The template
Use this template to begin crafting the presentation and
pitch around your venture. Feel free to augment, rearrange, etc... but this is the general outline most investors
are expecting to see so stray at your own risk. The font is
30pt for a reason: be concise.
The purpose of this template is to get people interested so
they want to learn more. It’s to get the next “meeting” just
like a resume gets you an interview. It allows you to quickly
communicate to and learn from your audience.
Try to avoid filling your slides with too much text – people
won’t have time to read it (or be able to read it if you are
forced to use small fonts) and the presentation is about what
you say. Either way, keep it simple.
Other tips:
* One slide per topic; don’t mix topics on a single slide;
don’t repeat yourself, you don’t have time
* Don’t make people read or think– if you do they are not
listening to you, so, again, keep it very simple.
* A person should be able to get a snapshot from your slide
in 5 seconds and then listen to you.
*Use the heading of each slide to convey something real,
e.g., what you want the person to conclude from the slide.
Try to use images where possible to convey your message.
Slides
• Title Slide
• Introduction (elevator
pitch)
• Problem & Solution
• Sales & Marketing
• Business Model and Pricing
• Technology
• Competition
• Revenue Projections
• Team
• Funding & Milestones
• Summary & Next Steps
1
[your company here]
your contact information here
The introduction
Elevator pitch
In approximately 50 words or less, describe
what the company does, for whom, and
why it’s important (i.e., valuable to that
customer).
You can also very briefly mention any
significant accomplishments/milestones reached
so far, e.g. have license to patent, proof of
concept completed, prototype completed, tested
with name brand customers, etc. This can attract
interest for the remainder of the presentation.
3
The Problem & Value Proposition
The Problem & Solution
On this page, describe the customer and
their problem (“pain”) in as clear and
compelling language possible.
Demonstrate you know the market and customer:
How much money/pain is the current problem
costing the customer? How much would they
save/make by using your solution?
Also on this page, describe your solution in as
clear and compelling language possible. Talk
about the benefits of the solution to the customer
(not the technical features) and how it provides
value based on the problem you’ve identified.
Convince people it is a “must have”, not
“like to have” solution.
4
The Market
The market and sales
On this page, describe the particular market
segments you are pursuing and identify which you
will pursue first. The first one is most important; if it is
not successful you may not have the opportunity
(resources) to attack the others. Concentrate on talking
about this – it should make the business.
(A pie chart can be useful to show segments and size.)
Who is the customer?
What is the size and growth of this segment.
5
Business Model and Pricing
The business model
Describe how your company will make
money solving the customer’s problem.
Who will pay for the solution? How will they pay
(per unit, subscription, transaction fee,
advertising, etc...)
Describe your pricing structure and how much you
expect to generate in revenue from each customer.
6
The Technology
The technology
On this page, describe how your solution
works (without revealing any enabling
information and definitely in language a
non-technical investor/advisor would
understand). What makes this solution
effective, unique, and/or defensible from
competitors?
Why is it robust and scalable?
Why is it difficult to duplicate?
Why does it translate into a sustainable
business model?
Is there any IP protection?
7
Getting To The Market
Go to Market Stratgy
Describe how you will get to your first market segment:
What kind of distribution: direct, channel, distributors,
representative, partners?
How will you launch the product: quietly to a few to
establish a beachhead, quickly to gather market share
(e.g., eyeballs are key to many web based companies with
advertizing business models) ?
What kind of communications (advertising, PR,
promotions, web site)?
8
Competitive Landscape
Your
Company
Feature 1
Feature 2



Company 1
Company 2

Feature n




The Competition

List any direct competitors as well as competing
alternatives (including the status quo). Do your
research here. Who are they? List them. What makes you
different? Describe it! What gives the company an
advantage? Describe it too!
Company n

Depending on the product and competitors it is sometimes
easier
in terms
 to depict the competitive landscape

 of
specific features that add substantial value compared to
your competitors. This can be shown easily by careful
consideration to the row and column headings in the
illustrated table.
9
Revenue Projections
Revenue Projections
A simple table that identifies some of the key
metrics of the business (revenue, net income,
customers, headcount) and financial information
with measurements of financial progress (revenue,
gross profit and net profit).
Year 1
Year 2
$ 60
$ 401
net income
$ -325
$ -858
customers
5
13
revenue
(000)
headcount
** All $ are in 000
10
14
People often use EBITDA (earnings before
deducting of interest, tax, depreciation, and
amortization expenses) in place of Net Income
because
include
Year
3 it doesn’tYear
4 these deductions
Year 5 and
thus is a better view into the mechanics of the
business (and not the taxes).
$ 1,555
$ 2,401
$ 3,000
A key value of this table is that it reflects how
much money the company will need and how
$ -85 it will make,
$ and
-625how other $key
-1,500
much
metrics (like
customers or employees) line up with the
financials.
30
40
43
Revenue should be in line with your vision. In
15 words, don’t tell
27 investors it’s conservative
34
other
–
it always get sniggers.
When net income (or EBITDA) turns positive, you
can also describe it as a percentage of revenue.
Most investors will be making this calculation in
their heads anyway.
10
The Team
The team
On this page, describe your current (and
planned) management team and
advisors. Most importantly, describe the
accomplishments of the founders that are
meaningful to the venture, and expected
accomplishments that future members can
hang their hat on. It is more to know what
people have succeeded in, than the years they
have been doing it. Be realistic, and be ready
to ask for help in identifying the right people
to fill out the team.
Advisory boards and outside directors are
important to establish your credibility and
connections; but convince people they really
contribute and are not their in name only.
Also, be wary of too many names that the
audience does not relate to – it just takes up
time you don’t have.
Acknowledge shortcomings and interim
solutions.
11
Funding & Milestones Funding & Milestones
This is the essence of your financing plan. Raising funds,
whether by grant or from investors, is about meeting
milestones that increase the value of the company. Each
milestone should be set, then reached, so that it is
compelling enough to inspire the next round of money.
• Proof of Concept – 6 months
• SBIR Phase 1, $75K
Typical milestones might be:
•Completing a prototype
•Getting a first customer
•Scaling Marketing/Distribution to extend reach having
proven the business model/market/need
•Cash flow break even
• Build Prototype – 12 months
• SBIR Phase 2, $750K
Here you don’t need to cover every milestone, just the one
for now and the next one plus an estimate of how much
you need to raise eventually to become self sufficient –
cash flow break even.
• Angel Round – 6 months, $500K
Associated with each milestone you’ll need a certain
• Get 2 Reference Beachhead
Customers
amount of investment/grant
money. Always try for 20%
to 50% more than you think you need since 1) your
environment (customers, vendors) will never allow you to
move as fast as you project, and/or 2) you’ll have some
unanticipated internal stumbling blocks somewhere.
Sure you may give up more equity, but that has less risk
than failing to meet a milestone and then trying to get
more money!
• $7.5MM needed to reach cash flow break
even
12
Summary and Next Steps
Summary and Ask
Summarize your venture and status, and
be clear in what you are asking for from
this audience. If you are pitching to investors,
tell them again what funding you need now and
whether it is for equity or a convertible note. If
you are pitching to potential advisors or
employees – be clear about what you’re asking of
them.
your contact
information here
13