Pitch Deck

Pitch Deck Generator

Overview

Generate professional PowerPoint pitch decks following industry best practices. This skill creates structured presentations for fundraising, sales, and business development using a proven 10-slide format.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when users request:

• Investor pitch decks for fundraising
• Sales or business development presentations
• Product launch presentations
• Startup pitch competition decks
• Any structured business presentation following standard pitch deck format

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Information

Collect necessary information from the user to populate the pitch deck. Use a conversational approach to gather details across the following categories:

Required information: 1. Company basics: Company name, tagline (one-liner describing what you do) 2. Problem: What problem are you solving? Include data or statistics if available 3. Solution: How does your product/service solve the problem? Key features and benefits 4. Business model: How do you make money? Pricing, revenue streams

Recommended information (include if available): 5. Market opportunity: Market size (TAM/SAM/SOM), growth rate, market trends 6. Product details: Product features, screenshots, technology highlights 7. Traction: Key metrics, revenue, users, growth rate, milestones, customer testimonials 8. Competition: Competitors, competitive advantages, differentiation 9. Team: Founders and key team members with relevant background 10. Financials & Ask: Funding amount, use of funds, financial projections, milestones

Approach:

• Ask open-ended questions to understand the business
• Probe for specific metrics and data points when possible
• For missing information, offer to create placeholder slides that can be updated later
• Adapt the standard 10-slide structure based on available information

Step 2: Structure the Content

Organize the gathered information into the standard pitch deck structure:

1. Title Slide: Company name + tagline 2. Problem: Pain point being addressed 3. Solution: Product/service overview 4. Market Opportunity: Market size and growth 5. Product: Features and capabilities 6. Traction: Metrics and achievements 7. Business Model: Revenue and pricing 8. Competition: Competitive landscape 9. Team: Key people 10. Financials & Ask: Funding request and projections

Reference best practices: For detailed guidance on each slide's content and structure, consult references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md. Search for specific sections using grep:

grep -A 10 "### [Slide Number]. [Slide Name]" references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md

Step 3: Create the JSON Data File

Format the collected information as a JSON file that will be consumed by the pitch deck generation script. Create a file called pitch_data.json with the following structure:

{
  "company_name": "Company Name",
  "tagline": "One-line description of what you do",
  "problem": [
    "Problem statement 1 with data/statistics",
    "Problem statement 2 showing impact",
    "Problem statement 3 demonstrating urgency"
  ],
  "solution": [
    "How your product solves the problem",
    "Key feature 1 and its benefit",
    "Key feature 2 and its benefit",
    "Unique value proposition"
  ],
  "market": [
    "TAM: Total addressable market with $ figure",
    "SAM: Serviceable available market",
    "SOM: Serviceable obtainable market",
    "Market growth rate and trends"
  ],
  "product": [
    "Product feature 1",
    "Product feature 2",
    "Technology highlights",
    "User experience benefits"
  ],
  "traction": [
    "Revenue: $X (YY% growth)",
    "Users: X,XXX active users",
    "Key milestone 1",
    "Customer testimonial or social proof"
  ],
  "business_model": [
    "Revenue model (e.g., SaaS subscription)",
    "Pricing: $XX/month per user",
    "Unit economics: CAC, LTV, margins",
    "Sales channels"
  ],
  "competition": {
    "our_advantages": [
      "Advantage 1",
      "Advantage 2",
      "Unfair advantage/defensibility"
    ],
    "competitors": [
      "Competitor 1",
      "Competitor 2",
      "Alternative solutions"
    ]
  },
  "team": [
    "Founder 1: Name - Background and relevant experience",
    "Founder 2: Name - Background and relevant experience",
    "Key hire: Name - Background and why they matter",
    "Notable advisors"
  ],
  "financials": [
    "Raising: $X seed/Series A round",
    "Use of funds: XX% engineering, XX% sales, XX% ops",
    "Milestones with this funding",
    "Runway: X-X months to next milestone"
  ]
}

Notes:

• All fields are optional except company_name
• Use arrays for bullet points (will be rendered as bullet lists)
• Competition can be either an object with our_advantages and competitors keys (for two-column layout) or a simple array
• Keep bullet points concise (1-2 lines each)
• Include specific numbers and metrics where possible

Step 4: Generate the PowerPoint

Execute the Python script to create the PowerPoint presentation:

python3 scripts/create_pitch_deck.py pitch_data.json output_filename.pptx

The script will:

• Generate a professional PowerPoint file with proper formatting
• Apply consistent color scheme and typography
• Create slides based on available data (skipping sections if data not provided)
• Output a .pptx file ready for presentation or further customization

Step 5: Review and Iterate

Present the generated pitch deck location to the user and offer to:

• Add missing sections if information becomes available
• Refine bullet points for clarity and impact
• Adjust structure based on specific audience (investor vs. sales pitch)
• Provide guidance on presenting the deck

Iteration approach:

• User can update the JSON file with new information
• Re-run the script to regenerate the updated presentation
• For design customizations beyond the script's capabilities, advise manual editing in PowerPoint

Design Guidelines

The generated pitch deck follows these design principles:

Color Scheme:

• Primary: Blue (#2962FF) for titles and emphasis
• Secondary: Gray (#646464) for body text
• Clean white background for readability

Typography:

• Title slides: 54pt bold
• Section titles: 40pt bold
• Body text: 18-20pt with appropriate line spacing

Layout:

• Consistent margins and spacing
• One key message per slide
• Bullet points limited to 3-5 items per slide
• Two-column layouts for comparison slides

Visual Hierarchy:

• Clear title at top of each slide
• Content organized with proper spacing
• Emphasis on readability and professional appearance

Best Practices Reference

For detailed guidance on pitch deck content, structure, and presentation tips, reference:

• references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md - Comprehensive guide covering:
• Standard 10-slide structure with examples
• Content guidelines for each slide type
• Design best practices
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Tailoring for different audiences (investor, sales, product launch)
• Pre-pitch checklist

Load this reference when providing detailed advice on pitch content or structure.

Example Usage Scenarios

Scenario 1: Early-stage startup seeking seed funding

• Focus on problem, solution, market opportunity, and team
• Emphasize founder expertise and early traction
• Include clear funding ask and use of funds

Scenario 2: Growth-stage company creating sales deck

• Emphasize product features and customer ROI
• Include customer testimonials and case studies
• De-emphasize fundraising, focus on value proposition

Scenario 3: Product launch presentation

• Focus on product features and market need
• Include demo or product screenshots
• Emphasize innovation and competitive positioning

Customization and Extensions

After generating the base deck:

• Users can manually add images, charts, and custom graphics in PowerPoint
• Suggest creating appendix slides for detailed backup information
• Recommend PDF export for sharing (File → Save As → PDF in PowerPoint)
• Advise on presentation timing (typically 10-15 minutes for 10 slides)

Troubleshooting

Script errors:

• Ensure python-pptx library is installed: pip3 install python-pptx
• Verify JSON file is properly formatted (use JSON validator if needed)
• Check file paths are correct and user has write permissions

Content issues:

• If slides appear crowded, reduce bullet points to 3-5 per slide
• For complex competition analysis, consider manually creating comparison tables in PowerPoint
• For financial projections, consider creating charts in Excel and importing as images

Resources

scripts/

• create_pitch_deck.py: Python script that generates PowerPoint presentations from structured JSON data

references/

• pitch_deck_best_practices.md: Comprehensive guide on pitch deck content, structure, and design principles

Pitch Deck Best Practices

This reference guide provides best practices for creating effective pitch decks for startups and business pitches.

General Principles

Keep It Concise

• 10-15 slides maximum: Investors have limited attention spans
• One key message per slide: Don't overcrowd slides with information
• Use visuals: Images, charts, and diagrams are more impactful than text

Tell a Story

• Create a narrative arc: Problem → Solution → Opportunity → Why Us
• Make it memorable and emotionally engaging
• Use real examples and customer stories when possible

Standard Pitch Deck Structure

1. Title Slide

• Company name and logo
• Tagline/one-liner: What you do in 10 words or less
• Contact information (optional on title, required at end)

2. Problem

• Identify a real pain point: What problem are you solving?
• Quantify the problem: Use data and statistics
• Make it relatable: Use examples or stories
• Show urgency: Why does this need to be solved now?

Example bullet points:

• "70% of small businesses struggle with cash flow management"
• "Current solutions are complex, expensive, and time-consuming"
• "This costs SMBs $10B+ annually in lost productivity"

3. Solution

• Present your product/service: How does it solve the problem?
• Key features/benefits: Focus on outcomes, not just features
• Unique value proposition: What makes your solution special?
• Demo or visual: Show, don't just tell

Example bullet points:

• "AI-powered cash flow forecasting in real-time"
• "Automated payment reminders reduce late payments by 50%"
• "Simple interface that takes 5 minutes to set up"

4. Market Opportunity

• Total Addressable Market (TAM): Total market demand
• Serviceable Available Market (SAM): Market you can reach
• Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): Market you can realistically capture
• Market trends: Growth rate, tailwinds, market drivers

Example structure:

• "TAM: $50B global market for SMB financial software"
• "SAM: $10B addressable with our go-to-market strategy"
• "SOM: $500M realistic capture over 5 years"
• "Market growing at 25% CAGR driven by digitization"

5. Product

• Product demo/screenshots: Visual representation of your product
• Key features: 3-5 most important capabilities
• User experience: How customers interact with it
• Technology/Innovation: What makes it technically impressive

6. Traction

• Key metrics: Revenue, users, growth rate
• Milestones achieved: Product launches, partnerships, awards
• Customer testimonials: Social proof
• Growth trajectory: Show momentum with charts

Investor Metrics to Include:

• Revenue and growth rate
• Customer acquisition metrics (CAC, LTV)
• Retention/churn rates
• Unit economics
• Key partnerships or customers

7. Business Model

• Revenue streams: How do you make money?
• Pricing strategy: What do customers pay?
• Unit economics: CAC, LTV, margins
• Sales channels: Direct, partners, self-serve, etc.

Example bullet points:

• "SaaS subscription model: $50/month per user"
• "Average customer: 20 users = $1,000 MRR"
• "CAC: $200, LTV: $12,000, LTV/CAC = 60x"
• "85% gross margins, path to profitability clear"

8. Competition

• Competitive landscape: Who else is in the market?
• Competitive advantages: Why are you better/different?
• Barriers to entry: What protects your position?

Approaches:

• Competitor matrix: 2x2 grid showing positioning
• Feature comparison table: Your features vs. competitors
• "Secret sauce": What's your unfair advantage?

Example structure:

• Competitors: List 3-5 main competitors
• Our advantages: "10x faster, 5x cheaper, better UX"
• Defensibility: Network effects, proprietary data, patents

9. Team

• Founders and key team members: Names, photos, backgrounds
• Relevant experience: Previous companies, domain expertise
• Advisors: Notable advisors or board members
• Why this team: Why are you uniquely positioned to win?

Include:

• Previous exits or notable achievements
• Domain expertise (years in industry)
• Complementary skills (tech + business + domain)

10. Financials & Ask

• Financial projections: 3-5 year forecast (revenue, key metrics)
• Funding ask: How much are you raising?
• Use of funds: What will you spend it on?
• Milestones: What will you achieve with this funding?

Example structure:

• "Raising $2M seed round"
• "Use of funds: 60% engineering, 25% sales, 15% ops"
• "Milestones: Launch v2, reach $1M ARR, expand to 3 new markets"
• "12-18 month runway to Series A"

Design Best Practices

Visual Hierarchy

• Large, bold titles: Make slide topics clear
• Limited text per slide: 3-5 bullet points max
• Consistent formatting: Same fonts, colors, spacing throughout

Color Scheme

• Stick to 2-3 colors: Brand colors + neutral gray
• High contrast: Ensure readability
• Professional appearance: Avoid gaudy or distracting colors

Typography

• Sans-serif fonts: Modern, clean appearance (e.g., Helvetica, Arial, Roboto)
• Readable font sizes: Minimum 20pt for body text, 36pt+ for titles
• Consistent hierarchy: Title, subtitle, body text clearly differentiated

Data Visualization

• Use charts and graphs: Better than tables or text for trends
• Simple charts: Avoid 3D effects and unnecessary complexity
• Highlight key points: Use color or annotations to draw attention

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Content Mistakes

• Too much text: Slides should support your talk, not replace it
• Vague claims: "Revolutionary," "disruptive" without evidence
• Ignoring competition: Claiming no competitors is a red flag
• Missing traction: Especially for later-stage companies
• Unrealistic projections: "Hockey stick" growth without justification

Design Mistakes

• Inconsistent branding: Different fonts, colors, styles
• Low-quality images: Pixelated or stretched images
• Cluttered slides: Too many elements competing for attention
• Animations and transitions: Usually distracting, keep minimal

Presentation Mistakes

• Reading slides word-for-word: Slides support your narrative
• Going over time: Practice to stay within time limits
• Lack of energy: Enthusiasm is contagious
• Not knowing your numbers: Be prepared for deep dives on metrics

Tailoring for Different Audiences

Investor Pitch (Fundraising)

• Focus on: Market size, traction, unit economics, team
• Include: Clear ask, use of funds, timeline to next milestone
• Emphasize: Growth potential, scalability, return on investment

Sales Pitch (Business Development)

• Focus on: Problem, solution, ROI for customer
• Include: Case studies, testimonials, implementation timeline
• Emphasize: Value proposition, competitive advantages, ease of use

Product Launch Pitch

• Focus on: Product features, user benefits, market need
• Include: Demo, pricing, availability
• Emphasize: Innovation, user experience, market fit

Pre-Pitch Checklist

• [ ] Deck is 10-15 slides (maximum 20)
• [ ] Each slide has one clear message
• [ ] All claims are backed by data or evidence
• [ ] Financials are realistic and defensible
• [ ] Team slide shows relevant expertise
• [ ] Competitive analysis is honest and thorough
• [ ] Design is clean, professional, and consistent
• [ ] No typos or grammatical errors
• [ ] File is saved as PDF for sharing
• [ ] Appendix with detailed backup slides prepared

Appendix Slides

Always prepare backup slides for deep dives:

• Detailed financial model
• Product roadmap
• Go-to-market strategy details
• Technical architecture
• Customer case studies
• Regulatory/compliance information
• Additional team bios