What Goes in a Pitch Deck: The Financial Slides
Written by Harry Prabandham
Curated by Rubric Financial
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The Standard Pitch Deck Structure
- 10-12 slides is the sweet spot: Problem, Solution, Market, Product, Traction, Business Model, Competition, Team, Financials, The Ask
- Investors spend an average of 3-4 minutes on a pitch deck, so every slide must earn its place
- The financial slides (business model, traction, projections, the ask) are where most founders lose credibility or win conviction
- Lead with the story (problem → solution → traction), end with the numbers (financials → ask), and don't front-load spreadsheets
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About the author
Harry PrabandhamFounder & CEO
Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.
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