Based on reading 1000’s of startup decks and pitching startups myself, here are my top learnings.

Generic (boring) deck format.

The pitch deck is essentially a sales presentation for your idea. Usually, the structure of pitchdecks as taught by startup coaches and experts as a list of slides in a predetermined order: Problem, Solution, Market opportunity, Offer, Business model, Forecast, Team, and Ask. Even though these contents are essential, as a reader or listener you mainly want to be incited to learn more. Why not start with the most exciting and then explain how you reached there and what you want to do? In some cases, one slide might do!

Fluffy language, with generic buzzwords. 

As a recipient of a pitch, the quicker I understand what you do, the easier I can judge your business potential. Avoid words like “platform” or “system”, or expressions like “revolutionizing” or “game changer”. Explain what you do in simple straight terms. Understand that e.g. “AI” is an enabling tech just like the internet, cloud computing or 5G, using the term out of context (maybe just to hype your business) makes you lose credibility.

Assumptions are not anchored. 

On what do you base your business idea? If I struggle to understand if there is concrete evidence of the opportunity, I will doubt any forecast or plan presented in the pitch. If you’re still early stage, testimonials, market research, Letters of Intent or Conditional Purchase Orders may do. Better is to demonstrate real traction, and extrapolate your potential from that.

Lack of business focus. 

As a recipient, I expect you to know where you want to drive your business. Founders see many areas of opportunity and then choose to present all of them, probably expecting this emphasizes the tremendous potential. With limited resources you cannot succeed with B2C AND B2B, or hardware, licensing AND services. One business model is difficult enough to succeed, don’t claim you can do several in parallel, even though it positions you in a hot spot. And don’t listen to investors who ask “have you thought of doing this?” and then never invest.

Too much detail in numbers. 

The only purpose you show numbers in a pitch is to strengthen your case. Forecasts based on rough assumptions should remain rough, this demonstrates you understand uncertainty. Avoid decimals and tables. In most cases, it is sufficient to describe operating costs, costs of goods sold, and cost of sales at macro level.