Best Startup Pitch & Example in 2019 [Sales Knowledge]

Earlier we covered the topic of a sales pitch, explaining what it is, how its work and gave some examples of great pitches. In this article we are also covering pitch, but slightly different. Startup pitch or investment pitch is on the first page today. In the paragraphs below, you will find the basic information about them and also some examples, like in the earlier article. Are you ready? 1. Introduction

So, you are on the stage of planning your startup or business. Of course, we all know that any business needs investment because you can’t start any, even the best ones without sufficient funds. To achieve that you need to find investors who will believe in your ideas and your company. But how can you convince them? What can you show or tell them to prove your vision is worth putting money in? And here comes the startup/investment pitch. In this article we will describe:

differences between startup pitches and sales pitches,
what is pitch deck and how it works,
basic rules of creating a good pitch deck,
examples of great decks you can use as a base for your own deck. We gathered this knowledge from various sources that are listed on the end of the article and combined it into one, huge guide to save your time. Let the information flow! 2. Startup Pitch vs Sales Pitch: What’s the difference?

We’re not gonna lie – there are a lot off significant differences between these two. We will show it in sort of side by side comparison.

2.1 Target

Startup Pitch is usually directed towards investors when the target of the sales pitch is a customer. This requires to change its shape, form, and delivery, which is the cause why these type of pitches differentiate so much. Basically, startup pitch is more about your idea and what you want to do with it and how you do expect to make a profit from it. The sales pitch is more about the product alone, and during the startup pitch, we don’t pay that much attention to the details of the product.

2.2 Describing company instead of product

As we said above you are talking about your firm and it’s potential, describing how it will make money and how well it fits into the investor’s portfolio. This is happening because in business investors are more interested in the size of benefits they can get from a single company, than what the company produces and how it can change the life of a single person.

2.3 The form of pitch

This is one of the biggest difference between these two: the form of pitch and delivery. When you are doing sales pitch you try to gain the first impression as fast as you can and describe your product as fast as you can. However, in startup pitches, we frequently experience the pitch deck. Pitch deck is a kind of presentation in digital or paper form. Your audience can listen to you while you show them perfectly prepared and designed slides with the core information on them. In the latter paragraph, we will describe a pitch deck wider.

2.4 Delivery of pitch

While sales pitch is usually delivered verbally only, during the formal or informal speech and dialogue with the customer. The startup pitch can be delivered via presentation, company demo or verbally, with the first option picked usually. What is great about the startup pitch delivery you don’t need to arrange a meetup with investors – you can simply email them with your ready to go presentation. Delivery opportunities for startup pitch are definitely wider than a sales pitch.

2.5 When it is necessary

The sales pitch is used in a more informal, more human way, in a situation when you are selling your product. Startup pitch is far more complicated and you are moving slowly in stages of the pitch to impress your investors and make them sure that your company is worthy. These five points are the most crucial differences between sales and startup pitch. As we can see the most of them depends on the first one: different targeting. If you want to achieve success with your pitch you definitely need to know what you are going to face. If you want to know more about the sales pitch, read this article: Best Sales Pitch & Example in 2019 [Sales Knowledge] 3. Good pitch deck: how to build one?

Well, it can be easier than you think it is. There are some static elements that are built in every pitch deck, and we are going to show them to you. With this guide, everything should be easier to understand. We put the rules of the pitch deck down here, so you can gain useful knowledge faster.

Tools – the first decision you need to make is which tool you should use to create a good pitch. There are some AIO tools like Slidebean, that allows you to create your own sales pitch much easier. Do not use MS-Paint or something similar. These programs can cause damage instead of investment when it comes to design and usability. Try to use something powerful instead.
Content – what you put inside your pitch deck depends on your company, it’s profile and your ideas. But, there is some kind of structure that applies to every startup pitch: 1. First page (or cover) that makes the first impression and briefly introduce the investors to the topic. 2. Problem description, where you present the outcomes of your research about the particular issue. 3. Presenting a solution, which is the moment when you show your ideas and how they can help to overcome the problem mentioned earlier 4. Product presentation, the part of the presentation when you show the actual, functioning product in action. It can be done by viewing a video or presenting the product itself. 5. Market size – you need to show some raw data in here to prove that your idea will fit the market and will have buyers. 6. Business model – you show your ideas about how you see the company will operate. 7. Competition – again, some data from your research but this time you need to show your competitors on the market. This is also one of the most key moments of your presentation because potential investors will see if you are ambitious and try to do something new, that will provide a stable income. 8. Special features – the second one most important point of the pitch deck. This is the moment when you are telling investors why your product is different and better than competing ones. 9. Team presentation – a description of the most important people in the company, CEO, and director board. Remember to tell only about the key people, because investors don’t want to listen to your staff. 10. What you’ve achieved to this moment – when you are showing what your company has done, what awards you have got, how huge is your customer base, numbers, stats and more highly recommended here. There is also one self-explanatory point of Fundraising information, but it is not necessary to form the perfect pitch deck. But these 10 points above are so remembered them and watch out to include everything in your presentation.
Form and delivery – there is no secret here: you need to use formal language as you are talking with the investors, but your pitch deck should be written in easy to understand language. this means you need to avoid the “wall of text” and pay extra attention to what is on your slides. Try to shorten everything to the necessary minimum, provide raw, specific information that your investor and understand, so don’t use any specialist jargon or something like that. When you are delivering your pitch in front of the audience try to be as professional as you can, but don’t be uptight. Mask your stress with humor, and show that you are trustworthy, and investing in your idea is a bullseye. We are now know how to create the perfect startup pitch deck, which means that we can now go forward and see some good examples that won the investors immediately. 4. Examples of good startup pitches that worked --

4.1 AirBnB

AirBnB Pitch Deck from Malcolm Lewis Series F / 2008 / 4.5 billion USD (2017) Airbnb is a global resort service broker. The company allows offering and rent a property between members. Airbnb is only a broker and doesn’t own any of real estate. Company headquarter is in San Francisco, US, and present CEO is Brian Chesky, which accompanies Airbnb from the beginning. Website: http://www.airbnb.com/

4.2 Vidlet – VidCaster

VidCaster from 500 Startups Series A / 2010 / 2.5 million USD (2018) Vidlet, VidCaster previously is a service which is checks users needs and relevant behavior, contextual factors, and emotion about some products. Company poses questions and activities to the research participants from anywhere in the world. Members can easily and quickly answer these questions. Headquarter is in San Francisco, US, and CEO is Violet Lim. Website: https://www.vidlet.com/

4.3 SEO Moz

SEOmoz Pitch Deck July 2011 from Rand Fishkin Series C / 2004 / 29.1 million USD (2019) Moz is a software which shares teaching aids, tools, and tutorials to learn marketing. The software follows all marketing activities both in search engine and social media, which helps competitors in better marketing. Current CEO is Sarah Bird and Rand Fishkin, and headquarter is located in Seattle, US. Website: https://moz.com

4.4 Mint

Mint.com Pre-Launch Pitch Deck from Hiten Shah Active / 2005 / 31.8 million USD (2018) Mint is free, internet service of finance management for USA and Canada, which enable to follow balances of bank accounts, credit card, investment and transactions with one, clear interface. Additionally, service makes possible to create a budget and setting financial goals. Headquarter is placed in Mountain View, US, and is directed by founders Aron Patzer. Website: https://www.mint.com/

4.5 Match Box (Tinder)

Tinder Pitch Deck from Ryan Gum Active / 2012 / 3.7 million USD (2018) Tinder, Match Box previously, is a mobile application to meeting new people, getting friendships and love in a user-defined area using GPS technology. App connects to the Facebook account by sharing photos and age of user what helps service to match the best personalities. Company’s CEO is Greg Blatt and headquarter is in Dallas, US. Website: https://tinder.com

4.6 Intercom

Intercom’s first pitch deck! from Eoghan McCabe Series D / 2011 / 240.8 million USD (2018) Intercom is a company, which develops customer service platform for web companies. Service allows to real-time conference with customers or sending a personal message for website visitors or mobile app members. Platform ensures analytic function to optimize conversation by messages metric. Intercom is directed by founders Eoghan McCabe, and headquarter is based in San Francisco, US. Website: https://intercom.com

4.7 LaunchRock

LaunchRock from 500 Startups Active / 2011 / 800 tysięcy USD (2018) LaunchRock helps startups and small businesses to get on quick growth way. Team deals with a practical approach to helps companies understood the startup process and getting traction — from website creation to marketing. Company based in San Francisco, US and CEO is Jameson Detweiler. Website: https://www.launchrock.com

4.8 Mixpanel

Mixpanel – Our pitch deck that we used to raise $65M from Suhail Doshi Series B / 2009 / 77 million USD (2019) Mixpanel provides services in the field of business analysis. Service follow users interactions with web and mobile applications and offers tools to targeted communications with them. Mixpanel provides a plan of engagement, including the function of analyzing visitors and specific users. CEO of the company is Amir Movafaghi, and headquarter is placed in San Francisco, US. Website: https://www.mixpanel.com/

4.9 Mattermark

Mattermark 2nd (Final) Series A Deck from Danielle Morrill Series B / 2013 / 17.2 million USD (2018) Matterrmark is a data platform for companies which collect and organize comprehensive information about the fastest growing companies on the World. Platform follows all of the growth signals including web and mobile activity, downloading, incoming links, employers and social media. Company delivers information about capital, funds, helps in leads generate for sales and business development specialists, and delivers information about mergers. CEO is one of founders Danielle Morrill, and headquarter is based in San Francisco, US. Website: http://mattermark.com

4.10 Buffer

The slide deck we used to raise half a million dollars from Buffer Series A / 2010 / 3.9 million USD (2018) Buffer is an intermediary platform in social media management. The software allows members to schedule the post publishing, get involved in multimedia and create their own content. Buffer mainly serves sellers and agencies. Basic founders and current CEO is Joel Gascoigne, and headquarter is placed in San Francisco, US. Website: https://buffer.com

4.11 The We Company – WeWork

WeWork pitch deck from Alexander Jarvis Series G / 2010 / 13.6 billion USD (2019) The We Company, WeWork previously, is a provider of workspace for social, startups and services, business, or freelancers. The company offers office space with improvements and services like fast network connection or office device which enable cooperation and exchange of experience. Website: http://www.wework.com

4.12 Square

Square Pitch Deck from Vishal Kumar Active / 2009 / 30.2 billion USD (2019) Square is financial service, commercial service aggregator and broker with mobile payments. Full service includes every seller tools for all of the parts of doing business — accepting cards and follow sale. Another company’s service includes mobile transactions and pre-ordering drinks and food service. Jack Dorsey is a current CEO of Square which headquarter is in San Francisco, US. Website: https://squareup.com

4.13 Buzzfeed

BuzzFeed Pitch Deck from Tech in Asia ID Series G / 2006 / 497 million USD (2019) Buzzfeed is a news and social entertainment company focusing on digital media and technology. The company delivers the freshest information, original reports, entertainment and video on the social web. Buzzfeed is managing by Jonah Peretti, and headquarter is based in New York, US. Website: http://www.buzzfeed.com

4.14 Foursquare

Foursquare’s 1st Pitch Deck from Rami Al-Karmi Series F / 2009 / 240.4 million USD (2019) Foursquare deals with using location intelligence to build significant customer experience and business decision-making. Application helping in discover a new place by social recommendation and ensure advertisers ways to connect with the recipient. CEO is Jeff Glueck, and headquarter is placed in New York, US. Website: http://foursquare.com/

4.15 Thrive Global

Thrive global pitch deck from Alexander Jarvis Series B / 2016 / 37 million USD (2018) Thrive Global is a corporate and consumer platform operator, which offers training, seminars, e-learning, coaching, and ongoing support based on scientific discoveries, related to ensuring well-being and changes of a way that people work and life. Headquarter is in New York, US, and CEO is one of the founders, Arianna Huffington. Website: https://www.thriveglobal.com

4.16 Pendo

Pendo Series B Investor Deck External from Todd Olson Series D / 2013 / 107 million USD (2018) Pendo is a product cloud, which provides insight into users data, tips for members and communication between them and the digital products team. Service helps understood usage of the product, collect review, measure NPS and announce new functions in an application. Headquarter of Pendo is based in Raleigh, US, and CEO is Todd Olson. Website: http://pendo.io

4.17 Slidebean

500 Startups Seed / 2014 / 1.1 million USD (2017) Slidebean is a free tool allowing the creation of advanced presentations. Service strove to become the more efficient alternative of typical software like PowerPoint. Innovative software split up content and slide project, which allows focusing on the most important things and at the same time, it deals with everything else automatically. One of the founders and current CEO is Jose ‘Caya’ Cayasso, whereas headquarter of the company placed in Bowling Green, US. Website: http://slidebean.com

4.18 AppVirality

AppVirality.com – Investor Pitch Deck from Laxman Papineni Seed / 2014 / 1.5 million USD (2015) AppVirality is a Plug and Play Growth Hack toolset for mobile apps. Service helps creators identify and implement proper growth techniques. No coding required simple SDK interventions and Do It Yourself dashboard to manage everything. AppVirality makes A / B tests and delivers significant data to optimize the techniques and increase the number of application downloads and user involvement. Headquarter is based in Philadelphia, US, and CEO is one of the founders Laxman Papineni. Website: http://www.appvirality.com

4.19 Ad Pushup

AdPushup Fundraising Deck – First Pitch from AdPushup Seed / 2014 / 632 thousand USD (2019) AdPushup ensures optimization and automatic A /B testing solutions in increase advertising revenue on the site. Company founders are Atul Agarwal and Ankit Oberoi, and headquarter is in Delhi, IN. Website: http://adpushup.com

4.20 Groupon

Groupon IPO Roadshow from iChinaStock IPO / 2008 / 2.1 billion (2019) Groupon allows you to purchase discounts for gift vouchers in various types of companies. It is an e-commerce platform, which provides to buy everything, offers customer extensive trade — from the possibility of discovering a new place to finding selected electronics, or home furnishings. Headquarter placed in Chicago, US, And CEO is Rich Williams. Website: http://www.groupon.com

4.21 AlfredCamera

500 Startups Seed / 2014 / 5.07 billion USD(2019) Alfred Camera is a mobile application, which allows users to use mobile devices as security cameras. Allows monitoring of any place, for example, home and surroundings. The application offers wireless connecting, motion detector, flashlight, night vision and book of events. Founder and CEO is Alex Song, and headquarter is in San Francisco, US. Website: https://alfred.camera/

4.22 Copper Cow Coffee

Copper Cow Coffee: 500 Demo Day Batch 23 from 500 Startups Seed / 2017 / 3 million (2019) Copper Cow Caffee is Vietnamese coffee provider company. The company offers coffee set, which includes disposable, biodegradable overflow filter filled with Vietnamese coffee and a possible sachet of condensed milk. Whatever company offers tea set too. Headquarter based in Los Angeles, US, and is managing by founder Debbie Mullin. Website: https://coppercowcoffee.com

4.23 ChangeJar

500 Demo Day Batch 19: ChangeJar from 500 Startups Seed / 2014 / 650 milliion USD (2019) Change Jar is a company which supports mobile payments, with special emphasis on mobile cash. Unlike other suppliers, the platform doesn’t require a credit card or bank account. Users can collect change values from physical cash transactions and then use them for mobile payments, tipping, and social giving. Company headquarter is located in Ottawa, CA, and the CEO is the founder of Tom Camps. Website: http://www.changejar.com 5. Summary

Numerous companies use pitch deck to acquire partners and get better growth start, most of them achieved great success and function to this day. In the overall, the Pitch Deck is a form of presentation that really helps and create an opportunity to quickly develop any company. The creation of good pitch maybe not as easy as it may look, but we can definitely recommend it because it is worthy. Speaking of opportunities we can also recommend you get a database of potential investors or customers which will definitely boost your work, and save your time. Here in Datantify, we prepare customized databases with data that our customers are interested in. Sorted, clear, easy to use and well balanced, as all things should be :). If you are looking for more information about startup pitches, please use the sources section below to achieve more knowledge. We hope that our article will be useful for you, and will help you in achieving success. Thank you for your attention and time, and see you in the next one.

30 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks And What You Can Learn From Them https://www.cirrusinsight.com/blog/startup-pitch-decks http://www.pitchenvy.io/view/mwabu-edtech-pitch-deck https://slidebean.com/blog/startups-pitch-deck-examples https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-key-differences-between-pitching-to-sell-a-product-vs-pitching-to-raise-capital-for-your-startup https://www.startupgrind.com/blog/the-difference-between-pitching-an-idea-vs-pitching-a-product/