Fundraising
~4 minutesPitch Deck Checklist
Pitch deck completeness
This is a suggested framework, not a mandatory framework. Good decks can still skip some parts.
How this tool helps and the terms you need to know
When to use this tool
- When preparing data for capital calling documents.
- When you need a quick estimate before discussions with investors.
- When you receive feedback that the materials are not yet convincing and need to identify which sections are still thin.
Basic calculation
Step 1 — Work through the nine items in the checklist in turn. Step 2 — Compare them against your current slides and tick any item already presented clearly. Step 3 — Review the completion rate and the list of missing items in the panel on the right. Step 4 — Fill the gaps, then run through the checklist again from the start.
Each item corresponds to a question investors are almost certain to ask. Only tick an item complete once that section has concrete evidence or figures behind it, not merely a title slide. The checklist is a general reference frame; a very early-stage business may not yet have figures for every item, and that is perfectly normal.
Example: A business has a slide titled Traction but records only a general claim of good growth, with no user numbers, revenue or pilot contracts. In that case the Traction item should be left unticked, and the result will prompt you to add figures before sending the materials out.
Terms used in this tool
- Pitch deckPitch deck
- The presentation a business sends to investors, conventionally around ten to fifteen pages, covering the problem, solution, market, team and funding ask. Its purpose is to win the next meeting, not to present every detail of the business.
- Problem – SolutionProblem – Solution
- The opening section setting out a genuine difficulty faced by a specific group of customers and how the product addresses it. Investors assess the severity of the problem first, because a good solution to a small problem rarely builds a large business.
- Product–market fitProduct–market fit
- The state in which the product meets the needs of a sufficiently large customer group, evidenced by customers returning of their own accord and being willing to pay. This is what investors look for behind the growth figures.
- TractionTraction
- The signals that the market has taken up the product: customer numbers, revenue, return rates, signed pilot contracts. This section needs figures with dates attached, not qualitative claims.
- Go-to-marketGo-to-market
- How the business gets its product to customers: sales channels, the cost of acquiring one more customer and the roadmap for expansion. This section answers how the business will grow, not just why the product is good.
- Ask & use of fundsAsk & use of funds
- The amount of capital the business is seeking, together with the planned allocation across areas such as people, product and market, and the milestones that capital will reach. Investors use this section to judge whether the size of the round is reasonable.
How to read the results
Below 50% of items
The materials are still at draft stage. Complete the foundational sections — problem, solution, market and team — before sending anything to investors.
Between 50% and 80%
The overall structure is reasonably complete. Prioritise the quantitative sections such as traction and financials, as these are the areas questioned most closely.
Above 80% of items
The materials contain enough to start conversations. The next step is to assemble the due diligence file against the Data Room checklist and rehearse the presentation to around ten minutes.
Founder's Toolkit