How many slides do you need for a startup investor presentation? Is the 10/20/30 rule still accurate, or should something else be included?

1. Company Logo
(13 Slide Deck)
Tag Line
Contact Info

2. Overview
• What will you cover in the presentation – high level, two minutes, ask what
else the investor would like to cover. Prioritize a few of below based on
investor profile.
3. Problem/Solution
4. Market
5. Traction/Timing
6. Product Roadmap/Demo
7. Secret Sauce / Path to IP/Moat
8. Competitive Analysis
9. How you’ll make $$ / key metrics
10. Go-to-market
11. Financials
12. Team
13. Clear Ask

3. Problem/Solution
Problem
• From the customer perspective
• Lead with Pain pill (vs vitamin)
Solution
• Product
• Features
• Service

4. Market
• B2B/B2C
• Existing or New/Nascent market
• Total Addressable Market
• SAM, SOM, Launch customer
• Buyer Profile
• Why are they buying – make money, save time, etc.
• Where will the market go over time?

5. Traction/Timing
• What are your numbers
• Logos
• Revenues
• Key metrics / trends
• Why you, why now
• Headwinds/Tailwinds in market conditions

6. Product Road Map / Demo
• Today
• Demo
• Near Term
• Priorities
• At Scale
• Product vision – full solutions

7. Secret Sauce / Path to IP or Moat
• Knowledge of the market
• Speed
• Technology advantage
• Intellectual Property
• Plan to defend your position if it works (bigger player with more cash
competing)

8. Competitive Analysis
CustomersdesiredFeatures
$ Customers Willingness to Pay $$$$
You

9. How you’ll make money
• Primary Revenue Model
• Secondary Revenue Model
• Pricing

10. Go-to-Market
• Marketing
• Target marketing spend
• Channels
• Sales
• Direct/Indirect/web direct
• Distribution partners
• Scaling
• Marketing and sales effort, e.g. large inside sales team

11. Financials
0
2
4
6
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Chart Title
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3
• Revenues
• Expenses
• Three years

12. Team
• Leadership, w/ photos
• Bullet point bio
• LinkedIn links

13. Ask
• Round/type of funding
• Convertible
• Prices
• Lead/follow investor
• Use of proceeds
• Product
• Marketing
• Sales