- Investors spend only a few minutes per deck[1], so clarity beats completeness.
- The biggest misses: a vague opening, a market with no maths, undated traction and "no competitors".
- Use the order investors expect[2] and keep 10 to 15 slides.
- Each sector has its own extra pitfalls; see the industry guides.
Why small mistakes cost so much
Investors read decks fast. DocSend found average review time fell to under three minutes in 2022[1]. In that time, one confusing slide can be enough for a reader to stop. Here are the mistakes we see most, grouped by where they appear.
The opening
1. A vague one-liner
"An AI-powered platform for the future of commerce" says nothing. Write what you do, for whom, in words a stranger understands: "Same-day delivery for D2C brands in Pune."
2. A problem with no person
Problems are felt by people. Name who has the problem and what it costs them in money or time, ideally with one real example.
The opportunity
3. A huge market with no maths
"A $50 billion market" with no working tells investors little, and "we only need 1% of it" is a well-known red flag. Build the number bottom up: customers you can reach × what each pays[3]. See how to build a market size slide.
4. Traction without dates
"10,000 users" could be last week or three years ago. Show numbers by month so growth is visible.
5. Features instead of outcomes
Investors want to know what changes for the customer. "Saves clinics 6 hours a week" beats a list of ten features.
The business
6. "We have no competitors"
It reads as either naive or hiding something. Every customer solves the problem somehow today, even if by spreadsheet or by doing nothing. Show those alternatives and why customers switch.
7. No business model
Who pays, how much and how often. If you have unit economics, show them; our industry guides list the numbers investors check by sector.
8. A team slide of job titles
Say why these people will win this market: what they have built, sold or learned that others have not.
9. No clear ask
State the amount, what it buys and how many months it lasts. Vague asks get vague responses.
The design
10. Walls of text
One idea per slide, with the takeaway written as the slide title. Investors skim.
11. Mismatched design
A deck with five fonts and a logo that does not match the website looks unfinished. Use one brand throughout. See how first impressions cost funding.
12. Too many slides
Ten to fifteen slides in the familiar order: purpose, problem, solution, why now, market, product, traction, model, competition, go to market, team and ask[2]. Put the rest in an appendix.