pitch deck Archives - Startup Economist

Why Incubators Make You Practice the Pitch: Founder First Impressions Send the Loudest Message

Tuesday, 16 September 2025 by Paul O'Brien

With the fall season of cohorts starting, I’m reminded that most founders will be asking of advisors why there is so much emphasis on practicing the elevator pitch. In every cohort I’ve mentored, a founder invariably raises their hand and asks why so much time is spent on the 60 seconds, with a look in

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

3 Comments

The GTM Slide is Broken: Here’s How to Fix It

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 by Paul O'Brien

The Go To Market Slide (GTM), is the most misunderstood, misused, and mangled slide in the entire startup pitch deck. It’s like the appendix of a pitch; everyone includes it, nobody knows exactly why, and when it bursts, the whole body of your presentation goes septic. Every founder knows they need one. Almost no one

go to market marketing pitch deck pitching slides

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

45 Comments

A Startup Pitch is NOT a Sales Pitch!

Monday, 24 October 2022 by Paul O'Brien

More than half the pitches I heard this past week went like this, and I want to share this to stress how significantly you should understand how this is NOT a good pitch if you need investors: 1. This is our solution2. This is how it works and all our great features3. We’ve sold it

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Published in Raising Capital

72 Comments

A Competition Slide that Closes Capital

Wednesday, 25 November 2020 by Paul O'Brien

I was asked recently if Facebook and Google are competitors, and the question being asked, struck me with as much alarm as hearing a startup founder say they don’t have competitors. What most frequently gives an investor pause is a slide in a pitch deck that communicates that you’re not paying attention to your market and

advice advisors competitive advantage competitive analysis failure marketing mistakes pitch deck startups

Published in Raising Capital

4 Comments

The 2 Slide Startup Pitch Deck

Monday, 29 June 2020 by Paul O'Brien

Can we connect with investors in 2 slides? It’s said that at the earliest stage, investors are looking for the right people, validation, and a market opportunity but as pitch coaches, advisors, and incubators focus on the merit of the elevator pitch or the perfect email, does it not make sense that the pitch deck

funding fundraising pitch deck slides

Published in Raising Capital, Startups

53 Comments

Is the Perfect Pitch Deck Far From Perfect?

Wednesday, 17 August 2016 by Paul O'Brien

A challenge of the premise behind the famous 10 slides; as you prepare to take the stage to pitch, think about how the idea of an elevator pitch (what you say in 30 seconds or less to convince your audience to listen further) factors in. Generally speaking, if you don’t close a deal in the first 3

funding fundraising pitch deck slides

Published in Startups

31 Comments

Startup Pitch Slide Tips You Never Hear

Sunday, 07 August 2016 by Paul O'Brien

What Not to Do with Startup Pitch Slides

Pitch deck slides abound and invariably you’re reading the same article over and over again about how you need 10 pitch slides starting with the Problem Solution and ending with the Ask. If you’re struggling to get started with your deck, do a google search for the 10 Pitch Deck Slides and you’ll get more

fund raising fundraising pitch deck pitch slides pitching slides

Published in Startups

7 Comments