Build Your Pre-Seed Pitch Deck that Secures Funding!

Pressed funding unlocked

Building a Pre-Seed Pitch Deck: A Step-by-Step Guide for Early-Stage Founders

Are you an engineer or an early-stage founder looking to build your first startup? Join the Zero to Millions Club—a community of innovators helping each other navigate the complexities of building a company from scratch. In today’s competitive landscape, securing pre-seed funding has become increasingly sophisticated, with investors paying close attention to the details of your pitch deck.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through a step-by-step process for building a successful pre-seed pitch deck, along with practical tips on how to stand out from the crowd. We’ll also explain the most important sections, the time investors spend on each, and provide design tips to help you capture attention.

What is a Pre-Seed Pitch Deck?

A pre-seed pitch deck is a powerful presentation designed to articulate your startup’s vision, value proposition, and business potential to potential investors. Think of it as your startup’s first official introduction to investors, serving two main purposes:

1. Capture Investor Interest: It makes your startup stand out, compelling investors to want to learn more.

2. Secure Early-Stage Funding: The ultimate goal is to convince investors to invest in your startup and provide the capital you need to launch.

As investors become more discerning, your pre-seed pitch deck needs to reflect your product’s readiness, showcase the team’s strength, and highlight market potential. Investors, on average, spend about four minutes and 10 seconds reviewing pre-seed pitch decks—making it critical to create a pitch that grabs attention quickly.

What Goes Inside a Pre-Seed Pitch Deck?

Let’s walk through the essential sections of a pre-seed pitch deck and how long investors typically spend on each part. These sections form the backbone of your pitch and can make or break your chances of securing funding.

1. Startup's Purpose

The first slide should offer a clear, one-sentence explanation of your company’s goal. Keep it simple and memorable.

• Avoid: Grandiose or overly complicated vision statements.

• Time Investors Spend: 33 seconds

• Length: 1 page

2. Problem Statement

Clearly define the specific problem your company is solving. The goal here is to make the problem relatable to investors, regardless of their technical background.

• Avoid: Long-winded descriptions or overly technical jargon.

• Time Investors Spend: 39 seconds

• Length: 1-2 pages

3. Solution

This section highlights how your company plans to solve the problem. Keep the description of your solution at a high level, focusing on what makes it unique.

• Avoid: Diving too deep into product details.

• Time Investors Spend: 27 seconds

• Length: 1-2 pages

4. Why Now?

If applicable, describe why now is the right time for your solution, referencing current market conditions or emerging trends (e.g., climate change, COVID-19).

• Avoid: Adding this section if there’s no specific timeliness to your solution.

• Time Investors Spend: 38 seconds

• Length: 1 page

5. Product

This is where you showcase your product in greater detail. Include wireframes, screenshots, or mockups to demonstrate its capabilities.

• Avoid: Being vague. Investors want to see how your product will solve the problem.

• Time Investors Spend: 77 seconds

• Length: 3-4 pages

6. Market Size

This section defines the target customer and market opportunity (TAM, SAM, SOM). Show that the problem you’re solving has a large, addressable market.

• Avoid: Understating your market’s potential.

• Time Investors Spend: 39 seconds

• Length: 1 page

7. Team

Introduce your founding team and their relevant expertise. Investors want to see the people behind the idea and whether they have the skills to execute it.

• Avoid: Overloading this section with unnecessary details.

• Time Investors Spend: 46 seconds

• Length: 1-2 pages

8. Business Model

Explain how your startup plans to make money. This should be a clear articulation of your monetization strategy and go-to-market plan.

• Avoid: Relying on vague ideas without a solid plan for generating revenue.

• Time Investors Spend: 83 seconds

• Length: 2-3 pages

9. Traction

Show any early success your startup has achieved—whether it’s user signups, customer testimonials, or partnerships.

• Avoid: Skipping this section just because your traction is limited. Show any early indicators of success.

• Time Investors Spend: 37 seconds

• Length: 1-4 pages

10. Financials (Optional)

Provide high-level financial projections or details about your burn rate. This section isn’t always necessary at the pre-seed stage but can strengthen your pitch if you have strategic spending to show.

• Avoid: Overcomplicating the numbers. Keep it simple.

• Time Investors Spend: 40 seconds

• Length: 1-2 pages

11. Competition

Explain your competitive landscape and how your product is differentiated from others. This section is crucial for showing investors that you understand your competitors.

• Avoid: Comparing your startup to massive companies like Facebook or Google.

• Time Investors Spend: 55 seconds

• Length: 1 page

12. Fundraising Ask

The final section should specify how much funding you’re asking for and how you plan to use it. Make sure your ask aligns with your startup’s current needs and future plans.

• Avoid: Being vague. Be specific about where the funds will go (e.g., product development, marketing, hiring).

• Time Investors Spend: 40 seconds

• Length: 1 page

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Pre-Seed Pitch Deck

Now that you know what goes into a pitch deck, let’s break down the process step-by-step:

Step 1: Start with a Clear Company Purpose

Write a concise, one-sentence company purpose. Test this on various audiences to ensure clarity.

Step 2: Define the Problem

Identify a relatable and understandable problem. Use simple language that resonates with both technical and non-technical audiences.

Step 3: Develop the Solution

Focus on how your solution is unique and innovative. Show how it addresses the problem effectively.

Step 4: Explain Why Now

If your solution is timely, explain the market conditions that make now the right time to launch.

Step 5: Showcase the Product

Provide visual evidence of your product, whether it’s wireframes or prototypes, to demonstrate readiness.

Step 6: Identify Market Size

Use TAM, SAM, SOM to provide a comprehensive analysis of the market opportunity.

Step 7: Introduce Your Team

Showcase the relevant skills and experience of your founding team. Use pictures, bios, and key accomplishments.

Step 8: Create a Clear Business Model

Explain how your startup will generate revenue and scale over time.

Step 9: Highlight Traction

Show any early successes, such as customer testimonials, partnerships, or letters of intent.

Step 10: Add Financials (Optional)

If relevant, provide high-level financials, including projections or burn rate details.

Step 11: Analyze Competition

Explain how your product is different from competitors at a similar stage.

Step 12: Fundraising Ask

Be transparent about how much funding you need and how you plan to use it.

Final Tips for a Winning Pre-Seed Pitch Deck

• Consistency: Ensure consistent design and formatting across all slides.

• Visual Appeal: Use visuals, images, and charts to make your deck engaging.

• Clarity: Keep the language simple and avoid jargon. Investors should be able to understand your pitch without confusion.

Conclusion: Don’t Leave Your Fundraising to Chance

A pre-seed pitch deck is your first opportunity to make a lasting impression on investors. By following this step-by-step guide, you can create a deck that captures attention, demonstrates your product’s readiness, and gives your startup a competitive edge in today’s market.

Join the Zero to Millions Club and connect with other founders and engineers working toward building successful startups. Don’t wait—build your pre-seed pitch deck today and get one step closer to securing your first investment.