The five questions
Each answer is shown for our fictional hardware and IoT company, Volta Labs, which makes smart energy meters for homes. The numbers are illustrations. Swap in your own.
What does each unit cost to build at scale?
BOM ₹1,480 now · ₹1,050 at 50,000 units
Sample slide line · illustrative numbersIs there recurring revenue after the sale?
₹99/month app plan · 42% attach rate
Sample slide line · illustrative numbersWho manufactures, and what is the lead time?
Contract manufacturer in Pune · 6-week lead time
Sample slide line · illustrative numbersWhat is your return and failure rate?
0.6% field failure rate in year one
Sample slide line · illustrative numbersHow much working capital do you need?
90-day cash cycle · inventory financing in place
Sample slide line · illustrative numbersThe four numbers they check first
Before the questions, investors scan for these. Show each one by month, with dates, so the trend is easy to read.
The gap that costs hardware and IoT founders meetings
The most common gap in hardware and IoT decks is no plan for manufacturing and working capital. Fix it before you send the deck.
Know your buyer
Your customers are businesses or consumers buying connected devices. Name the first group you will win, and show why they pick you today.
Prepare the appendix
- Monthly metrics for the last 12 months
- Unit economics by customer group
- Your answer to each question above, with sources
Questions
What do investors look for in a hardware and IoT startup?
They start with these metrics: units shipped, hardware gross margin, attach rate of software or service, return and failure rate. Then they test the five questions on this page.
What is the most common gap in hardware and IoT pitch decks?
No plan for manufacturing and working capital.
Are the numbers on this page real?
No. They are illustrations for a fictional company, Volta Labs, to show what a strong answer looks like. Use your own numbers.
Can Astitva build my pitch deck?
Yes. Astitva writes your investor story from a short brief, in the order investors expect, and designs every slide in your brand. The written story is free.
Answer them before they ask
Astitva writes your investor story from a short brief, in the order investors expect, then designs every slide in your brand.
Start free with 50 credits