How to Create a VC Pitch Deck That Gets Funded

Last updated: February 2026

I spent 7 years as a Principal at a $400M European VC fund, reviewing thousands of pitch decks and writing checks to seed and Series A companies. I've seen what works and what kills your chances in the first 90 seconds.

This guide breaks down exactly what VCs look for, which slides matter, and how to structure your story so you actually get funded.

What VCs Actually Look For in Pitch Decks

VCs don't read your deck like a novel. They scan it in 90 seconds looking for five things:

1. Clear problem-solution articulation. Can you explain what you're solving and why your solution is uniquely positioned to solve it? If I have to re-read your problem slide, you've lost me.

2. Evidence of traction or validation. Do people actually want this? Early revenue, LOIs, waitlist size, user engagement metrics—anything that proves someone other than you thinks this is worth paying for.

3. Large addressable market. Is this a $100M opportunity or a $10B opportunity? VCs need to see a path to 10x returns. If your TAM is under $1B, you're going to struggle with institutional investors.

4. Credible founding team. Have you done this before? Do you have domain expertise? Can you execute? VCs bet on teams more than ideas. Show me why you're the right team to build this.

5. Defensible competitive advantage. Why won't someone bigger copy you and win? Network effects, proprietary data, regulatory moats, technical complexity—you need something that creates a barrier to entry.

If your deck doesn't clearly answer these five questions within the first few slides, you're done.

The 12 Essential Pitch Deck Slides (In Order)

Here's the structure that works. Don't get creative with the order—VCs expect this flow.

Slide 1: Cover Slide

Company name, tagline, your name and title. That's it. Your tagline should be one sentence that explains what you do. Not "Revolutionizing the future of work"—that's meaningless. Try "AI-powered contract management for legal teams."

Slide 2: Problem

What's broken? Who experiences this pain? How big is the pain? Use data or a real customer story. VCs need to viscerally understand why this problem matters.

Common mistake: Describing a solution instead of a problem. The problem slide should make me feel the pain, not explain your product.

Slide 3: Solution

How do you fix it? Keep it simple. One sentence, maybe a visual. Don't explain every feature—explain the core insight that makes your solution work.

Slide 4: Why Now

Why hasn't this been solved before? What's changed in the market, technology, or regulation that makes now the right time? This is where you show you understand market timing.

Slide 5: Market Size

TAM (Total Addressable Market), SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market), SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market). Use bottoms-up analysis, not top-down nonsense. Show me the math: number of potential customers × average deal size.

Common mistake: Using inflated TAM numbers from Gartner reports. VCs can smell this from a mile away.

Slide 6: Product

Show me what it looks like. Screenshots, demo, workflow diagram. Keep it visual. If you're pre-product, show mockups or a prototype. But don't spend three slides explaining features—one slide, high-level overview.

Slide 7: Business Model

How do you make money? SaaS, marketplace, transaction fees, licensing? What's your pricing? What are your unit economics? Be specific.

Slide 8: Traction

This is the most important slide. Revenue, users, growth rate, partnerships, pipeline, customer testimonials—anything that proves people want this. If you're pre-revenue, show LOIs, pilot customers, or waitlist numbers.

VCs fund momentum, not ideas. Show the hockey stick.

Slide 9: Go-To-Market Strategy

How will you acquire customers? What channels work? What's your CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)? What's your LTV (Lifetime Value)? If you've run experiments, share the data.

Slide 10: Competition

Who else is solving this? Be honest. Saying "we have no competition" is a red flag—it means you don't understand your market. Use a matrix or positioning map. Show why you win.

Slide 11: Team

Why are you the right people to build this? Highlight relevant experience, past exits, domain expertise, technical ability. If you have gaps (e.g., no CTO), acknowledge them and explain your plan to fill them.

Slide 12: The Ask

How much are you raising? What's your valuation (if you have one)? What will you use the money for? Be specific: "$2M seed round to hire 3 engineers and scale to $500K ARR in 12 months."

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Fundraise

I've seen these mistakes hundreds of times. They're all fixable, but most founders don't realize they're making them.

Mistake 1: Burying the lede. Your most important information should be in the first 5 slides. If I have to flip to slide 10 to understand what you do or why it matters, I've already mentally passed.

Mistake 2: Too much text. If your slides have paragraphs, I'm not reading them. One headline, 3-5 bullets max, big font. Use visuals wherever possible.

Mistake 3: No clear ask. Don't make me guess how much you're raising or what you'll do with the money. Be direct.

Mistake 4: Ignoring competition. Saying "we have no competitors" signals naivety. Every solution has alternatives, even if it's the status quo. Show me you understand the landscape and why you'll win.

Mistake 5: Weak problem slide. If I don't feel the problem, I won't care about your solution. Use a customer story, show the financial impact, make it real.

Mistake 6: Unclear differentiation. "We're better/faster/cheaper" isn't differentiation. What do you do that no one else can do? Why is it hard to replicate?

How to Tailor Your Deck for Different VC Stages

Pre-Seed / Friends & Family: Focus on problem, solution, and team. Traction is less critical—VCs at this stage are betting on you and the idea. Keep it simple: 10 slides, heavy on vision and market opportunity.

Seed: Traction becomes critical. Show early revenue, user growth, or validated demand. VCs want proof that you can execute. Emphasize your go-to-market strategy and unit economics.

Series A: You need clear evidence of product-market fit. Revenue growth, retention metrics, and a defined path to $10M ARR. VCs want to see that you've figured out the playbook and now need capital to scale.

Beyond Series A: Focus on operational excellence, market leadership, and efficient growth. Highlight key metrics: CAC/LTV ratio, gross margins, net retention, competitive moats.

What Happens After You Send Your Deck

Here's the reality of VC review timelines:

90 seconds: Initial scan. VCs decide if you're worth a deeper look.

5 minutes: If you pass the initial scan, they'll read more carefully. They're looking for red flags or reasons to pass.

15-30 minutes: If you're still interesting, they'll dig into your metrics, competition, and team backgrounds.

Meeting request: If all three stages go well, you'll get a call or meeting request. This typically happens within 1-2 weeks if they're interested. If you haven't heard back in 3 weeks, you've been passed.

Need Help Getting Your Deck VC-Ready?

Most founders spend months pitching a deck that's fundamentally broken. I can tell you in one review exactly what's blocking you from getting funded.

Or if you want hands-on help rebuilding your deck from scratch, explore my full services