. If you take the time to write a plan that really fits your own company, it will be a better, more useful tool to grow your business. It should also make it easier to share your vision and strategy so everyone on your team is on the same page.

Adjust your business plan regularly to use it as a business management tool

Keep in mind that businesses that use their business plan as a management tool to help run their business grow 30 percent faster than those businesses that don't. For that to be true for your company, you'll think of a part of your business planning process as tracking your actual results against your financial forecast on a regular basis.

If things are going well, your business plan will help you think about how you can re-invest in your business. If you find that you're not meeting goals, you might need to adjust your budgets or your sales forecast. Either way, tracking your progress compared to your plan can help you adjust quickly when you identify challenges and opportunities—it's one of the most powerful things you can do to grow your business.

Prepare to pitch your business

If you're planning to pitch your business to investors or seek out any funding, you'll need a pitch deck to accompany your business plan. A pitch deck is designed to inform people about your business. You want your pitch deck to be short and easy to follow, so it's best to keep your presentation under 20 slides.

Your pitch deck and pitch presentation are likely some of the first things that an investor will see to learn more about your company. So, you need to be informative and pique their interest. Luckily we have a round-up of real-world pitch deck examples used by successful startups that you can review and reference as you build your pitch.

For more resources, check out our full Business Pitch Guide .

Ready to get started?

Now that you know how to use an example of a business plan to help you write a plan for your business, it's time to find the right one.

Use the search bar below to get started and find the right business plan example for your business idea.

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Writing a Business Plan

Team sequoia.

When Brian, Joe and Nate founded Airbnb, they had an air mattress, entrepreneurial passion, and a vision for reinventing travel and hospitality, but no clear idea how to approach VCs or how to craft a pitch deck.

They came across Sequoia’s guide for how to write a business plan and the rest is history . They made a great deck.

But it wasn’t really the slides we liked—it was their ideas, the clarity of their thinking, and the scope of their ambition. We love partnering with founders hell-bent on bringing an idea to life that conventional wisdom deems impossible. And we love to partner early— when an idea is newly formed and has the maximal room to grow.

You can find our guide to pitching below (with a few refinements from years of use).

Company purpose Start here: define your company in a single declarative sentence. This is harder than it looks. It’s easy to get caught up listing features instead of communicating your mission.

Problem Describe the pain of your customer. How is this addressed today and what are the shortcomings to current solutions.

Solution Explain your eureka moment. Why is your value prop unique and compelling? Why will it endure? And where does it go from here?

Why now? The best companies almost always have a clear why now? Nature hates a vacuum—so why hasn’t your solution been built before now?

Market potential Identify your customer and your market. Some of the best companies invent their own markets.

Competition / alternatives Who are your direct and indirect competitors. Show that you have a plan to win.

Business model How do you intend to thrive?

Team Tell the story of your founders and key team members.

Financials If you have any, please include.

Vision If all goes well, what will you have built in five years?

Home Blog Business How To Craft & Deliver an Effective Business Plan Presentation (Quick Guide)

How To Craft & Deliver an Effective Business Plan Presentation (Quick Guide)

A vital element in today’s highly competitive business landscape is the ability to craft and deliver a business plan presentation. This applies to both entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. 

This guide describes essential aspects required to build a business plan presentation and deliver it to stakeholders. 

Table of Contents

What is a Business Plan Presentation?

Is a business plan presentation the same as a business presentation, executive summary, justification of the business proposal, swot analysis, the niche of the proposal & actors in the industry, competitors, competitive intensity, trend analysis and critical variables, value chain, market analysis, jobs-to-be-done, value proposition, revenue streams, cost structure, distribution channels, key partnerships for the business model, organizational structure & management, go to market and marketing plan, development plan, qa, and continuous improvement model, distribution plan, inventory management, initial funding and financing structure, projection of income and costs.

• Evaluation of Projected Return vs. Required

Risk Evaluation

Sensitivity to critical variables, how to present bibliographical information in a business plan presentation, how to deliver a business plan presentation.

A business plan presentation is the medium we use to communicate a business plan to an audience. 

Presenters commonly ask what is the target length of a business plan presentation in terms of slides. Our expertise in this field tells us it’s advisable to work between 13-20 slides, remaining as concise as possible and using the help of visual aids. Let the graphics speak rather than fill your slides with text blocks.

No. A business plan presentation is used to communicate an identified business opportunity and how it is planned to be served in a way that generates profit. A business presentation is a more generic term, explained in our article about business presentation examples . 

How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

This section will list our recommended content for a successful business plan presentation. We broke it down into four stages which help the presenter build the story backing the business: a-. The opportunity and the competitive landscape analyzed, b- the business model designed and tested to serve the opportunity, c- the implementation plan of the business model, and finally, d- the financial and economic projections estimated that show the profitability of the opportunity.

For the purpose of this guide, the slides will refer to a case study of photo editing software. To replicate this slide deck creation process, you can speed up design decisions by working with the SlideModel AI Presentation Maker and tailoring it to your project.

So, how to make a business plan presentation? Let’s see a step by step guide.

Stage 1 – Identifying the Opportunity

After the title slide that defines how to start a presentation , any business plan should proceed by introducing the executive summary in a concise but impactful format.

The purpose of the executive summary is to inform the audience what to expect from the presentation and its conclusion.

Work with a maximum of two slides for this section, highlighting the key elements through visual cues. Check our guide on how to present an executive summary .

The next slide should disclose all the reasoning behind the business plan proposal, why this plan is being presented at this present moment, and projections of how the plan aligns with the current market trends.

Presenters can share the analysis done by the Market research team as long as it’s made clear which problem is relevant to the current market trends that this business plan aims to solve.

Mention all the references used to arrive at the conclusions expressed so data is backed with meaningful sources.

Any corporate PPT template can help you craft this slide, but presenters can also boost their performance through the use of infographics . If your solution for the selected problem involves a complex process, consider using a process flow template to expose the step-by-step justification of this proposal.

Use a SWOT template to showcase the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of this business opportunity.

Make sure the SWOT diagram is legible. Work your way to meet the same aesthetic style despite speeding up the process with templates. Mention the tools used for gathering the information for this SWOT Analysis in the footnote and ensure the audience understands which information elements help you reach conclusions in each quadrant. Check our guide on how to create a SWOT analysis and see if your business plan requires a SWOT or SOAR analysis . 

Every business plan is scoped under a niche or industry sector. With this slide, describe the sector in which the proposal is immersed. Communicate its value,  list the actors involved, and describe their high-level relationships.

List the analyzed competitors. Communicate their attributes. The competitors’ comparison in business plan presentation can be visually explained using tools from the Blue Ocean Strategy framework, like the Strategy Canvas . 

The competitive intensity of an industry sector is studied through the Porter’s 5 Forces model. This intensity expresses how attractive the industry is. Explain the conclusion in each force showcasing the model.

First, introduce the variables identified as important for the industry sector, citing the insight’s source. Secondly, drill down each variable and break down the different trend dimensions ( PESTEL ) 

• Use a highly visual slide, like a dashboard template , to introduce factual data regarding the trends over a specific time period. Growth rates must be represented in time frames of over 180 days to evaluate the trend accurately.
• List the critical variables (consumers, product, production capability, and financing) briefly.
• Disclose how each variable can affect pricing and your position within the niche for that trend. Presenters can refer to case studies from successful competitor stories on how they responded to trend changes in the niche.

When presenting the value chain, we ought to articulate the sequence of activities the company handles to create value within the business plan. Start by breaking down the value chain into its key components, briefly explaining the stages from inbound logistics all the way through customer service. It is important to highlight the linking point between each stage and express the value of coordinating team activities to enhance overall efficiency.

We can use flowchart diagram templates as visual aids for the audience so they can understand the process sequence. Check our guide on how to make a flowchart .

Present the identified Market and its Segments. Continue explaining how conclusions were driven through the analysis and sizing of the market.

Presenters can use target market analysis templates , market segmentation templates , or TAM SAM SOM templates to compare their target market with the total available market. 

We recommend you check our guide on market segmentation for this process.

Then drill down with a Persona definition.

This study can be made by creating ideal customers, describing their demographics and psychological factors that make them prospective candidates to purchase the product or service this business plan presentation refers to.

Here is our guide on creating buyer personas . 

The Jobs-to-be-Done theory explains why certain customers are attracted to products and services and how those elements solve core problems in the consumers’ lives. 

A Perceptual Map is a tool we can use to measure the consumer perception of different products/services in the same market. This can be particularly useful if our value proposal is to brand ourselves as cheaper alternatives to already existing solutions. Check our guide on perceptual maps for further information.

Check our guide on the Jobs-to-be-Done framework and add suggestions to the business plan presentation.

Stage 2 – Business Model

To describe the  Business Model in your Business Plan Presentation, use the business model canvas analysis tool. Display your design in one slide.

For specific sections of the BMC, you can add slides if you need to drill down for further details. In our experience, the following sections require a deeper level of explanation.

List the Segments targeted in your Business Model. You can include a slide with additional information and segment size. Reference the Market analysis explained earlier to justify the selection or which were the pivots applied.

In order to explain the reasoning behind the Value Proposition and how it serves the segments selected, you can use the Value Proposition Canvas tool to explain the logic behind this selection.

The Value Proposition outlines the unique benefit our product or service offers the market and why customers should choose our offer over potential alternatives. Since we have already analyzed the potential buyers and presented the market, it’s time to deliver that value proposition using our best assets: customer testimonials, report data, surveys, etc.

As testimonials often weigh the most in established brands, be sure to present this information through a narrative that showcases why your product or service had a positive impact on the life of that customer. You can use customer testimonial templates to give an extra boost through visual aids.

Explaining how much the customers will pay for the product/services is critical to understanding the viability and profitability of the business. Showcase for each segment the pricing model and the engagement terms.

The Income Model expresses the sources of revenue for our business plan. This has to be in relationship with the pricing strategy for established businesses. Lean startups can work concerning their minimum viable product (MVP) and then elaborate with projections for future releases or changes in their income stream structure.

At this point, companies need to present the sources of revenue depending on their origin:

• Product Sales
• Subscription Model
• Freemium Model
• Partnerships with other brands in different niches
• Advertising and Sponsorships
• Monetization

Check our guide on pricing strategy models for more information about how to present this point. You can use revenue stream templates to represent this data in style.

Drill down the cost structure categories and relate them to the Value Chain explained earlier. Show a cost breakdown chart to make it easier for the audience to understand their weight in the total costs.

As this step can be a bit complex to articulate, we recommend you check our guide on Cost Structure to see how you can resume all that information in one slide.

At the business model stage, distribution channels should be briefly introduced since they will be mentioned again in the Distribution Plan . In some industries, it is important to highlight which channels are chosen over others for the sake of revenue and faster operation.

Our Distribution Channels PowerPoint Template is a perfect resource for this.

Presenting the strategic partnerships for the business plan is a way to prove the plan’s potential reach and success factor. On this behalf, companies must list which resources they are sharing with their business partners regarding expertise, technology, distribution channels, or capital, as these elements will impact the cost structure.

You can use the Business Partnership PowerPoint Template to present this information in a professional-looking format.

Stage 3 – Implementation

The business plan is designed to offer a product, deliver a service, or combine both. At this stage, the business plan presentation drills down on how the organization will build/deliver the product/service implementing the business model outlined earlier.  

Describe how the company operates regarding human capital and its roles. Presenters must describe to the audience the hierarchical structure, responsibilities, and how they play a role within the value chain.

You can use Org Charts to represent the roles and responsibilities in the organization visually. It is also advisable to highlight the expertise and experience of the management team, as it helps to build trust.

The Human Resource Plan must refer to your planned recruitment, training, and employee onboarding. Which talent will be required, and how is it planned to build the different teams of the structure.

Check the Go To Market Strategy guide and describe how the Business Plan will enter the market and overcome the initial barriers. Continue with the Marketing Plan limited to 1-2 slides resuming the plan’s tactics to increase brand awareness and the selected channels for this strategy. 

You can use the Marketing Plan Templates help to speed up the process by focusing on the content to fill rather than the design or creating complex charts from scratch.

Present the sales plan describing the full sales process, lead generation, nurturing customers, and conversion strategies.

Use Sales PowerPoint Templates to visually illustrate your sales process, like the Sales Pipeline Slide Template for PowerPoint , which depicts the process from lead acquisition to a closed deal.

Check our guide on Sales Plan for further information on this topic.

This step refers to presenting the product/service development plan, the Quality Assurance processes behind its validation, and your company’s commitment to a continuous improvement process based on surveyed data or customer feedback.

We can refer to testimonials, user case experiences our team successfully troubleshot, or experiences we learned from competitors in the same niche.

Presenting the distribution plan involves addressing logistics topics, supply chain , and sharing fulfillment strategies. Although we already presented the potential distribution channels, this is the step in which you detail how each will interact and their impact on the estimated revenue. 

Present one slide mentioning your company’s approach to these channels, if applicable:

• Direct Sales (either physical store or e-commerce)
• Retail Partnerships
• Wholesalers or Distributors
• E-Commerce marketplaces

This step involves two different approaches depending on the kind of industry we’re in. For traditional business, inventory management in a business plan presentation must highlight how the inventory will be handled to minimize transportation costs or overproduction. Projections must be shown per quarterly period and take into account seasonality if it has a significant impact on the required storage capacity.

On the other hand, e-commerce companies have to present their online infrastructure to secure the product’s availability 24/7, how customer tickets are handled when the customer cannot access the product, server costs, and how we prevent online leaks.

Stage 4 – ROI and Risk Evaluation

This section will outline the Financial Plan of your Business.

Showcase the financial structure, including equity, debt, and potential investors, at the moment of kick-starting this business. It is a good practice to consider the initial funding slide to be a brief summary of those points, with particular emphasis on the funding needs.

Cash Flow Diagrams , Comparison Chart templates , and Timeline templates to showcase when funds help to meet each of the plan’s milestones are good ideas to represent the elements on this slide.

Income and expense projections must be presented over a defined time period by using graphs or charts to clearly visualize the trends supporting each change.

Break down the revenue sources with clear, identifiable icons to showcase: product sales, subscription fees, advertisement, affiliates, etc. Sales estimations have to be realistic and conservative, as they will be contrasted with the production, marketing, administrative, and personnel costs to leave a gross profit margin calculation. 

Evaluation of Projected Return vs. Required 

Demonstrate the feasibility of your business plan. Start by presenting the profit margins in relation to the projection of income and expenses, then introduce the break-even analysis .

Presenters can make their message more relevant by presenting an ROI calculation and contrasting it with industry benchmarks in the same niche. By following this approach, presenters prove how the ROI offered by this business plan aligns with the investment’s risk projection.

Presenting a risk evaluation analysis in a business plan presentation involves introducing both risks and their mitigation strategies. 

Risk Management templates , like the ROAM framework, can help organize potential risk sources by their severity and impact on the organization. A pyramid diagram can be used to demonstrate how risk management can be delegated across the organization to completely eradicate the risk factor depending on its severity. 

The elements you should consider presenting are mainly regulatory changes, market changes, competitors (new or existing), and financial crises. 

The final point in our business plan presentation involves summarizing how key variables can influence the projected returns in our plan. Examples of these variables can be sudden increases in raw materials (affecting production costs and sales prices), a new pandemic (affecting workforce capacity and shortage of raw materials), geopolitical situations like war, etc.

We highly recommend presenting these critical variables using scenario analysis techniques according to measured data. Introduce best-case, worst-case, and most likely-case to give a full panorama of how your organization is prepared against any contingency.

An often overlooked point in a business plan presentation comes when listing the bibliographical information used to craft the business plan. Follow these steps to ensure a professional outcome for this slide or document.

• Use a title like: “Bibliography,” “Source Credits,” or “References.” If your business plan presentation cites examples from other companies, use a “Works Cited” section.
• References are usually shown in the APA style, but the MLE or Chicago style can be requested depending on your location or situation.
• Maintain a consistent style in terms of reference style used, font, text size, and formatting options across the entire slide deck. Footnotes or in-text citations can be used for important data.
• Verbally acknowledge your sources when required throughout the course of your presentation. This helps to establish credibility and respect for other people’s work rather than just dropping a slide with chunks of text.

This section will cover the most commonly asked questions on delivering a business plan presentation.

How many slides should my business plan presentation list?

This will depend entirely on your niche and the complexity of the business plan. Generally, work with at least 15 slides and no more than 30. It is best to use an extra slide rather than overcrowd an existing slide with tons of information.

What is the best format to present a business plan?

There are different options to present any business plan, so the selected option will mostly consist of the presenter’s preferred style and the audience’s age and interests.

• PowerPoint Presentation : You can start from a blank slide and go all the way through a professionally designed PPT template . PowerPoint documents allow you to present images, text, audio, videos, and any kind of graphic to help you convey the core ideas behind the business plan. They can work with any PC or Mac device, as well as mobile devices.
• PDF Documents: This can be a choice made in a hurry or by preference. Sharing a PDF document can work, but you must include the fonts used in the original document, as some compatibility issues can be present. 
• Pitch Deck : Rather than doing a lengthy business plan presentation, a pitch deck consists of a maximum of 15 slides to deliver your proposal concisely. This is the typical approach we can see in TV shows like Shark Tank. 
• Video Presentation : In some cases, using a video in a business plan presentation is relevant, especially if we are to introduce an innovative product in the market. You can use videos to showcase features, present services in a live format, introduce your team, and plenty of other options.

Are printables required in business plan presentations?

Although they are not required, using supplementary material in business plan presentations can be useful. You can prepare reference material for investors, especially involving complex data like graphs in an amplified format (and reference the slide in which they appear and vice versa).

Providing a printable to accompany your business plan presentation helps to give an image of professionalism and respect to your proposal.

What are the don’ts of writing a business plan?

The main purpose of this article is to craft and deliver a business plan presentation. Still, we would like to clarify some common errors seen in business plans that typically affect the performance of the presentation.

• Using overcomplicated language : Jargon or unnecessary acronyms may confuse spectators who are not in touch with all the details relevant to a particular industry. 
• Ignoring the audience : Not considering the variety of interests among investors, partners, and team members can hinder your presentation.
• Neglecting/underestimating competitors : Any realistic business plan considers the existing competitors in their niche and perhaps potential newcomers. Not doing so will leave you unprepared to present a doable business plan.
• Ignoring Risk Assessment : Omitting the Risk Assessment analysis and mitigation strategies does not respect the value investors and your team have. 

How long should the business plan presentation be?

As a general guideline, try to fit your business plan presentation between 20-30 minutes. Some complex plans may require additional time to be presented.

Does the presentation need to be tailored to different audiences? 

Using this tactic can be a winning factor for both investors and your team, as you prioritize effective communication for the roles they are relevant. Take these items into consideration for tailoring the presentation for specific needs.

In-Company Presentation

The focus should be on goal accomplishment and the strategies targeted to the team’s roles. Emphasize how teamwork is the pathway to success and how each individual contributes to the bigger picture.

If new technologies or knowledge are required as part of the business plan implementation, then this is the moment to disclose that information and inform the process to coach the team into it.

Board Meeting

Whenever delivering the business plan presentation to a board of directors, focus on the strategic goals, financial projections, and KPIs. 

Showcase how this business plan aligns with the company’s core values, mission, vision, and long-term strategy. 

Potential Investors

Presenting your unique value proposition, potential ROI, and highlighting the market opportunity is extremely important. Focus on selling your business model and vision with accurate financial projections and growth strategy. 

Dedicate some minutes to present your industry’s competitive landscape and answer why your product or service is a better offering than what competitors produce.

As we can see, creating a business plan presentation is a process that can be time-consuming if we lack the required business plan presentation tools to turn data into visually appealing formats. 

Remember to work concisely without losing the big picture of what you intend to explain. Your presentation is the entry point into the heart of your business; therefore, by adopting a structured approach, you can deliver an experience that engages, inspires, and builds confidence. 

Finally, let’s see some business plan PowerPoint presentation examples & business plan templates that you can use to speed up the presentation design process and save time.

1. Coffee Shop Illustration Business Plan Slides

Create your new business plan presentation with quality vector illustrations for Coffee Shops. Ideal for cafeterias, coffee bars, barista giftshop stores, bookshops and more.

Use This Template

2. Real Estate Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Realtors looking to start their own agencies should take a look at this attractive selection of slides with tailored real estate vector illustrations. These presentation plan slides show the different stages that a prospective buyer may incur, from hiring the services of a Real Estate agent, checking different properties, to finally buying a home.  Graphs and charts are included in vivid colors that are fully editable to meet the required branding.

3. Restaurant Business Model PowerPoint Template

As we’ve seen with the previous cases, these vector images depicting typical restaurant activities can help us build a business plan presentation sample to discuss with our team prior to an important meeting. Save time and money by introducing these professional designs into your presentation.

4. One Pager Business Plan PowerPoint

To briefly summarize the objectives of your business plan, work in-team with this one-pager business plan slide. Ideal to take notes, give a general picture of the current status of the business plan and key growth opportunities.

5. Business Plan PowerPoint Templates

If you want to create the best business plan presentation, this slide deck can make that task 100% easier. Containing all the elements described in this guide, introduce your data and prepare to deliver a powerful speech.

6. Flat Bold Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Another slide deck intended for those looking at how to make a business plan presentation that delivers a memorable experience. With a minimalistic design approach, it perfectly balances formal elements and impactful visual cues to help increase your audience’s retention rate.

7. Car Sharing Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Create the next Uber-like car-sharing service with the help of these carpooling vector illustrations perfectly arranged in a cohesive business plan slide deck. Presenters can explain the ins and outs of their business model with highly detailed graphics that grab the attention of potential investors. Check it out now!

8. Beauty Salon Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Business plan presentations don’t have to look formal or boring. This slide deck is geared towards beauty salon businesses, especially for those targeted to women. Chic design, bold color scheme, and extremely useful tools like a pricing list to present an idea like a subscription-based model where consumers see the total value of their investment.

9. CrossFit Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Finally, we list an option filled with tools and gym vector illustrations for those looking to start a gym business or CrossFit academy. These illustrations were crafted with care to express the core idea on every single slide, such as human-shaped graphs to present relevant KPIs.

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Business Planning, Business Presentations Filed under Business

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How to Build a Startup Pitch Deck That Gets Your Business Funded (With Pitch Deck Examples)

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Raising venture capital funding gives your company the financial backbone to develop your product and grow your team. But with angel investors and venture capitalists meeting with eager entrepreneurs each week, distinguishing your startup from the crowd is challenging.

This is particularly the case with a current VC pullback that began in 2022—venture capital deals are less frequent at the seed and series A/B stage, and only the best companies will receive funding. Firms are also likely to reserve their capital to support existing portfolio companies.

A great startup pitch deck could catapult you toward realizing your product roadmap and fulfilling your company mission. A mediocre one could shut your startup’s doors before they open. This article will explore the defining aspects of successful startup pitch decks, highlighting examples from actual companies that can serve as your pitch deck template.

What is a startup pitch deck?

A startup pitch deck is a presentation that founders use to communicate their business plan and vision to potential investors. Typically delivered as a brief presentation, it outlines your company’s value proposition, market opportunities, business model, technology, team, financial projections, and more.

The primary goal of the startup pitch deck is to convince investors that your startup has the potential for high returns, persuading them to provide funding. Crafting a pitch deck can also help founders crystalize the direction of their business by encouraging a deep, critical exploration of key factors like market dynamics, competitive landscape, and revenue strategies.

Prominent venture capitalist, Benedict Evans describes investor pitch decks like this: “A pitch deck is not a silly hoop that VCs make you jump through. It’s a tool that lets an entrepreneur control how they tell the story. It guarantees you say everything that you want in the way you want to say it.”

12 must-have presentation slides for your startup pitch deck

While each startup offers a unique proposition, investors’ expectations for your pitch deck are grounded in a well-established format. It’s crucial to balance your company’s distinct identity with the necessity to include specific slides, demonstrating creativity within the confines of this established template in startup fundraising.

1. Cover slide

The cover slide is the opening act of your startup pitch deck. It’s meant to captivate your audience—potential investors—in the first few seconds, providing a snapshot of your business idea and generating curiosity for the following slides.

To make your cover slide successful, consider these key points:

• Make it memorable . Use a simple, straightforward, compelling tagline that embodies your value proposition and quickly communicates who you are and what you do.
• Design is key . Aesthetics matter. Your cover slide should look professional and well-crafted. Use your brand colors, logo, and a clean layout.
• Keep it simple . This is not the time to detail every aspect of your business plan. Stick to the basics—your startup’s name, logo, and a concise slogan or summary.

2. Summary slide

This slide serves as an executive summary of your entire presentation. It outlines your company’s primary components—what your startup does, why it’s unique, and how it plans to succeed in its target market.

Justin Kan, the co-founder of Twitch and a prolific investor, suggests that founders pitch a big vision: “Investors want to invest in the next Facebook. They want to invest in the next 100x. They want to invest in a company that will take over the world. So pitch the biggest vision that you actually believe in.” Your summary slide is the place to introduce this vision.

Here are three essential tips to make your summary slide stand out:

• Focus on clarity . Use concise and clear language to communicate your startup’s mission and vision. Avoid overly technical jargon that could confuse your audience.
• Highlight key differentiators . This is the slide to communicate what sets your startup apart. Touch on your unique value proposition, target audience, and competitive advantage.
• Make it engaging . While the summary slide is informational, it should still be compelling. Before pitching investors, test your messaging on friends, family, and fellow entrepreneurs.

In your startup pitch deck, the problem slide is where you identify and describe the critical issue or pain point your product or service intends to address. By pinpointing a problem that needs solving, you highlight the market need for your startup and set the stage for the solution your business offers.

Here are three tips to make your problem slide impactful:

• Be specific . Clearly define the problem in a way that resonates with your audience. Use concrete data or examples where possible to demonstrate its significance.
• Illustrate the problem’s magnitude . Most investors aren’t interested in funding solutions to small problems. Showcase statistics or real-life examples that demonstrate the large scale of the problem.
• Show understanding . Illustrate your deep understanding of the issue, showing investors you’ve thoroughly researched and engaged with your target market’s needs.

4. Solution

Following the problem slide, the solution slide is where you present your startup’s unique answer to the previously identified problem. It’s here where you explain your product or service in detail, demonstrating how it effectively addresses the identified pain points and meets the needs of your target market.

To create a compelling solution slide, consider the following tips:

• Stay focused . Avoid going into the weeds with too many details about your product or service—that’s what the “Product” slide is for. Keep the focus on how your solution addresses the problem at hand.
• Call out a competitor . This slide is a good place to briefly position yourself against a competitor, pointing to the deficiencies of existing competitors compared to your solution.
• Use visuals . Use diagrams, images, or prototypes to help investors better understand your solution.

The “why now” slide illustrates why the current moment is the perfect time for your startup to enter the market. It’s your opportunity to argue that emerging trends, shifts, or events create a unique window for your startup’s success, giving potential investors a sense of urgency and opportunity. This slide helps convince investors that your business is not just a great idea but a great idea whose time has come.

Consider the following tips for a successful why now slide:

• Discuss your company’s “iPhone moment.” The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 was market-disrupting and led to innovation in the smartphone and mobile app space. Think of and describe what your company’s version of this is.
• Use data and supporting facts . Back your claims with hard data or current market trends. This could include technological, policy, consumer behavior, or market dynamics changes.
• Be persuasive . Use compelling language to paint a vivid picture of the opportunity at hand. Potential investors need to feel the same urgency and excitement that you do.

6. Market potential and size

The market potential and size slide demonstrate the economic opportunity your startup is poised to capture. This slide helps potential investors understand the size and growth potential of your target market, giving them a clear sense of the scalability of your business idea. It reassures investors that there’s a significant opportunity for a return on their investment, making your startup a more attractive proposition.

Here are three tips for creating an effective market potential and size slide:

• Provide solid data . Use reliable sources to quantify the market size. Present both the Total Available Market (TAM) and the Serviceable Available Market (SAM) to give a realistic estimate of your market potential.
• Visualize the data . Large numbers can be abstract and hard to grasp. Use clear, visually engaging graphs or charts to make the data more understandable and impactful.
• Show growth trends . If your market is growing, highlight this. Investors are interested in more than just the market’s current size but also its potential for growth in the future.

The product slide within your startup pitch deck showcases your product or service. It’s where you give potential investors a deeper understanding of what you’re offering, its features, its operation, and its unique selling points. The goal is to convincingly demonstrate how your product or service solves the identified problem.

Here are three tips for creating a compelling product slide:

• Show, don’t just tell . Include visuals of your product or service in action. Screenshots, diagrams, or short videos can make your product more tangible and relatable.
• Focus on benefits, not just features . While it’s essential to list key features, it’s even more crucial to highlight how these features translate into benefits for your customers.
• Demonstrate uniqueness . Make what sets your product apart from existing solutions clear, effectively communicating your unique selling proposition.

8. Competition

The competition slide serves a dual purpose in your startup pitch deck, demonstrating your knowledge of the current market landscape and highlighting your startup’s competitive advantage. This slide showcases your understanding of how your startup fits within the broader industry and how it distinguishes itself from others.

To make your competition slide successful, follow these tips:

• Use a competitive matrix . Leo Polovets, a General Partner at SusaVentures, suggests that founders “use a four-quadrant matrix where each of the two axes are dimensions that are key to winning in your market.”
• Be honest and thorough . Investors will likely do their own market research, so be upfront about who your competitors are. “We have no competitors” is generally not an acceptable agreement, and omitting key players can harm your credibility.
• Highlight your unique value proposition . Clearly outline how your product or service differs from and outperforms the competition. This could be regarding technology, business model, target audience, or other differentiating factors.

9. Business model

In your startup pitch deck, the business model slide details how your startup intends to make money. You describe your revenue streams, cost structure, pricing strategy, and critical partnerships here. Essentially, it’s the section where you prove to potential investors that your startup is a great financial investment and a sustainable business.

To make your Business Model slide compelling, consider these tips:

• Be clear and concise . Your startup business model should be easy to understand. A simple, straightforward explanation is most effective.
• Use realistic projections . While you want to show potential for growth, make sure your projections are realistic and grounded in solid assumptions.
• Explain your choices . Don’t just list your revenue streams and cost structure; explain why you chose them (e.g., one-time fee vs subscription model).

10. Traction

The traction slide demonstrates your startup’s progress. It provides proof of concept and market acceptance and shows that the business is gaining momentum. Traction can be reflected in various ways, such as sales, user engagement, partnerships, or press coverage.

To make the most of your traction slide, keep these tips in mind:

• Use concrete metrics . Back your claims with hard numbers. Whether it’s revenue, user count, or growth rate, concrete metrics are more convincing than vague assertions.
• Highlight significant achievements . Include these on the slide if you’ve hit major milestones, secured key partnerships, or received significant press coverage.
• Show a positive trend . Investors want to see growth. Graphs or charts that show a positive trend over time can be very impactful.

The ask slide of your startup pitch deck is where you directly express what you’re seeking from potential investors. This is where you state how much funding you want to raise and what you plan to do with it. It’s a clear call to action that invites potential investors to become part of your venture.

To make a successful ask slide, consider these tips:

• Be specific . Clearly state how much funding you seek and provide a high-level breakdown of its use. This transparency can give investors confidence in your planning and financial management.
• Justify your valuation . Your ask should align with the value you’re providing. Ensure you have sound reasoning behind your valuation, whether based on market comparables, projected revenues, or other metrics. However, including a valuation is generally not necessary at the seed stage.
• Indicate potential returns . While it’s not a guarantee, showing potential investors what they could gain from their investment can make your proposition more attractive. Be cautious, however, to not overpromise or speculate too aggressively.

Investors bet on teams, not just ideas. A strong team slide can help assure them that your startup is in capable hands. This slide is an opportunity to highlight the skills, experience, and dedication of your founding team and key employees.

Hunter Walker, a Partner at Homebrew, suggests that founders avoid team bios that feel deceptive: “At best, you’re going to get the investors you deserve (bad ones who care mostly about status), and at worst, you’re going signal lack of self-confidence, when we should be building mutual understanding and trust.”

Here are three tips for crafting an effective Team slide:

• Highlight relevant experience and skills . Showcase the experience, skills, or accomplishments directly related to your startup and its industry. This can include past successful startups, industry expertise, or specialized technical skills.
• Showcase your core team . Focus on the individuals who play a pivotal role in your startup. This often includes co-founders, C-level executives, and other key personnel.
• Demonstrate team cohesion . If possible, illustrate how your team works together effectively. Long-standing professional relationships or past collaborations can show potential investors that your team is cohesive and efficient.

Seed pitch deck examples

The seed stage pitch deck is the bedrock of your funding journey, focused on vision and potential. It should compellingly articulate your business idea, the problem you’re solving, and why your team is the one to do it. This section explores successful seed pitch deck examples, where early proof of concept and market validation still form the narrative’s crux.

Airbnb , founded by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk in 2008, was conceived as a platform to connect hosts and travelers worldwide. The Airbnb pitch deck originally pitched the company as AirBed&Breakfast. The company’s model resulted in a seed round of $600K, paving the path to them becoming a household name.

→ See Airbnb’s pitch deck

DocSend , a document management and tracking solution, was conceived by Russ Heddleston, Tony Cassanego, and Dave Koslow in 2013. Their vision was to simplify and secure the process of sharing business-critical documents—their great pitch deck describes the product as “Snapchat for documents!” The potential of their idea led to a seed round of $1.7M . They went on to be acquired by Dropbox for $165 million.

→ See Docsend’s pitch deck

3. Intercom

Intercom , co-founded by Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee, and David Barrett in 2011, was initially pitched to investors as a CRM tool and messaging platform for web businesses. Their pitch attracted a $1M seed investment. Their pitch deck emphasizes how their platform supports customer growth and engagement, describing it as a “simple install like Google Analytics”

→ See Intercom’s pitch deck

4. Coinbase

In 2012, Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam co-founded Coinbase to create a secure and accessible platform for trading cryptocurrencies. As one of the early entrants in the crypto market, Coinbase raised $600K, initially presenting its pitch deck at YCombinaotor Demo Day.

→ See Coinbase’s pitch deck

Canva, founded in Australia by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams in 2012, set out to revolutionize graphic design by making it accessible to everyone. Their platform attracted significant attention, leading to a seed funding round of $1.6M.

→ See Canva’s pitch deck

Series A pitch deck examples

By the Series A stage, the emphasis of your pitch deck shifts from potential to proof. This means showing traction, product-market fit, and a clear path to revenue. This section delves into successful pitch decks from companies raising their Series A.

Front, co-founded by Mathilde Collin and Laurent Perrin in 2014, sought to streamline email management with a shared inbox for teams. Selling investors on their track record for improving workplace collaboration, Front’s Series A raised $10M.

→ See Front’s pitch deck

Equals , co-founded by Bobby Pinero and Ben McRedmond in 2021, aims to modernize spreadsheets for better data analysis. In its pitch deck, the company notes its Series A will accelerate its go-to-market strategy and increase its research and development. The company raised $16M in a Series A round.

“Hone in on the ‘hero’ data points that drive the overall narrative of your startup,” says Pinero, advising fellow founders on pitching investors. “Make sure that every chart is digestible at a glance with a single takeaway that reinforces the story.”

→ See Equals’ pitch deck

8. Carta (eShares)

Carta , co-founded by Henry Ward and Manu Kumar in 2012 as eShares, provides a platform for companies to manage equity and ownership. The company memorably described itself on its pitch deck as ”capturing the next generation of IPOS.” Their company attracted a Series A investment of $7M for further platform development.

→ See Carta’s pitch deck

9. Crossbeam

Crossbeam , a collaborative data platform Robert Moore and Buck Ryan co-founded in 2018, streamlines partnerships and integrations. Their “Why now” slide outlines their timing is ideal due to the rise of APIs and the rise of enterprise SaaS adoption and more factors. They secured $12.5M in Series A funding from FirstMark Capital, Salesforce Ventures, and HubSpot Ventures.

→ See Crossbeam’s pitch deck

MURAL , a digital workspace for visual collaboration, was co-founded by Mariano Suarez-Battan, Patricio Jutard, and Agustin Soler in 2011. The problem slide in their presentation slide deck outlines current problems with team collaboration, setting them up to explain the product’s benefits. They raised $23M in Series A funding to develop their solution for remote work.

→ See MURAL’s pitch deck

Series B pitch deck examples

Series B pitch decks move beyond proving the concept to displaying a strategy for substantial expansion. In this pitch deck example, they emphasize robust revenue streams, expanding market share, and the route to profitability. This section analyzes Series B startup pitch deck examples, illustrating strategic growth and development plans to attract more significant investment.

11. LinkedIn

LinkedIn was co-founded by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant in 2003 as a professional networking platform. The company raised $20M in its Series B round and was eventually acquired by Microsoft for $26.2B.

“Take competition against your potential revenue streams seriously,” says Hoffman in a breakdown of their LinkedIn pitch deck to help founders. “Being detailed about your competition, especially listing the specific companies, helps increase investor confidence.”

→ See LinkedIn’s pitch deck

12. Mixpanel

Mixpanel , co-founded by Suhail Doshi and Tim Trefren in 2009, is an advanced analytics platform to help businesses track user interactions with web and mobile applications. Their presentation can be a robust pitch deck template for founders—their business attracted a $10.25M Series B investment.

→ See Mixpanel’s pitch deck

Brex , a fintech company offering business credit card solutions, was co-founded by Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi in 2017. Their pitch deck outlined their continued growth potential and how they planned to retain existing users—Brex’s Series B round with a $57M investment.

→ See Brex’s pitch deck

14. Secureframe

Secureframe , co-founded by Shrav Mehta and Natasja Nielsen in 2020, aims to simplify business compliance. They used their own pitch deck presentation to demonstrate their progress since their inception, citing over 80 employees and over 100 integrations—their mission to make security and compliance accessible led to a $56M Series B round.

→ See Secureframe’s pitch deck

Stytch , an all-in-one platform for modern authentication, was co-founded by Reed McGinley-Stempel and Julianna Lamb in 2019. Their investor pitch deck outlined their vision for the future of authentication, outlining the current password problems. They raised a $90M Series B at a $1B valuation.

→ See Stytch’s pitch deck

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Blog Graphic Design 15 Business Pitch Deck Templates to Win New Clients and Investors

15 Business Pitch Deck Templates to Win New Clients and Investors

Written by: Sara McGuire Nov 29, 2023

Need funding for your business? Want to explain ideas to potential clients? Looking to seal the deal with new partners?

You need to convince the right people to get behind your idea and creating an impactful pitch deck is a great way to impress your audience–quickly.

Not a designer? Use a pitch deck template to build a persuasive, engaging presentation that hits all the key elements of your business in a short time.

In this post, we’ll look at pitch deck templates that are sure to make an impression, including templates based on famous pitch decks by Airbnb and Uber.

Click to jump ahead:

• Business pitch deck templates
• Investor pitch deck templates
• Startup pitch deck templates
• Successful pitch deck examples
• Pitch deck design best practices
• Business pitch decks FAQ

1. Business pitch deck templates

A business pitch not only sets the tone for successful presentations but is also valuable beyond the scope of a boss or consultant.

They’re about drumming up new clients, making sales, pitching a partnership or trying to convince new vendors or suppliers to work with you.

In this section, we’re going to look at pitch decks that are not geared towards raising money from investors. That said, any of the templates in this post can be customized for your specific needs.

Client marketing pitch deck template

Marketing, branding or other creative agencies need a pitch deck that’s out of the box.

A subtle way to do that is to pick a creative design motif to use throughout your presentation . Your motif could be something like a recurring shape or a recurring object (like a leaf for growth).

For example, this business pitch deck template uses circles as the main design motif throughout the presentation.

Iconics pitch deck template

This marketing-focused pitch deck template keeps the focus where it should be–on results and numbers. There isn’t too much text, just hard proof.

Further Reading : Our blog post on how to write a business proposal , with templates

2. Investor pitch deck templates

Investor pitch decks are a critical document along with your presentation, they help an investor decide whether to keep considering your business for investment–or take a hard pass.

Make sure your content flows well and don’t fixate on your technology. During pitches, investors will also want to hear about the market, your operating principles, potential outcomes etc. You also need to tell a compelling story about your company.

In sum, a pitch deck needs to be just engaging enough for an investor to take the next step: due diligence , meaning reviewing factors such as your business model and management team.

Investor pitch deck PowerPoint template

This pitch deck format is so popular because it manages to explain Airbnb’s business plan in an incredibly straightforward and simple manner.

We’ve reimagined their famous investor pitch deck format in this template that can be customized and exported to PowerPoint:

Just so you know, all of our templates can be exported in PowerPoint format and presented using PowerPoint using Venngage for Business .

Investor pitch deck outline

Another investor pitch deck outline you can refer to is Guy Kawasaki’s 10-slide outline based on his 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint .

Using this outline will force you to focus only on the most important concepts in your business plan.

It should also help keep investors and VCs engaged during your presentation. For one of the presentation examples in our list, we’ve reimagined Kawasaki’s outline in this clean, crystal clear template you can edit to make your own.

Red investor pitch deck template

This bold investor pitch deck template mixes big, bold fonts and gorgeous photos. It looks at three critical factors: a problem, a market opportunity and a solution.

Blue investor pitch deck template

This investor pitch deck on the other hand uses three different layouts to keep the audience engaged.

Other ways to add variety to your slide include swapping out the background image, or inverting the colors.

You could also use different types of charts–as long as the charts you choose effectively communicate your information.

Minimalist marketing pitch deck template

This simple pitch deck template includes a section on proposed marketing tactics. Since the design elements in this template are universal, it can be adapted for any industry.

Franchise pitch deck template

Here’s a pitch deck template that grabs your audience’s attention and sparks excitement about your business from the very first or second page.

Set the scene by identifying a problem and how your business plans to solve it. Keep it short –tell your story in one slide, like in the example below.

Pick your words carefully–they should be precise and compelling. Use visuals like photos, charts and icons to illustrate the problem and solution and appeal to your audience’s emotions.

For example, this business pitch deck template uses a call to action right off the bat to engage the audience.

Further Reading : Our growth strategy checklist will teach you how to plan your business goals

3. Startup pitch deck templates

A startup pitch deck outlines a business’s key elements, value proposition and growth potential to secure investment and partnerships.

Your pitch deck isn’t the place to go into the nitty-gritty of your business. That’s what due diligence is for–the “audit” of your business post-pitch. BetaKit has a great guide on how to prepare for due diligence.

That being said, if there’s a core process that you think will help sell your business, then you may want to summarize it in your pitch deck.

Startup pitch deck outline

Uber’s startup pitch deck has an outline well worth copying.

With sections such as key differentiators, operating principles, environmental benefits, market composition and future optimizations, you’ll be answering investor and VC questions upfront.

We’ve reimagined the Uber pitch deck format in a new sharp, modern template you can customize yourself.

Purple startup pitch deck template

Showing how your business works can help inspire confidence in your investors. Use a mini-infographic to visualize your process and remember to keep text brief. Take a look at the second and third slide in the business pitch deck template below.

Green startup pitch deck template

Not sure how to lay out your information in an organized way? Try thinking of your layout as two or more columns.

Look at how this business pitch deck template uses two-column and three-column layouts for organized, readable slides.

Yellow startup pitch deck template

Investors will be keen to know who’s on your team, if any of the founders have technical ability, how long you’ve known each other etc.

Photos of your team in your pitch deck will help investors understand your business better. Images appeal to your audience’s emotions and put faces to the numbers.

But pictures can take up a lot of real estate so use them as slide headers and slide backgrounds instead.

Take a look at how this business pitch deck incorporates photos of the team at work.

Further Reading : Learn how to create a business plan that will inspire confidence in potential investors

4. Successful business pitch examples

Analyzing successful pitch decks can offer valuable insights into crafting your own. With all of the tips I’ve given you so far, you probably already have ideas for your own pitch deck design. But in case you still need more inspiration, here are business pitch examples from some big-name companies.

Moz pitch deck

Once called SEOMoz, Moz has since grown to become one if the leading SEO tools. But back when they were still in the stages of needing funding, they used this deck to raise more than $18 million.

This pitch deck is a good example of how you can use fun visual slides to break up the monotony of text slides.

Check out the full business pitch here:

  SEOmoz Pitch Deck July 2011   from  Rand Fishkin

Foursquare pitch deck

This is the first business pitch deck that Foursquare showed to investors. They use a phone motif throughout their slides, which emphasizes the mobility of their product. This is a great example of how visual motifs can help drive home key ideas about your business.

Foursquare’s 1st Pitch Deck   from  Rami Al-Karmi

BuzzFeed pitch deck

BuzzFeed are a highly visual platform and their original pitch deck reflects that. Their presentation uses minimal text, relying instead on visuals to demonstrate their value. Remember the classic saying: show, don’t tell!

Do you think there are any other great business pitch examples worth mentioning? Comment below with your suggestions!

How to create a pitch deck for clients

Crafting a compelling pitch deck for clients can turn a meeting into a successful partnership. Follow these steps to create a pitch deck that showcases your value:

1. Know your audience

Before diving in, research your potential client. Understand their industry, challenges and goals. This will help you tailor your pitch to their specific needs.

2. Structure your narrative

Craft a clear narrative with a problem/solution or opportunity structure by:

• Highlighting a common pain point your client faces and present your product or service as the solution.
• Identifying an opportunity for growth in your client’s business and showcase how your expertise unlocks that potential.

3. Personalise your pitch deck

A generic one-size-fits-all pitch deck can be unconvincing. Here’s how to personalize it for each client and make it truly shine:

• Keep your presentation sweet and simple within 10-12 slides to make it easy for your audiences to digest.
• Use high-quality visuals, charts and icons to break up text and engage the audience.
• Back up your claims with statistics and data relevant to your client’s industry.

4. Clearly explain your marketing strategy

To explain your marketing strategy in a way that resonates, be sure to include:

• Overview : Briefly outline your main goals and objectives.
• Target audience : Describe who your marketing efforts will focus on.
• Channels and tactics : Explain the methods you’ll use to reach your audience.
• Content plan : Summarize the type of content you’ll create and share.
• Differentiation : Highlight what makes your strategy unique.
• Metrics : Share the key indicators you’ll use to track success.
• Budget and timeline : Provide an overview of resources and deadlines.
• Risk management : Address potential challenges and your plan to handle them.
• Conclusion : Recap your strategy and invite questions.

5. Refine and practice

Before your big pitch, run your slides by a colleague to help you spot anything confusing and practice your presentation to make sure you feel confident delivering it.

Business pitch deck design best practices

Creating an effective business pitch deck involves several key design practices to capture attention and convey information clearly. To help you navigate through this process, here are some best practices:

Start with a template slide layout and vary the design

A business pitch deck template can be a lifesaver if you’re new to designing presentations.

The slide layouts , font sizes and image suggestions are all there–all you have to do is insert your own text and customize the design elements like logos , photos,  fonts , icons and  colors .

Keep you pitch deck relatively short

Some experts argue your pitch deck should be as short as 10 slides , while others will recommend somewhere in the 15-20 slide range .

It’s generally considered best practice not to go over 20 slides;  most people probably won’t have the attention span for more.

Dedicate each slide to only one topic

Here’s the #1  presentation design tip  you need to know: don’t try to cram too much information into one slide!

If you were presented with a slide showing a wall of text, would you actually read the whole thing?

Even if you did, you might not get a chance to finish before the presenter moves on.

Pick one focused topic for each slide and stick with it.

For example, dedicate one slide to summarizing the problem your business is aiming to solve. Then, focus one slide on summarizing the solution your business offers.

Remember: you should only include your most compelling information in your pitch deck. You can go into more detail in your speech.

Visualize information using charts, icons and infographics

Want to avoid text? Use visuals to present information.

Visualize data using charts,  infographics  and pictograms  (“picture charts”). Keep the charts relatively simple. A complex chart will be hard for your audience to read and understand while you’re presenting.

Use charts to present key metrics like traction your business has gained, or your profit growth. You can use an infographic to visualize a process or to break down concepts. Our post on picking charts will help you decide what chart is best for what data.

Here’s a business pitch example that uses charts and diagrams to present metrics in an engaging way.

To create engaging diagrams for presentations, try out our diagram maker .

Use icons to reinforce points

Icons can be used as symbols or visual cues to guide your audience’s eyes towards specific points on your slides. That’s why it’s often effective to put an icon beside a header or beside a key metric.

When picking icons for your slides, make sure that the icons have a consistent style throughout the presentation. That means sticking to flat icons, or sticking to line art icons.

Take a look at the icons in this business pitch deck example. They all have the same line art style, which pairs well with the thin decorative header font.

Make bold design choices that show confidence in your pitch

To convince people to hire you, invest in your business or join you as a partner, they need to feel confident that your business will deliver.

A confident pitch deck design is one way to do this. For example, using punchy, concise phrasing using bold fonts will help make an impact on your audience. An intense color scheme will grab your audience’s attention and show you’re not shy about your pitch.

Take this business pitch deck template. It doesn’t mince words and the bold fonts and color scheme convey confidence.

Show your business’s personality in your design

Telling your business’s story means showing what makes your business original and likeable.

What is your brand’s voice? Are you reliable and traditional? Are you innovative and forward-thinking? Are you trustworthy and comforting?

Incorporate your business’s personality into your pitch deck designs. Pick fonts, colors and images that suit your brand’s voice. Think about your target audience: what is most likely to appeal to them?

For example, this pitch deck for a nonprofit that helps children incorporates comforting, childlike design elements like playful fonts and pastel colors.

Use consistent design elements

While this may seem like an obvious point, it’s surprising how often people overlook consistency in their design.

Your business pitch deck should look polished and professional. An important part of that is making sure your header fonts sizes and styles are consistent, the icons and images you use are the same style throughout, and the colors you use are cohesive.

Don’t overburden your slides with text

Look for ways to combine concise, punchy text with visuals. Make sure your text is no smaller than 30 point font.

If you find your slide getting too crowded, break the information up into several slides or look for a way to condense what you’re writing.

Download your pitch deck as a PDF

It’s considered good practice to send your pitch deck to investors before your actual meeting.

Rather than sending your pitch deck to them them via Google Docs or a file sharing services like WeTransfer , reduce the risk of them not opening your pitch deck by sending it to them as a PDF.

With Venngage, you can download your pitch deck in high quality PDF format, as well as in interactive PDF format.

Now you have the tools to create a business pitch deck that will make an impression on investors . It’s time to get started:

Business Pitch Deck FAQ

What is a business pitch deck.

A business pitch deck is a presentation that provides an overview of your business plan to your audience. Typically, you would present a pitch deck to potential investors, business partners, board members and potential clients.

What should be included in a pitch deck?

• A clearly defined problem your business will solve (this could also be your “mission”).
• A clearly defined solution your business will present.
• Metrics that validate your business (your business model and previous successes).
• Who your key team members are and their credentials.

How you tell your business’s unique story is up to you. In fact, while it’s good to look at other pitch decks to get a sense of the format and types of information to include. Our post on the best pitch decks is a good place to start.

That said, your pitch deck design should cater to your niche and target audience .

Identify your business’s unique value proposition and emphasize that in your pitch deck.

How long should a pitch deck be?

You should have no more than 10-20 slides in your business pitch deck. 

Each slide should be purposeful and targeted towards a specific goal in mind. Your investors will not be able to retain too much information in just one meeting. Make sure you strategically explain your business pitch without losing your audience because your focus is off. 

Your goal should be to prompt interest in your business pitch, not to over explain every aspect. You want to win that second meeting.

Having a limited amount of slides will force you to condense your information and concentrate on what is most important in your business pitch deck. 

Here is a general outline of how long your pitch deck should be:

Slide 1: Title to introduce your business.

Slide 2: The problem you are trying to remedy.

Slide 3: Value that you will provide to your customers.

Slide 4: The solution that your product will provide. Use a flow chart template to help. 

Slide 5: Business model where you are identifying your sources of revenue.

Slide 6: Management team that will be responsible for the business. 

Slide 7: Marketing Strategy that you will use to reach your customers.

Slide 8: Key Metrics and Projections for the next 3 years. 

Slide 9: Competition, describe your competitive landscape. 

Slide 10: How you plan on using your funds for your business.

You might also like: 

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• STARTUP FUNDING GUIDE
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• WORKSHOPS & COURSES
• VENTURE CAPITALIST NEAR ME
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• by Stacie Sterren
• What is a Pitch Deck

Whether you’re a first time founder, a hopeful entrepreneur or a serial startup guru, you’ve likely pondered “What is the difference between a pitch deck and a business plan?” Which one came first? Why would you use a pitch deck over a business plan? Or, why would you use a business plan over a pitch deck? Are business plans archaic? Is a pitch deck just a pretty business plan? What works best for your startup? And at what time? Do you even need either one? These are important questions. Especially when your time is limited as you are building and growing your company.

Before we can answer these questions, let’s talk about what a pitch deck and a business plan are.

THE BUSINESS PITCH DECK

A pitch deck is a presentation that contains 10-20 slides. The pitch deck presentation is either sent to investors as a pdf to get them interested in taking a meeting with the entrepreneur, or used as a visual aid during a live presentation to either investors or other audiences like pitch competitions. Sometimes pitch decks are used for both.

A pitch deck is meant to share information about your business. Who does it serve and why, the size of the market, your special sauce and how you will win in that space. It lays out clear go to market strategies, and delves into some detail on future opportunities. It relies on your research of your industry and understanding of your business’ plan for launch and growth. The pitch deck helps an investor see where you are, where you are going and enables them to decide if they want to help you get there. The goal of a pitch deck is to score an in-person meeting or to kick off the conversation with an investor about joining your funding round.

• 10-20 slides
• Highly Visual
• Used to Get Investors Attention

THE BUSINESS PLAN

A business plan is a fully researched 10-100 page document. The document is used to store and convey in detail your business’ plans for the next 1,3, 5 years. The business plan lays out the research you’ve done in your industry and competitors. It discusses your sales, marketing, and operational plans. It takes into account your financial analysis, assumptions on growth and success, and lays out a map of where your company will be and how it will get there.

The business plan goes into detail on the management team and what unique skills they bring to the table. The document usually includes a significant number of charts, depictions and pictures. But it relies heavily on text to convey the information. The business plan is used as a document that is shared with potential investors for them to use as a reference point when deciding whether or not to invest in your company. It is often used in a due diligence step in the funding process. The goal of a business plan is to lead you and your team members down the path of success over the next few years, and to show an investor how you plan to be successful with their investment.

• 10-100 Pages
• Highly Text-Based
• Used to Get Investor Buy-in

Which Came First, the Pitch Deck or the Business Plan?

The business plan is a longstanding document that has been been used in the building and planning and funding of businesses for quite some time. Possibly as long as  businesses  have been a thing. If you can believe that. It is a basic document really, it is the plan for the enterprise which you are setting out on.

To ensure that you are successful, you should carefully plan how you will be successful, and make those decisions based on thorough research. You need to understand your customers and their problems as well as your competitors and their weaknesses. Before the existence of Venture Capital firms and other now widely available forms of equity funding, banks gave out loans to businesses to help them get started. But in order to choose who to give the loans to, they needed to make sure that they would be able to pay those loans back. A business plan was required to convey to the banker the viability of the venture. It has been a staple ever since. Banks still require business plans for loan applications today. Some request or accept pitch decks too, but not usually instead of the business plan.

It is not clear who put together the very first pitch deck, or since exactly when investors have been looking for the pitch deck, but we can deduce a few things from history. Venture Capital firms really started to gain traction as a viable source of funding during or right before the tech boom of the 90’s. They played a big role in bank-rolling the launch and growth of many 90’s startup companies. Back then, it took a lot of capital to set up the infrastructure needed to start a large tech company. Websites needed to be built and coded, infrastructure (like servers, mainframes & networking components). They needed to be purchased and set up and run and maintained.

But, online companies looked nothing like traditional businesses. Like a restaurant or a manufacturer–it was all a little too uncertain and risky for banks to give out loans. So, venture capitalists and angel investors filled the void. They offered funding in exchange for equity.

The Beginning of the Business Pitch Deck

I imagine in the beginning these groups read the full business plans of potential deals. But as the venture capitalists got more busy, received more applications, and more and more founders looked to equity instead of debt financing, they likely couldn’t read a whole business plan for every applicant. One pagers and executive summaries helped, but even these were tiresome text-heavy documents to read through all day long. There was a need for a shorty, easier to digest document.

In comes graphic design tools for the masses. Microsoft PowerPoint was invented in 1987, and grew in it’s popularity through the 90’s. The appeal of PowerPoint was that you could use it to project a visual aid as you spoke to your audience. This meant they could see additional information, charts and pictures that provided more context to your speech. So founders started using these technologies when pitching to investor during those initial meetings.

Somewhere along the line, the ease and visual nature of the Slide Deck merged with the long-form business plan. And founders started sending visual documents created in PowerPoint and other slide deck design tools to investors before they met them.

So which came first the pitch deck or the business plan? The pitch deck is a child of the business plan. The business plan came first, then the pitch deck.

Why You May Not Need Both a Pitch Deck and a Business Plan

All of that said, today you may not need both a pitch deck and a business plan. It depends on your business stage and what your goals are. A business plan is a thorough document that contains “the plan” itself. If you have “the plan” itself written down in a variety of documents or sources of information than you may not need an official business plan document in the traditional sense. And at least not a 100 page one.

If you are looking to work with a pitch deck designer, it may be advantageous to have a full or partial business plan. Your pitch deck designer will most likely not assist you with business decisions and strategies. Rather, they will work with you–the expert–to tell your plan, ensure it is compelling to the investor audience, and well designed and visually appealing. You need to have a concept. And likely need to have done some level of research into your industry and competitors to work with a designer on your deck. But, you needed that anyway just to be an effective founder.

When You Need a Business Plan and Not a Pitch Deck

• If Seeking Debt Financing: Banks still review business plans, so you will need a business plan if you’re looking to get any kind of loan from a bank.
• When Raising Over $500K: If you’re raising a lot of money, you better have a plan for what you’re going to do with it. Investors will be doing due diligence, be prepared.
• When You Have Co-founders / Co-owners: When you have several cooks in the kitchen, it is helpful to have a written and agreed upon plan to make sure everyone stays on track and executes the way you intended. This should be a living document that is updated over time and as things change.

When You Need a Pitch Deck and Not a Business Plan

• When You are Seeking Equity Funding: If you’re looking for funding from venture capitalists, angel investors or saavy friends and family, you need a clear pitch deck.
• If You’re Networking with Investors: Not ready to get investment now, but have the opportunity to network with investors? You should have a pitch deck ready. First impressions are important, especially when building influential relationships.
• When Your Pitch in a Competition: In the startup community there are a lot of pitch events and competitions designed to give founders a chance to get exposure and practice pitching their company. You definitely need a pitch deck.
• When You Are Seeking CoFounders: If you’re looking for cofounders, there is no better way to convey to them your concept, and the value you can bring to the table than through a pitch deck.
• When You Apply to an Accelerator: Many accelerators require a pitch deck in order to apply. They use the deck to evaluate your company and decide whether or not you should join the next cohort.

Which is More Important, the Pitch Deck or the Business Plan?

In can be argued that the pitch deck is more important than the business plan, because it is likely to actually be seen by others. If you don’t have a good business pitch deck, you won’t get the opportunity to talk in more detail with potential investors. You won’t excite and evangelize the startup community and your early team around the company’s growth. And, it may ruin your ability to connect with key mentors and partners that could catapult your startup business.

That said, with no plan, the pitch deck will not work. Investors see pitches day-in and day-out. They can sense a snake-oil salesman, an impossible tech product, and an unprepared founder from a mile away. If you don’t know your stuff, then the best pitch may help you get the meeting, but it won’t help you get funding. But today, the plan doesn’t have to be in the form of a traditional text-based business plan.

I hope this has helped you to better evaluate the differences between pitch decks and business plans. And help why you might choose to develop one or each of them for your startup. If you’re building your pitch deck, I strongly encourage you to work with pitch deck experts. We  evaluated different options for getting your pitch deck designed here (including DIY, all the pros and cons).

Stacie Sterren

Related posts.

What is a Startup Accelerator?

What is traction?

Why You Need More Than One Pitch Deck

Can You Get Funding with a Bad Pitch Deck if your Startup is Good Enough?

Is it time? Does your startup need a pitch deck?

Business Plan vs Pitch Deck: The Differences and When You Need Them

Starting a new venture involves navigating numerous challenges, one of which is effectively communicating your business vision. Two essential tools in this process are the business plan and the pitch deck. While both are crucial, they serve different purposes and are used at different stages of your startup journey. In this article, we'll explore the key differences between business plans and pitch decks, what each includes, the level of detail required, the creation process, and specific use cases. Understanding these distinctions will help you use each tool to your advantage, ensuring you’re well-prepared to impress investors and guide your business to success.

Business Plans vs Pitch Decks - An Overview

When raising capital for your startup, both business plans and pitch decks are essential tools, each serving distinct purposes.

A business plan is a detailed document outlining your business’s objectives, strategies, market analysis, and financial projections. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for your business, guiding long-term strategic decisions and demonstrating viability to stakeholders such as banks and grant providers.

In contrast, a pitch deck is a concise, visually-driven presentation designed to quickly capture the interest of potential investors. It typically includes key highlights of your business, such as the problem you’re solving, your solution, market opportunity, business model, and team. The goal is to secure meetings and generate interest from venture capitalists, angel investors, and during startup competitions.

Both tools are crucial in fundraising, but they are used at different stages and for different audiences.

Business Plan

A business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines your business's objectives, strategies, market analysis, organizational structure, and financial projections. Its primary purpose is to serve as a detailed roadmap for your business, guiding strategic decisions and demonstrating the viability and potential of your venture to various stakeholders.

The business plan is essential for several key reasons:

• Securing Funding : It provides potential investors, banks, and grant providers with an in-depth understanding of your business model, financial forecasts, and strategic plans, helping to secure necessary funding.
• Strategic Planning: It acts as a guide for internal decision-making, helping founders and management teams align on goals and strategies.
• Attracting Talent: A well-articulated business plan can attract co-founders, key hires, and partner s by clearly outlining the business's vision and potential.

Use cases for a business plan include applying for loans, pitching to investors, and guiding internal strategy development. Each of these scenarios relies on the detailed and structured information that a business plan provides, making it an indispensable tool for startup founders.

Related resource: Startup Business Plan

A pitch deck is a concise, visually-driven presentation designed to quickly capture the interest of potential investors. It typically consists of around 10-20 slides that highlight the key aspects of your business, such as the problem you’re solving, your solution, market opportunity, business model, and team.

The primary purpose of a pitch deck is to provide a snapshot of your business that is engaging and easy to understand, aiming to secure meetings and generate interest from potential investors. Unlike the comprehensive nature of a business plan, a pitch deck is meant to be high-level and visually appealing, making it an effective tool for initial presentations.

Use cases for a pitch deck include:

• Investor Meetings: Pitching to venture capitalists and angel investors to secure funding.
• Startup Competitions: Presenting at demo days and competitions to gain exposure and interest.
• Partnership Discussions: Engaging potential partners and stakeholders by providing a clear and compelling overview of your business.

The pitch deck serves several important functions:

• Generating Interest: It is designed to grab the attention of venture capitalists, angel investors, and other stakeholders, encouraging them to seek more detailed information.
• Communicating Vision: The pitch deck helps convey your business idea succinctly, showcasing the problem you’re solving, your solution, and your unique selling points.
• Facilitating Meetings: A compelling pitch deck can lead to follow-up meetings, providing opportunities to delve deeper into your business plan and financials.

Related resource: Building Your Pitch Deck

What is Included in Each One

Understanding the structure and key components of business plans and pitch decks is crucial for effectively using each tool in your fundraising efforts.

A detailed and comprehensive business plan covers elements such as market analysis, financial projections, and strategic planning. In contrast, a pitch deck is concise and visually engaging, highlighting key aspects like the problem you’re solving, your solution, and your business model.

This section will provide an overview of what to include in each, highlighting the differences to help you tailor them to your needs.

A business plan is a detailed and comprehensive document that covers various aspects of your business. Key components typically include :

• Executive Summary: A brief overview of your business, including your mission statement, product or service offering, and basic information about your company’s leadership, employees, and location.
• Company Description: Detailed information about your business, including the problems you’re solving, your target market, and what makes your business unique.
• Market Analysis: An examination of your industry, market size, expected growth, and competitive landscape.
• Organization and Management: An outline of your business’s organizational structure, details about the ownership, and profiles of your management team.
• Products or Services Line: Detailed descriptions of your products or services, including the lifecycle of each product, and how they benefit your customers.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: Your plan for reaching your target market, including pricing, advertising, and sales strategies.
• Funding Request: If you’re seeking funding, this section outlines your current funding requirements, future funding requirements over the next five years, and how you intend to use the funds you receive.
• Financial Projections: Detailed financial forecasts, including income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets for the next three to five years.
• Appendix: An optional section that includes resumes, permits, lease agreements, legal documentation, and other pertinent information.

A pitch deck is a more concise and visual presentation focusing on highlighting your business's key aspects. Key components typically include :

• Title Slide: The name of your business and a tagline or short mission statement.
• Problem Statement: A description of the problem your business aims to solve.
• Solution: An overview of your product or service and how it addresses the problem.
• Market Opportunity: Information on your target market and the potential market size.
• Business Model: An explanation of how your business will make money.
• Traction: Evidence of your business’s progress and momentum, such as sales figures, customer testimonials, or user growth metrics.
• Competition: An analysis of your competitors and your competitive advantages.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Your plan for attracting and retaining customers.
• Financials: High-level financial projections and key metrics.
• Team: Information about your founding team and key advisors.
• Use of Funds: How you plan to use the investment you’re seeking.
• Closing Slide: A summary of your pitch and a call to action, often including your contact information.

Related resource: Key Slides In Your Pitch Deck

Each of these components plays a crucial role in communicating the essential aspects of your business to different audiences. While the business plan is thorough and detailed, the pitch deck is designed to be engaging and to the point, helping you quickly capture the interest of potential investors.

What Level of Detail is Needed for Each One?

Business plans and pitch decks differ significantly in the level of detail they require. Business plans are comprehensive and detailed, covering strategic projections and in-depth analyses. In contrast, pitch decks are high-level, focusing on engaging visuals and key highlights to quickly capture investor interest.

A business plan requires a high level of detail to comprehensively outline your business’s strategic vision, operational structure, and financial projections. Each component must be thoroughly developed to provide a clear roadmap for the business and demonstrate its potential to stakeholders. Here's a breakdown of the required level of detail for each key component:

• Executive Summary: This section should offer a concise yet comprehensive snapshot of your business, including your mission statement, the products or services you offer, and basic company information such as leadership, employees, and location. While brief, it should be compelling enough to attract further interest.
• Company Description: This part should delve deeply into your business, explaining the problems you're solving, your target market, and what makes your business unique. It should provide a clear picture of your business’s purpose and the value it offers to customers.
• Market Analysis: This section should include in-depth research on your industry, including market size, expected growth, and trends. A detailed competitive analysis is also crucial, highlighting your competitors' strengths and weaknesses and how you plan to differentiate your business.
• Organization and Management: Provide detailed profiles of your management team, including their backgrounds, expertise, and roles within the company. An organizational structure chart can be helpful here, showing how different roles and departments interrelate.
• Products or Services Line: Offer detailed descriptions of your products or services, including their lifecycle, development stages, and benefits to customers. Explain how your offerings meet the needs of your target market and any plans for future development or expansion.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: This section should outline your strategies for reaching your target market, including pricing models, advertising plans, sales tactics, and distribution channels. Be specific about how you will attract and retain customers, including any partnerships or collaborations.
• Funding Request: If you are seeking funding, clearly outline your current and future funding needs, specifying how much you need, how you plan to use the funds, and any future funding requirements over the next five years. Provide a clear plan for how the funds will help achieve your business goals.
• Financial Projections: Provide detailed financial forecasts, including income statements, cash flow projections, and balance sheets for at least the next three to five years. This section should demonstrate your business’s financial viability and growth potential, with assumptions clearly stated.
• Appendix: Include any additional documents that support your business plan, such as resumes, permits, legal documentation, market research data, and any other relevant materials. The appendix should provide supporting evidence for the claims and projections made in your business plan.

Each of these components should be well-researched and thoroughly explained, offering a clear and detailed picture of your business and its potential. A comprehensive business plan not only helps in securing funding but also guides strategic decision-making and helps attract key partners and talent.

A pitch deck requires a concise yet engaging level of detail to capture the interest of potential investors and stakeholders effectively. Each component should be clear, visually appealing, and focus on the key highlights of your business. Here’s an outline of the necessary components and the level of detail required:

• Title Slide: Include your business name, logo, and a brief tagline or mission statement. This slide should set the tone and provide a quick grasp of your business identity.
• Problem Statement: Clearly and succinctly describe the problem your business aims to solve. Use visuals or anecdotes to illustrate the problem’s significance and relevance to your target market.
• Solution: Provide an overview of your product or service and explain how it addresses the problem. Highlight the unique aspects of your solution and how it stands out from existing alternatives.
• Market Opportunity: Present key information about your target market, including market size, growth potential, and trends. Use charts or graphs to make the data visually compelling and easy to understand.
• Business Model: Explain how your business will make money. Include details on your revenue streams, pricing strategy, and any monetization plans. Keep it straightforward but comprehensive enough to show viability.
• Traction: Highlight your business’s progress and milestones. This could include sales figures, user growth, partnerships, or any significant achievements. Use visuals like charts or graphs to showcase your momentum.
• Competition: Provide a brief analysis of your competitors and articulate your competitive advantages. Use a comparison chart to highlight how your business outperforms or differentiates from others in the market.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Outline your plan for attracting and retaining customers. Include marketing and sales strategies, distribution channels, and any partnerships that will help you reach your target market effectively.
• Financials: Summarize your key financial projections and metrics. Include revenue forecasts, profit margins, and break-even analysis. Use simple charts or graphs to make the data accessible and impactful.
• Team: Introduce your founding team and key advisors. Highlight their relevant experience and roles within the company. Use photos and brief bios to humanize your team and build credibility.
• Use of Funds: Explain how you plan to use the investment you’re seeking. Provide a clear and specific breakdown of how the funds will be allocated to drive growth and achieve your business goals.
• Closing Slide: Summarize your pitch and include a call to action. Provide your contact information and invite investors to follow up for more detailed discussions.

Each component should be crafted to deliver maximum impact with minimal text, using visuals to convey key points effectively. The goal is to engage your audience, provide a compelling snapshot of your business, and secure further interest or meetings.

What Does It Take to Create Each One?

Creating a business plan and a pitch deck requires different approaches due to their distinct design, data, and storytelling requirements. Understanding the process for building each will help you allocate the necessary resources and time effectively.

Building a business plan is a detailed and collaborative effort that involves:

• Extensive Research: In-depth market analysis, competitive landscape assessment, and financial forecasting.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Input from finance, marketing, operations, and management teams to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.
• Detailed Documentation: Crafting a thorough narrative with strategic projections and detailed analyses.

The process is time-intensive, typically taking several weeks to a few months, depending on the business complexity and data availability.

Creating a pitch deck is a more streamlined process that emphasizes:

• High-Level Research: Gathering essential data on market size, competition, and key financial metrics.
• Visual Design: Collaborating with designers to create engaging and visually appealing slides or using templates that make designing easier such as canva or pitch .
• Concise Storytelling: Developing a compelling, succinct narrative highlighting the business’s value proposition and growth potential.

This process is quicker, usually taking a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the need for iterations and design work. Understanding these differences ensures you allocate the right resources and time for each document, aligning with their specific purposes and audiences.

Use Cases for Business Plans and Pitch Decks

Understanding when to use a business plan versus a pitch deck is crucial for effectively communicating your business vision and securing stakeholder support. Here are specific situations where each document would be most effective.

• Securing Bank Loans: A detailed business plan is essential when applying for a bank loan . It provides lenders with comprehensive information about your business model, financial projections, and market analysis, demonstrating your ability to repay the loan and manage financial responsibilities effectively.
• Internal Strategic Planning: A business plan guides internal decision-making and strategic planning . It helps align the management team on long-term goals, operational strategies, and resource allocation, ensuring everyone is working towards the same objectives.
• Attracting Key Hires and Partners: A well-structured business plan can attract top talent and potential business partners by clearly outlining the business’s vision, growth potential, and strategic direction. It provides a detailed understanding of the company’s mission and future prospects, making it an attractive opportunity for skilled professionals and collaborators.
• Investor Meetings: A pitch deck is perfect for pitching to venture capitalists and angel investors. Its concise, visually engaging format quickly captures the interest of potential investors, providing an overview of your business, the problem you’re solving, and your market opportunity, leading to follow-up meetings and deeper discussions.
• Startup Competitions: During startup competitions and demo days, a pitch deck is essential. It succinctly presents your business idea, traction, and competitive edge, helping you stand out in a crowded field and attract potential investors or partners who attend these events.
• Initial Partnership Discussions: When initiating discussions with potential partners, a pitch deck effectively communicates your business’s value proposition and strategic fit. It offers a compelling snapshot of your business, encouraging partners to explore collaboration opportunities further.

By understanding these use cases, you can strategically utilize business plans and pitch decks to engage different audiences and achieve your business objectives effectively.

Tailor Your Business Plan and Pitch Decks to Your Needs with Visible

Both business plans and pitch decks are essential tools for startup founders, each serving distinct purposes and requiring different levels of detail. A business plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for strategic planning and securing funding, while a pitch deck is a concise, visually engaging presentation designed to capture investor interest quickly.

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The Entrepreneur's Arsenal: Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan

Learn the differences between a business plan and a pitch deck and when to use each one. Discover the pros and cons of both and how to create a winning pitch deck or compelling business plan.

November 20, 2023

Pitch deck vs. business plan: which one do you need for your business, and when? As a businessman or entrepreneur, do you sometimes wonder why your potential investors aren't responding after you've sent them a long and detailed business plan or a catchy pitch deck? This could be due to the minimal information provided in the pitch deck or the lengthy, boring, and irrelevant details in the business plan that repelled them from reaching back to you. However, you should also know how to send pitch decks to investors. Therefore, it's crucial for an entrepreneur to understand which approach is best for their venture. Before seeking out investors, one should be very well aware of the difference between a pitch deck and a business plan. Luckily, we have all the information you need. Check out our resource on how to send a pitch deck to investors.

Pitch Deck vs Business Plan

What are pitch decks and business plans, and how do you write them? Let’s find out.

A business plan identifies, describes, and analyzes a business opportunity and/or an existing business. It focuses on the technical, financial, and economic viability of the idea, and explains in detail the plans your company has for the next 1, 3, and 5 years. This document is used as a reference point by potential investors when deciding whether or not to invest in your company. Furthermore, it's frequently used in a due diligence step in the funding process. A pitch deck, on the other hand, is a much more summarized version of a business plan that aims to excite investors about a company, to set up a second meeting and the possibility of an investment discussion. It is a pitch presentation used by business owners or entrepreneurs to give potential investors, like venture capitalists or angel investors, a concise but informative overview of their startup or company. Investors can use it to see where your business stands and where it is going, and decide whether they want to support it in getting there. It is purposefully sent to potential investors in order to set up a face-to-face meeting or used as a visual aid during a live presentation to potential investors.

Included Information

A business plan contains the research you have conducted on your industry and competitors as well as your company's operational, marketing, and sales strategies. It also includes financial analysis, growth, success projections, and a road map of where your business will be in the future and how it will get there. These nine sections are combined in a traditional business plan design in one way or another:

• Executive summary
• Business description
• Market research
• Operational plan and management
• Service or line of goods
• Sales and marketing
• Money request
• Financial estimates

If you want a professional business plan, it is highly recommended to use a business plan consultant. On the other hand, a pitch deck usually covers the following sections:

• Introduction
• Target market
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Pitch Deck Competition Slide
• Funding request
• Financial Strength

You can find all the details in our Pitch Deck Outline article. Another element of information that should be included in a pitch deck is how much money the company intends to raise, for what amount of equity, and how the money will be spent. Therefore, it must contain expected financials and a pre-money company valuation. You can also include a timeline of significant events in the company's history, which will help convince investors to approve the funding.

The business plan is a lengthy, in-depth document that typically has 10–100 pages and is created in Word. It is primarily text-based. On the other hand, the pitch deck's length ranges between 10 and 20 pages and is produced using PowerPoint with the intention of using visual aids such as pictures, graphs, tables to convey as much of the critical information as quickly as possible.

Situations Where a Business Plan Is Needed

• Obtaining Debt Financing from Conventional Banks: If you want to obtain any type of loan from a bank, you will need to submit a business plan, as they still review them.
• Company Having Multiple Co-Founders and Co-Owners: A business plan is quite helpful in managing a bigger board of seniors in the company. It ensures that everyone sticks to the company's core values and carries out the intended plans to achieve long-term goals. This should be a dynamic document that is continually updated as circumstances warrant.
• Fundraising over $500K: If you are raising a large amount of cash, you better have a strategy in place for how you are going to use it. Be ready for due diligence from investors.

For an in-depth guide on startup business models , click here.

Situations Where a Pitch Deck is Needed

• Meeting or Starting a Conversation with an Investor: A pitch deck is a conversation starter that encourages investors to get in touch with you. You can email a PDF file or send a printed copy to start building a relationship with investors.
• Pitching in a Competition: The startup community organizes many pitch competitions and events that provide business founders the opportunity to practice pitching their business and gain exposure. In these competitions, a pitch deck is a must-have document that effectively communicates the startup plan.
• Seeking Equity Funding: If you are seeking funding from venture capitalists, angel investors, or knowledgeable friends and family, you need a clear pitch deck.

What to Write First - Business Plan vs Pitch Deck?

At the initial phase of a business, a fundamental document called a business plan is written. This plan is updated as the business develops and as needs and goals change over time. The lengthy document can serve a variety of purposes, including internal use within the company or in banks that still require business plans for loan applications today. Additionally, the business plan document can be very useful in creating a compelling pitch deck. In the eyes of professionals, the pitch deck is considered a child of the business plan. Having a prepared business plan makes it much easier to get depth and length in your plans, which eventually results in more clarity and strong points that you could include in a pitch deck. Research is already completed when writing a business plan, which allows the pitch deck to focus on composing the already-existing information in such a manner that encourages the investor to approve the funding you need.

The Pros and Cons of a Business Plan vs. a Pitch Deck

Both business plans and pitch decks have their advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each.

Business Plan Pros

• Comprehensive: A business plan is a comprehensive document that covers all aspects of your business, from your market research to your financial projections. It may be helpful to seek assistance from a financial modelling agency when creating your financial projections.. It provides potential investors with a detailed understanding of your business and its potential for success.
• Strategic: A business plan helps you to think strategically about your business. By analyzing your industry, your competitors, and your own strengths and weaknesses, you can create a plan that maximizes your chances of success.
• Useful for fundraising: A well-written business plan can be an effective tool for raising funds from investors. It provides potential investors with the information they need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in your business.

Business Plan Cons

• Time-consuming: Writing a comprehensive business plan can be a time-consuming process. It requires a significant amount of research, analysis, and writing.
• Outdated quickly: Business plans can quickly become outdated as your business evolves and circumstances change. This means that you may need to update your business plan regularly to ensure that it remains relevant.
• May not be read: Some investors may not have the time or patience to read a lengthy business plan. This means that your hard work may go to waste if your plan is not read by the right people.

Pitch Deck Pros

• Concise: A pitch deck is a concise document that provides potential investors with a quick overview of your business. It is designed to be easy to read and understand, which makes it more likely that it will be read by potential investors.
• Engaging: A well-designed pitch deck can be an engaging and memorable way to present your business to potential investors. It can help you to stand out from the competition and make a strong impression.
• Can lead to meetings: A pitch deck is often used to secure meetings with potential investors. If your pitch deck is well-received, it can lead to a face-to-face meeting where you can provide more detailed information about your business.

Pitch Deck Cons

• Limited information: A pitch deck provides only a limited amount of information about your business. This means that potential investors may not have a complete understanding of your business and its potential.
• Not suitable for all businesses: A pitch deck is not suitable for all businesses. If your business is complex or requires a significant amount of explanation, a pitch deck may not be sufficient.
• Not as useful for fundraising: While a pitch deck can be used to secure meetings with potential investors, it may not be as effective as a business plan for actually raising funds.

Ultimately, the decision to use a business plan or a pitch deck will depend on the specific needs of your business and the goals you hope to achieve. It's important to understand the pros and cons of each and use them appropriately to effectively communicate your ideas to potential investors.

How to Create a Winning Pitch Deck

Creating a pitch deck that stands out can be a challenging task, but it's essential if you want to attract investors to your business. Here are some tips to help you create a winning pitch deck:

1. Start with a Strong Introduction

Your introduction slide should grab investors' attention and make them want to learn more about your company. Use a catchy tagline, a powerful image, or a compelling statistic to draw them in.

2. Focus on the Problem You're Solving

Your pitch deck should explain the problem you're solving and why it matters. Use real-world examples and statistics to illustrate the problem and show why it's important.

3. Explain Your Solution

After you've described the problem, explain how your product or service solves it. Be clear and concise, and focus on the benefits of your solution.

4. Show Traction

Investors want to see that your company is gaining traction and making progress. Include data on customer acquisition, revenue, and growth to show that your business is on the right track.

5. Describe Your Marketing and Sales Strategy

Your pitch deck should explain how you plan to market and sell your product or service, including specifics on your target market, your marketing channels, your sales process, and any startup market research services you may use to gain insights into your target audience and industry.

6. Highlight Your Competitive Advantage

Investors want to know what sets your business apart from the competition. Explain your competitive advantage and show how it gives you an edge in the market.

7. Be Realistic About Financial Projections

Your pitch deck should include financial projections, but they should be realistic. Don't exaggerate your projections or make unrealistic promises. Instead, focus on achievable goals and realistic timelines.

8. Keep It Simple and Visual

Your pitch deck should be simple and easy to follow. Use visuals, such as graphs, charts, and images, to convey your message and make your presentation more engaging.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, practice your pitch deck until you're comfortable delivering it. Practice in front of friends, family, or colleagues, and ask for feedback. Refine your presentation until it's polished and persuasive.

By following these tips, you can create a winning pitch deck that will help you attract investors and grow your business. Remember to start with a strong introduction, focus on the problem you're solving, explain your solution, show traction, describe your marketing and sales strategy, highlight your competitive advantage, be realistic about financial projections, keep it simple and visual, and practice, practice, practice.

Tips for Writing a Compelling Business Plan

Writing a business plan can be a daunting task, but it's an essential step in securing funding for your business. Here are some tips to help you write a compelling business plan:

1. Know Your Audience

Before you start writing your business plan, it's essential to know your audience. Who will be reading your plan? What are their goals and objectives? What information do they need to make a decision? By understanding your audience, you can tailor your plan to their needs and increase your chances of success.

2. Keep It Concise

While a business plan is a detailed document, it's essential to keep it concise. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand. Instead, use short sentences and simple language to convey your message. Use bullet points and headings to break up the text and make it easier to read.

3. Focus on Your Unique Value Proposition

Your unique value proposition is what sets your business apart from the competition. It's essential to focus on this in your business plan. Explain why your product or service is better than what's already available in the market. Show how you plan to differentiate yourself and capture market share.

4. Be Realistic

When writing your business plan, it's essential to be realistic. Don't exaggerate your projections or make unrealistic promises. Instead, focus on achievable goals and realistic timelines. Provide evidence to back up your claims and show that you've done your research.

5. Include Financial Projections

Financial projections are a crucial part of any business plan. They show how you plan to make money and when you expect to become profitable. Include projected income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Be sure to explain your assumptions and include a sensitivity analysis to show how your projections could change under different scenarios.

6. Get Feedback

Before submitting your business plan, get feedback from others. Ask friends, family, or colleagues to review your plan and provide feedback. Consider working with a business coach or mentor who can provide guidance and support.

By following these tips, you can write a compelling business plan that will help you secure funding and grow your business. Remember to tailor your plan to your audience, keep it concise, focus on your unique value proposition, be realistic, include financial projections, and get feedback.

Key Components of a Business Plan and a Pitch Deck

A business plan and pitch deck have different components that are essential to the success of your company. Here are the key components of each:

Business Plan

• Executive Summary: This section provides an overview of your entire business plan. It should be concise and highlight key points about your company, such as the problem you're solving, your target market, and your competitive advantage.
• Business Description: This section describes your company in more detail, including your mission, vision, and values. It also includes information about your team, your product or service, your target market, and your business model.
• Market Analysis: This section analyzes your industry and your competitors. It includes information about your target market, your competition, your marketing strategy, and your sales strategy.
• Operational Plan and Management: This section explains how your company will operate on a day-to-day basis. It includes information about your organizational structure, your management team, and your operational processes.
• Service or Line of Goods: This section describes your product or service in detail. It includes information about the features and benefits of your product or service, as well as any intellectual property you've developed.
• Sales and Marketing: This section explains how you plan to sell your product or service. It includes information about your sales strategy, your marketing strategy, and your pricing strategy.
• Money Request: This section explains how much money you're raising and how you plan to use it. It includes information about your funding needs, your use of funds, and your financial projections.
• Financial Estimates: This section includes your financial statements, such as your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. It also includes any other financial information that investors may need to make a decision.

• Introduction: This slide includes your company name, logo, and tagline. It's the first thing investors will see, so it should be attention-grabbing.
• Problem: This slide explains the problem your company is solving. It should be concise and clearly explain why your product or service is needed in the market.
• Target Market: This slide describes your target market. It should include information about your ideal customer, such as their demographics, psychographics, and buying behavior.
• Solution: This slide explains how your product or service solves the problem you identified earlier. It should be concise and clearly explain the benefits of your product or service.
• Traction: This slide describes any traction your company has gained so far. It should include information about your customer acquisition, revenue, and growth.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: This slide explains how you plan to market and sell your product or service. It should include information about your marketing channels, your sales process, and your pricing strategy.
• Competition: This slide describes your competition. It should include information about your competitors' strengths and weaknesses, as well as how your product or service is different.
• Funding Request: This slide explains how much money you're raising and how you plan to use it. It should be concise and clearly explain why you need the money.
• Financial Strength: This slide includes your financial projections. It should include your revenue, expenses, and profit margins.
• Team: This slide describes your team. It should include information about your management team, your advisors, and any other key team members.

Keep in mind that these are just the basic components of a business plan and pitch deck. Depending on your industry and your company's unique needs, you may need to include additional information.

Both a pitch deck and a business plan are essential tools for entrepreneurs seeking funding for their ventures. While a business plan provides a comprehensive overview of a company's operations and financial projections, a pitch deck is a more concise and visually appealing document that seeks to excite potential investors about a company's potential. Understanding the differences and appropriate use cases for each document can greatly increase an entrepreneur's chances of securing funding and growing their business. By following the tips outlined in this article, entrepreneurs can create compelling pitch decks and business plans that effectively communicate their vision and attract potential investors.

Key Takeaways

A business plan analyzes a business opportunity and/or an existing business, while a pitch deck aims to excite investors about a company and set up a meeting for an investment discussion.

A business plan is a lengthy, text-based document, while a pitch deck is a concise document that uses visuals to convey critical information as quickly as possible.

A business plan is helpful for obtaining debt financing from conventional banks, managing a bigger board of seniors in the company, and fundraising over $500k, while a pitch deck is useful for starting a conversation with an investor, pitching in a competition, and seeking equity funding.

A business plan is comprehensive and strategic, while a pitch deck is concise and engaging.

Both business plans and pitch decks have their advantages and disadvantages, so it's essential to understand the pros and cons of each and use them appropriately to communicate your ideas effectively.

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Imagine a symphony orchestra where each musician plays their own tune without listening to others. The result would be chaotic and dissonant, right? Similarly, in the business world, when decision-making happens in silos and planning processes are disconnected, it’s like having a group of individuals playing their own instruments without any coordination. The harmony is lost, and the organization becomes inefficient, misses opportunities, and struggles to keep up with the fast-paced market.

Integrated Business Planning (IBP) addresses these challenges by providing a comprehensive framework that integrates strategic, operational and financial planning, analysis, and reporting to drive better business outcomes.   A retail company experiences a sudden surge in online sales due to a viral social media campaign. Integrated planning incorporates supply chain planning, demand planning, and demand forecasts so the company can quickly assess the impact on inventory levels, supply chain logistics, production plans, and customer service capacity. By having real-time data at their fingertips, decision-makers can adjust their strategies, allocate resources accordingly, and capitalize on the unexpected spike in demand, ensuring customer satisfaction while maximizing revenue.   This blog explores the significance of IBP in today’s modern business landscape and highlights its key benefits and implementation considerations.

Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a holistic approach that integrates strategic planning, operational planning, and financial planning within an organization. IBP brings together various functions, including sales, marketing, finance, supply chain, human resources, IT and beyond to collaborate across business units and make informed decisions that drive overall business success. The term ‘IBP’ was introduced by the management consulting firm Oliver Wight to describe an evolved version of the sales and operations planning (S&OP process) they originally developed in the early 1980s.

1. Strategic planning

Integrated Business Planning starts with strategic planning. The management team defines the organization’s long-term goals and objectives. This includes analyzing market trends, competitive forces, and customer demands to identify opportunities and threats. Strategic planning sets the direction for the entire organization and establishes the foundation for subsequent planning roadmap.

2. Operational planning

Operational planning focuses on translating strategic goals into actionable plans at the operational level. This involves breaking down the strategic objectives into specific targets and initiatives that different departments and functions need to execute.

For example, the sales department might develop a plan to enter new markets or launch new products, while the supply chain department focuses on inventory optimization and ensuring efficient logistics. The key is to align operational plans with the broader strategic objectives to ensure consistency and coherence throughout the organization.

3. Financial planning

Financial planning ensures that the organization’s strategic and operational plans are financially viable. It involves developing detailed financial projections, including revenue forecasts, expense budgets, and cash flow forecasts. By integrating financial planning with strategic and operational planning, organizations can evaluate financial profitability, identify potential gaps or risks, and make necessary adjustments to achieve financial targets.

 4. Cross-functional collaboration

A fundamental aspect of IBP is the collaboration and involvement of various functions and departments within the organization. Rather than working in isolation, departments such as sales, marketing, finance, supply chain, human resources, and IT come together to share information, align objectives, and make coordinated decisions.

5. Data integration and analytics

IBP relies on the integration of data from different sources and systems. This may involve consolidating data from enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, supply chain management systems, and other relevant sources. Advanced analytics and business intelligence tools are utilized to analyze and interpret the data, uncovering insights and trends that drive informed decision-making.

6. Continuous monitoring and performance management

The Integrated Business Planning process requires continuous monitoring of performance against plans and targets. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are established to measure progress and enable proactive management. Regular performance reviews and reporting enable organizations to identify deviations, take corrective actions, and continuously improve their planning processes.

By integrating strategic, operational, and financial planning organizations can unlock the full potential of IBP and drive business success and achieve their goals.

Enhanced decision-making

IBP facilitates data-driven decision-making by providing real-time insights into various aspects of the business. By bringing together data from various departments, organizations can develop a holistic view of their operations, enabling them to make better-informed decisions.

Improved alignment

By aligning strategic objectives with operational plans and financial goals, IBP ensures that every department and employee is working towards a common vision. This alignment fosters synergy and drives cross-functional collaboration.

Agility and responsiveness

In the rapidly changing business landscape, agility is crucial. IBP allows organizations to quickly adapt to market shifts, demand fluctuations, and emerging opportunities. By continuously monitoring and adjusting plans, businesses can remain responsive and seize competitive advantages.

Optimal resource allocation

Integrated Business Planning enables organizations to optimize resource allocation across different functions. It helps identify bottlenecks, allocate resources effectively, and prioritize initiatives that yield the highest returns, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.

Risk management

IBP facilitates proactive risk management by considering various scenarios and identifying potential risks and opportunities. By analyzing data and conducting what-if analyses, companies can develop contingency plans and mitigate risks before they materialize.

Implementing an effective IBP process requires careful planning and execution that may require substantial effort and a change of management, but the rewards are well worth it. Here are some essential strategic steps to consider:

1. Executive sponsorship

Establish leadership buy-in; gain support from top-level executives who understand the value of Integrated Business Planning and can drive the necessary organizational changes. Leadership commitment, led by CFO, is crucial for successful implementation.

2. Continuous improvement

Continuously monitor and adjust; implement mechanisms to monitor performance against plans and targets. Regularly review key performance indicators (KPIs), conduct performance analysis, and generate timely reports and dashboards. Identify deviations, take corrective actions, and continuously improve the planning processes based on feedback and insights.

3. Integration of people and technology

To foster cross-functional collaboration, the organization must identify key stakeholders, break down silos, and encourage open communication among departments. Creating a collaborative culture that values information sharing and collective decision-making is essential.

Simultaneously, implementing a robust data integration system, encompassing ERP, CRM, and supply chain management systems, ensures seamless data flow and real-time updates. User-friendly interfaces, data governance, and training provide the necessary technological support. Combining these efforts cultivates an environment of collaboration and data-driven decision-making, boosting operational efficiency and competitiveness.

4. Technology

Implement advanced analytics and business intelligence solutions to streamline and automate the planning process and assist decision-making capabilities. These solutions provide comprehensive functionality, data integration capabilities, scenario planning and modeling, and real-time reporting.

From a tech perspective, organizations need advanced software solutions and systems that facilitate seamless data integration and collaboration to support IBP. Here are some key components that contribute to the success of integrated business planning:

1. Corporate performance management

A platform that serves as the backbone of integrated business planning by integrating data from different departments and functions. It enables a centralized repository of information and provides real-time visibility into the entire business.

2. Business intelligence (BI) tools

Business intelligence tools play a vital role in analyzing and visualizing integrated data from multiple sources. These tools provide comprehensive insights into key metrics and help identify trends, patterns, and opportunities. By leveraging BI tools, decision-makers can quickly evaluate financial performance, make data-driven business decisions and increase forecast accuracy.

3. Collaborative planning and forecasting solutions

Collaborative planning and forecasting solutions enable cross-functional teams to work together in creating and refining plans. These planning solutions facilitate real-time collaboration, allowing stakeholders to contribute their expertise and insights. With end-to-end visibility, organizations can ensure that plans are comprehensive, accurate, and aligned with business strategy.

4. Data integration and automation

To ensure seamless data integration, organizations need to invest in data integration and automation tools. These tools enable the extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) of data from various sources. Automation streamlines data processes reduces manual effort and minimizes the risk of errors or data discrepancies.

5. Cloud-based solutions

Cloud computing offers scalability, flexibility, and accessibility, making it an ideal choice for integrated business planning. Cloud-based solutions provide a centralized platform where teams can access data, collaborate, and make real-time updates from anywhere, at any time. The cloud also offers data security, disaster recovery, and cost efficiencies compared to on-premises infrastructure.

6. Data governance and security

As organizations integrate data from multiple sources, maintaining data governance and security becomes crucial. Establishing data governance policies and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations are vital steps in maintaining data integrity and safeguarding sensitive information. Implementing robust data security measures, such as encryption and access controls, helps protect against data breaches and unauthorized access.

IBM Planning Analytics  is a highly scalable and flexible solution for Integrated Business Planning. It supports and strengthens the five pillars discussed above, empowering organizations to achieve their strategic goals and make better data-driven decisions. With its AI- infused advanced analytics and modeling capabilities, IBM Planning Analytics allows organizations to integrate strategic, operational, and financial planning seamlessly. The solution enables cross-functional collaboration by providing a centralized platform where teams from various departments can collaborate, share insights, and align their plans. IBM Planning Analytics also offers powerful data integration capabilities, allowing organizations to consolidate data from multiple sources and systems, providing a holistic view of the business. The solutions’s robust embedded AI predictive analytics uses internal and external data and machine learning to provide accurate demand forecasts. IBM Planning Analytics supports continuous monitoring and performance management by providing real-time reporting, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that enable organizations to track progress and take proactive actions.  As the business landscape continues to evolve, embracing Integrated Business Planning is no longer an option but a necessity for organizations. To succeed in this dynamic environment, businesses need an integrated approach to planning that brings all the departments and data together, creating a symphony of collaboration and coordination.

Learn more about IBM Planning Analytics

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El Paso police Officers responded to a collision involving a vehicle and motorcycle that killed one person on Saturday.

El Paso businesses rally for $207 million Downtown Deck Plaza project

by Harrison Parker

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — Business leaders have voiced their support for the proposed Downtown Deck Plaza. One leader said it's vital for the future of El Paso's economy.

"People who are not from El Paso, that we're trying to recruit, it's virtually impossible," said Mark Osborn, VP of the Downtown Management District - a prominent business group - and the CEO of the Kemp Smith law firm. "For our young people, El Paso has become an unattractive place to be. Because of the quality of life in our city and we have not invested in ourselves."

Osborn was one of several business leaders who appeared in front of the County Commissioners Court to lobby for their support of the project. The Plaza would cost roughly $207 million and is meant to transform the section of I-10 that splits Downtown El Paso into a series of parks and public areas. Osborn said the idea has worked well in other cities.

"Look at Dallas in the growth of the residential housing surrounding their park, their Deck Park Plaza that they finished was just unbelievable, like in the next five or six years, and we can do the same thing."

Osborn pointed to the Klyde Warren Park project in Dallas, which cost about $110 million. The Federal Highway Administration said the project generated $2.5 billion in returns for the area. Osborn said El Paso has to make the investment.

Those things are not cheap, they're not inexpensive, they're not easy to do, but they can make generational changes for our city.

It's still unclear what sources of funding the project would draw from, but supporters hope for a mix of public and private funding.

RECOMMENDED : El Pasoans show strong support for $207 million Downtown Deck Plaza project

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Most community college students plan to get 4-year degrees. Few actually do

Dylan Peers McCoy

[WFYI] Community college transfer numbers 

Ever since he was a kid, Tyre’k Swanigan dreamed of going to Indiana University. But after he graduated from high school, he decided to start at community college. He figured he could keep his full-time job and transfer to IU later to earn his bachelor’s degree.

At first, Swanigan, now 23, did well. Then, he said he heard from an IU recruiter that some of his community college credits might not count toward his degree.

College is hard enough — try doing it while raising kids

“I was like, why am I wasting my time at a two-year community college when I know that I need at least a bachelor’s to do anything that I want to do?” said Swanigan, who wants to work in a leadership role at a school.

Swanigan eventually withdrew from the community college. And he’s not alone.

Community college is often touted as an affordable start for students who want to earn bachelor’s degrees. Yet only 13% of community college students actually go on to earn degrees from four-year institutions within eight years, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2023. Indiana has one of the lowest community college transfer success rates in the nation.

“It's ridiculous,” said Swanigan, who attended Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. “It pisses me off honestly, because I was at Ivy Tech, right? And this is me. Like, this number — I’m a part of that.”

With their open enrollment policies and low tuition, community colleges offer crucial access to higher education. They educate 41% of all U.S. undergraduates, according to the Community College Research Center . And when those students enroll, 83% plan to transfer to four-year schools, according to the Center for Community College Student Engagement.

But that transfer process can be fraught with challenges, including structural barriers that force students to spend time and money taking extra classes.

“Most students leave empty-handed,” said Huriya Jabbar, a professor of education policy at the University of Southern California. “There are bureaucratic hurdles. There are really opaque transfer policies. There's not enough information about … which courses will transfer.”

How the deck is stacked against transfer students

Jabbar co-wrote a book, which will be published in September, about community college transfer students . Her research focused on Texas, where policies vary by institution and major.

“When a student enters community college, they need to know not just what major — area of study — but which university they plan to transfer to,” Jabbar said, “because what they do at the community college to transfer will vary.”

The new kids on campus? Toddlers, courtesy of Head Start

College advisers are supposed to help students prepare to transfer, making sure they have the right credits for the degree they’re pursuing, and facilitating a smooth transition to a four-year school. But in Texas, Jabbar found that these advisers had large caseloads, which limited their ability to help students. Advisers also struggled to keep up with changes in degree requirements at different institutions, Jabbar said. Sometimes they gave students information that was outdated or wrong.

According to Jabbar, one common problem transfer students face is being forced to take extra classes. That happens when four-year schools don’t give students credit for all the classes they took in community college, or the courses are counted as electives instead of major requirements.

When students lose credits, it’s time-consuming and expensive, said Lorenzo Baber, director of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Office of Community College Research and Leadership.

“That's money,” he said. “That's a couple thousand dollars, which matters.”

Two-thirds of community college students take classes part time . And they often juggle jobs, caregiving and other obligations that can disrupt their education.

Because of that, Baber said, improving transfer success is not just up to higher education institutions. It requires investments in social supports ranging from child care to broadband access to health care. Someone might be forced to leave school, for example, to provide for a sick family member who has limited health care access.

“You could have the best designed programs,” Baber said, “but that gets rendered meaningless if somebody needs to stop out because they need to take a job to pay the bills of their household.”

A transfer policy that could help

Research suggests statewide policies to make transferring easier can help students earn bachelor's degrees and avoid taking unnecessary classes .

In Indiana, where Tyre’k Swanigan lives, community colleges and universities are trying to improve.

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About a decade ago, Indiana lawmakers required public colleges and universities to create transfer pathways for students who complete associate degrees. If an Indiana student earns an associate degree in nursing, for example, they can transfer to a public, four-year university without losing credits, said Mary Jane Michalak, a vice president at Ivy Tech Community College, where Swanigan started.

"Whenever possible we direct students into those pathways,” Michalak said, “because by state law then those credits are supposed to transfer seamlessly as long as it's within the same program."

Other states have created similar transfer policies. In 2010, California created a special associate degree that’s supposed to make it easier for students to transfer. In 2021-22, almost half of the community college students who transferred to four-year colleges in California had those diplomas .

Some Indiana universities and community colleges have partnered up to help make transferring easier for students, an approach that institutions in other states have used . This year, Ivy Tech announced a new dual admission agreement with Indiana University Indianapolis .

But Indiana doesn’t yet know if the state’s efforts to improve transfer success are working. That’s because the federal data published in 2023 — which found that only about 7% of Indiana community college students earn four-year degrees — follows students for eight years. The people it tracked started back in 2014, the year before the state's new transfer pathways kicked in.

Tyre’k Swanigan started college in 2019, and even with the state changes, it hasn’t been easy.

Swanigan almost went back to school this summer. But tuition was expensive. He started a new job. And he was pulling himself out of a difficult relationship.

“The longer I wait and life happens and issues come up,” Swanigan said, “the harder it is to get back into school.”

Five years after Swanigan started college, he’s still determined to earn his bachelor’s degree — eventually.

Ohio GOP Senate candidate plans new car dealership amid scrutiny of his businesses

Bernie Moreno, the Republican Senate nominee in Ohio whose past as a car dealer has been mocked and scrutinized by his Democratic rival, is preparing a return to the auto industry.

In a recently filed personal financial disclosure statement, Moreno identified himself as a manager of two companies — including a realty business that he lists as an asset — that, according to public records, are developing a Mercedes-Benz dealership.

Moreno, who has said several times during his bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown that he sold off all of his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest, confirmed his involvement in an interview. He described himself as an investor in the venture, which will be run by his son Kevin.

Construction on the Columbus-area dealership is not expected to break ground until around the time of the November election, Moreno said, adding that, if he wins, he plans to relinquish his stake in the realty company. Moreno said that because the company is not yet generating revenue or providing income, he does not consider it an operating business like those he divested from as part of his campaign promise.

“I got rid of all my operating businesses, anything that would have given me a conflict,” Moreno said in an interview in May with Kitco News , which covers the precious metals market and cryptocurrency, another business in which Moreno has invested.

In a video interview with a local GOP official this year, Moreno also characterized his divestments as a way to free him up for a grueling campaign against Brown.

“I knew defeating Sherrod Brown was going to be very difficult. What did I do? I sold every one of my businesses, made sure I had no conflicts of interest, so that I could focus my complete attention to do this,” he said.

Ohio’s Senate race is a potential tipping point for partisan control of the chamber. Brown and Sen. Jon Tester of Montana are the only two Democrats seeking re-election this year in states that former President Donald Trump won twice. Brown, Moreno and allied groups on both sides already have combined to spend more than $100 million on advertising in Ohio, according to AdImpact, an ad-tracking firm.

Democrats have attacked Moreno’s business dealings, specifically his record as a car dealer. Brown’s campaign has run ads that play on tropes about dishonest car salespeople while characterizing Moreno as an unprincipled businessman who mistreats employees, citing past lawsuits over workplace discrimination and overtime pay against his companies. 

“The guy running against me, he ran car dealerships, made a lot of money,” Brown said last week at a campaign event near Youngstown. “I talk about the dignity of work all the time, as you know. That’s who I am, it’s what I stand for, it’s what I care about. And he had to pay $400,000 in back pay to his workers that he stiffed on overtime.”

Moreno has framed Brown as a career politician too closely aligned with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, to be trusted in a state where Trump beat them by 8 percentage points. 

“His fake slogan is the ‘dignity of work,’” Moreno said at an event this month in Medina, near Cleveland. “How would he possibly know about the dignity of work? How would he know? He’s never had a job that wasn’t being an elected official, ever.”

Moreno also has sought to neutralize the Democratic attacks on his business portfolio by pledging to avoid conflicts of interest.

“One of the things I firmly believe in is not just to run for office and set an example as a senator, but [to] set an example as a candidate, which means be completely free of any conflicts of interest,” Moreno said in January at a town hall event with pastors. “I don’t believe that senators should trade stocks, should own companies. You’ve got to be completely clear, completely clean, of any conflicts of interest.” 

In his recent personal financial disclosure statement, a form that Senate candidates are required to file, Moreno listed more than 20 “business entities” as assets, including M20 Realty LLC, as well as other limited liability companies and limited partnerships. Moreno said the entities are a combination of non-operating companies and real estate holdings that include properties where he and his family members live.

M20 Realty and M20 Motors LLC each filed articles of organization with the Ohio secretary of state in June 2022, records show. M20 Motors then registered Mercedes-Benz of Sunbury as a trade name in September 2022, listing Moreno’s home near Cleveland as its address. Moreno’s financial disclosure identified him as a manager for both companies and listed M20 Realty as an asset that “had a value of more than $1,000 or generated income of more than $200.” 

In April, weeks after Moreno won the Senate primary, M20 Realty acquired land in Sunbury, a suburb north of Columbus, for $9.5 million, according to property records in Delaware County. Around that time, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA entered into a mortgage agreement with M20 Realty. Moreno signed the mortgage as a manager for M20 Realty and signed a landlord/tenant agreement between M20 Realty and M20 Motors on behalf of both companies, according to copies accessed on the county’s website . 

Moreno said the Sunbury project has been in the works for four years — dating to before he sold his last operating car dealerships to focus on a blockchain venture . He sold his shares in the blockchain company, Champ Titles, last year, netting more than $5 million, according to his 2023 financial disclosure form.

Henry J. Gomez is a senior national political reporter for NBC News