When you’re raising your first round, your pitch deck isn’t just a document — it’s your first chance to open doors — or quietly close them.
Most great ideas go unfunded, not because the vision isn’t strong, but because the story isn’t told clearly enough. The good news? You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Some of the world’s top venture firms have openly shared what works and we’re bringing those insights together into a simple, founder-first guide.
If you’re building your first pitch deck, this is your guide to make it effortless for investors to see your potential.
Best (Real, High-Quality) Resources for Building a Pitch Deck
We studied the most trusted guides from Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, and DocSend and summarised them into an easy-to-use guide for first-time founders.
Here’s what you should know:
1. Sequoia Capital: Writing a Business Plan
Why it’s good: Simple, founder-tested, and timeless. Even today, Sequoia’s original framework is a strong foundation for structuring your pitch deck.
Key Points:
- Problem
- Solution
- Why Now
- Market Size
- Product
- Business Model
- Competition
- Team
- Financials
- Vision
2. Y Combinator: How to Build a Great Pitch Deck
Why it’s good: Extremely tactical and to the point. Perfect for early-stage companies still finding focus.
Key Points:
- Prove your market exists and why you’re the team to win.
- Keep it to 10–12 slides.
- Focus on clarity, not fancy design.
3. DocSend Research: What Investors Actually Look At
Why it’s good: Data-backed insights based on analysis of decks sent via DocSend. This guide shows what investors actually focus on and how little time they spend reviewing.
Key Points:
- Investors spend ~3 minutes 20 seconds on average per deck.
- Simplicity and sharpness drive more investor engagement.
- The best performing decks have these first slides: Company Purpose, Problem, Solution, Market Size.
- Connectedness between slides — each idea flowing naturally into the next — keeps investors moving through your story.
The 10–12 Slides You Must Have in Your Pitch Deck
Here’s a simple checklist based on the best practices across these sources:
- Cover — Your company name + tagline + One line Purpose.
- Problem — What pain point are you solving?
- Solution — Your product/service and how it solves the problem.
- Why Now — What shift in the world makes this the right time?
- Market Size — How big is the opportunity?
- Product Demo / UX — Quick screenshots or workflows.
- Traction — Early metrics, users, or market proof (optional at pre-seed).
- Business Model — How you plan to make money.
- Competition — Your position and advantage.
- Team — Why this team can win.
- Financials (optional for pre-seed) — Burn, runway, projections.
- Vision — Where you’re headed long-term.
✨ Bonus Tips for a Winning Deck
- Less is more: Don’t overcrowd slides. One idea per slide.
- Visuals matter: Use product screenshots, graphs, other visual representation.
- Tell a story: Show the logical AND emotional reason why you win.
- Proof over promises: If you have traction, feature it early.
- Keep it moving: Each slide should naturally lead to the next.
Example Pitch Decks to Learn From
Want to see how world-changing startups started simply?
All decks are simple, focused and they opened doors.
Final Thoughts
Building a great pitch deck isn’t about impressing investors with fanciness, it’s about making it easy for them to believe:
Believe that a real problem exists.
Believe that your product matters.
Believe that you are the team to make it happen.
Use these frameworks. Keep it simple. Keep it honest.
Your story is your superpower.
You’ve got this.
(Disclaimer: This blog references publicly available resources from Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, and DocSend. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.)