These Are the Slides You Need to Include in Your Next Pitch Deck

You will need a strong pitch deck in your quest to find funding and commercialization partners for your new technology or business idea. Welcome to a discussion with Rae Steinbach, The Funding Circle, about the perfect pitch deck. 

A strong pitch deck is an invaluable tool for any entrepreneur looking to attract small business funding or an investment, and there are countless examples available online detailing the various strategies startups use in their presentations. Many entrepreneurs aren’t aware of the factors that are most important to potential investors, so it’s crucial to consider things from their point of view when designing your pitch.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a successful pitch deck, and it’s important to remember that what works for one business may not be as effective for another. That said, you should consider including these fundamental slides in your upcoming pitch deck.

Your Problem

Finding a problem to fix is one of the most crucial steps involved in creating a successful business, and the problem you plan to solve is just as important to your investors.

Connect your idea to real-world situations and needs that investors can relate to. Numbers and strategies are important too, but every strong pitch fills a critical need in the market.

Your Solution

Following the explanation of the problem you plan to solve is the way you plan to solve it. Solution slides are all about explaining how your idea changes the way people approach your problem.

Demonstrating your solution typically involves showing how your service or product would be used. Again, this section ties the big ideas from your other slides in with real-world examples and shares a clear value.

Your Team

Investors are used to hearing about the next big thing, but what they’re really interested in is what makes your team the right group for the job.

Your team slide should highlight the main contributors along with their expertise and relevant experience. If you’re still looking for new members, use this slide to identify the positions you need to fill and what they will do for your business.

Your Competition

Competition is critical to the success of any business, especially for startups that are still building their brand.

Including a slide about your competition gives you a chance to talk about other ways users are solving the problem your business targets and how your company is different. You’ll be able to highlight any competitive advantages and demonstrate why you’ll succeed over other businesses in the same niche.

Your Investment

The point of a pitch deck is to encourage investment, so you should add at least one slide on investment near the end of your presentation.

This slide is meant to explain how much investment money you need and how it will contribute to your short- and long-term goals. You can also mention others who have already invested in your business.

More than 600,000 new businesses are founded every year in the United States alone, and investment is crucial to growth and stability in the early phases. Adding these critical slides to your upcoming pitch deck will tell investors everything they need to know to feel confident in your startup.

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About Rae Steinbach: 
Rae is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing.
 

Mexico’s Energy Reform: Success Requires Knowledge, Plus Partnership Mindset

Mexico has six basins that produce oil and gas, and tremendous offshore, deep Gulf of Mexico resources. There is also shale potential in formations that extend south from the South Texas Eagle Ford. Still, according to statistics released by Pemex, Mexico’s oil and gas production has declined 25% since the 1980s. The problem has stemmed partially from a lack of investment, and difficulties in implementing new technologies to explore for and develop resources.

The need to attract foreign investment was behind the December 2013 decision to break up the state oil monopoly and some analysts have predicted up to $25 billion could flow in, starting with the companies that are currently involved in the Eagle Ford, just across the border.

If you’re a foreign investor, where can you benefit? Probably the safest bet would be to go to Mexico’s established production, such as the Golden Lane (the analogy would be that of companies taking a position in the Permian Basin). Then, focus on enhanced oil recovery, along with exploiting other zones (such as shale) for a “stacked pay” strategy.

The Golden Lane, located in Veracruz and Tampico, was first developed in 1909 which coincided with the Mexican Civil War (1910-20). Most Americans are not aware that the U.S. Marines occupied Veracruz from April - November, 1914. It did not have anything (directly) to do with the development of the Golden Lane, but is an interesting historical fact.

Those who have nerves of steel can turn to the Gulf of Mexico and explore in the complex Perdido fold belt, where Pemex’s Supremus-1 and the Trion-1 are so stunningly promising that they tempt one to name a new field after a science fiction behemoth.

Flowery rhetoric aside, the potential in Mexico is real. Those who take the time to educate themselves and also to maintain a mindset of partnership have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor in different phases of exploration and development, and to develop solid relationships.

There will undoubtedly be many changes as the Energy Reform is implemented, and perhaps even controversy, so it’s very important to seek to establish relationships with knowledgeable partners in Mexico who share the same goals.

Don’t Miss: AAPG’s e-symposium on Mexico’s oil and gas opportunities // August 21 with expert Alfredo Guzman