Software Pitch Deck

Raising money for a software company is not the easiest thing in the world and usually these days, the software companies are already generating a profit and growing steadily. There is a rather invalid belief that with a modern and chic looking presentation that even the dumbest Startup can trick investors into writing a check. This is a fallacy touted by graphic design firms that make presentations – but its far from reality. In fact, if this has any effect whatsoever it is probably on unaccredited and unexperienced investors that has its own set of risks. This article will help you create a real software pitch deck to raise money from professional, accredited investors and funds.

When it comes to a Startup, there is one thing that determines if it will sink or swim – the value proposition. Startup companies that have a weak value proposition will receive little traction in an uphill battle because they are not producing enough ‘value’ or solving enough ‘problems’ in the market to get people to pay. For many software Startups these days, they need to either solve a problem that no other company has addressed yet or provide a significantly better solution that will skyrocket past the competition – being 10x better at the same price or 10x cheaper with the same profit margins.

Related: Avoid these 7 Pitch Deck Mistakes

The financial projections in a software Startup pitch deck are wrong. Some investors hold them to a higher regard than others and analyze the assumptions used, but they ae always wrong and not just a little – 100%. However, the more traction you have, the more you can reduce their degree of incorrectness and base them off empirical data. For instance, if you know that it costs you $20 to acquire a user and you have been operating for six months and generate and average profit of $150 per user, you can justify this. Whether people will all drop off in month seven – you don’t really know, but it may be sufficient for many investors to justify accepting the projections and even if you have sufficient assumptions, it is better than nothing.

Related: Approaching Investors for Capital

It's critical to describe how the product will be promoted and marketed to its target market. Investors will use this data to assess a company's grasp of the market and how its marketing strategy varies from that of its competitors. The size of the market and the potential magnitude of the opportunity should be included in every pitch deck template. These are metrics that must be included in successful pitch decks. Always add reputable sources and think in billions. This slide is crucial since it will influence the prospective outcome for interested investors. One of the best pitch deck examples is Airbnb's pitch deck. The Original Airbnb pitch deck example from 2009 has become an increasingly popular reference for entrepreneurs around the world. Other best pitch decks examples you can follow are the Facebook pitch deck, Uber pitch deck, and intercom pitch deck.