Use a Startup Pitch Deck to Create Your Team's Template to Success

In order to develop the perfect startup pitch, you need to start by asking the right startup pitch questions. Startups that follow a template with these 10 questions are better able to drive a successful business and innovation strategy. These questions can also be used by corporate ventures teams to evaluate a new venture or startup.

Here are the most important things to look for when evaluating a startup pitch (or that can be used as a guide to create a high-power presentation if you need to create a pitch for a new business concept):

1. The Big Idea – What’s the big idea, big vision, or disruption that will be achieved?
2. Target Market – Is the target customer or market clearly defined? Is it a large and growing future market?
3. Problem or Need – Is the problem or need big and significant? Is the customer pain-point clear and undeniable?
4. 10x Solution – Does the solution provide a true 10x+ step-change (better, faster, cheaper, etc.)?
5. Business Model – Is there a compelling business model that shows how value will be created and driven over time?
6. Minimal Viable Product (MVP) – Has the MVP tested key assumptions that clearly validate the opportunity?
7. Competitive Advantage – Is the competition understood and does the value proposition show clear differentiation?
8. Financials – Is the financial model clear (costs, required investments, time to breakeven, growth rates, etc.)?
9. Strategic Fit – Does the idea significantly advance the organization’s business strategy?
10. The Ask – Does the request for funding or other “asks” make sense?

Innovation teams from big companies who are looking for a technology or company to invest in, to pilot a project with, or to possibly acquire will be looking for answers to these questions. There are a lot of great examples of pitches out there that include many of these elements. Sometimes the difference between what seems like a good idea and a truly great one is how well it’s framed and communicated.

Whatever side of the table you’re on, disruptive innovators want the same thing: a big idea that solves a big problem that changes the world. A good pitch shows what’s possible and how it could actually become reality.

A Startup Pitch Deck is usually given in the form of a slide presentation or a written document. As such, it requires document or presentation software. In order to identify the needs that the proposed project or task will fulfill, consider conducting a gap analysis or SWOT analysis. A cost-benefit analysis is also recommended to identify potential risks and rewards of the proposed project. Get started by using Praxie’s Startup Pitch Deck template. 

How to use it:

1. Use your analyses to answer the questions in the deck
2. Analyze the results – what is the data telling you?
3. Create eye-catching slides with the data you uncover

Unlike most traditional Startup Pitch Deck techniques, Praxie’s Startup Pitch Deck template allows any team or organization to instantly begin working collaboratively.