Pitch deck creation

Pitch Deck Creation#

Workspace Context#

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract#

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Generate professional investor-ready pitch decks. This skill covers both the narrative structure (what goes on each slide) and the visual design rules (how it should look), then produces a .pptx file via a bundled Python script.

Deck Structure#

Use the 12-slide framework — total ~6 minutes. Never exceed 20 slides.

Detailed slide guidance: consult references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md for content rules, examples, and common mistakes for each slide type.

Step-by-Step Workflow#

Step 1: Gather Information#

Ask the user conversationally. Probe for specific metrics and data.

Required:

• Company name and tagline (one sentence)
• Problem being solved (with data/stats if available)
• Solution and key features

Recommended (include if available):

• Market size (TAM/SAM/SOM) and growth rate
• Traction: revenue, users, growth %, milestones
• Business model: pricing, revenue streams, unit economics
• Competition: competitors and your differentiators
• Team: founders and key hires with relevant background
• Financials & Ask: amount, use of funds, runway, milestones

For missing info, offer placeholder slides that can be updated later.

Step 2: Create pitch_data.json#

Format collected information as JSON for the generation script:

{
  "company_name": "Company Name",
  "tagline": "One-line description",
  "problem": [
    "Problem statement with data",
    "Impact/urgency statement"
  ],
  "solution": [
    "How the product solves the problem",
    "Key feature 1 and its benefit",
    "Unique value proposition"
  ],
  "market": [
    "TAM: $X total addressable market",
    "SAM: $X serviceable market",
    "SOM: $X obtainable market"
  ],
  "product": ["Feature 1", "Feature 2", "Tech highlights"],
  "traction": ["Revenue: $X (YY% growth)", "Users: X,XXX active", "Key milestone"],
  "business_model": ["Revenue model", "Pricing: $XX/month", "CAC, LTV, margins"],
  "competition": {
    "our_advantages": ["Advantage 1", "Unfair advantage"],
    "competitors": ["Competitor 1", "Competitor 2"]
  },
  "team": [
    "CEO: Name - relevant experience",
    "CTO: Name - built X at Y"
  ],
  "financials": [
    "Raising: $X seed/Series A",
    "Use of funds: XX% eng, XX% sales",
    "Milestones with this funding"
  ]
}

Notes: all fields are optional except company_name; competition can be an object (two-column layout) or a plain array.

Step 3: Generate the PowerPoint#

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

Requires python-pptx: pip3 install python-pptx

The script produces a .pptx with consistent formatting, color scheme, and typography — ready for presentation or manual customization.

Step 4: Review and Iterate#

• User updates pitch_data.json with new info, re-runs the script
• For design beyond the script, advise manual editing in PowerPoint
• PDF export: File → Save As → PDF (for sharing)
• Presentation timing: ~10–15 minutes for 10–12 slides

Visual Design Rules#

Typography#

The 1-6-6 Rule#

• 1 idea per slide
• 6 words max per bullet
• 6 bullets max per slide

If you need more text, you need more slides.

Color#

The bundled script defaults: Primary #2962FF (titles), Secondary #646464 (body), white background.

Layout#

Chart Type Guide#

For competition slides: use a 2×2 positioning map, not a feature matrix against competitors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid#

Tailoring for Audience#

Seed/early-stage investor deck: emphasize problem, solution, market size, and team; show early traction; clear funding ask.

Growth-stage / Series A deck: lead with traction and revenue metrics; detailed unit economics; strong competitive moat story.

Sales / BD deck: de-emphasize fundraising; focus on customer ROI, case studies, and testimonials.

Product launch deck: highlight product features and market need; include demo screenshots; emphasize innovation.

Resources#

• scripts/create_pitch_deck.py — generates PowerPoint from pitch_data.json
• references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md — comprehensive guide: slide-by-slide content rules, design best practices, audience tailoring, pre-pitch checklist

Supporting file: references/pitch_deck_best_practices.md#

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