The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Winning Startup Pitch Deck

Craft a pitch deck that not only gets read — but gets funded.

For UK-based founders navigating a fragmented fundraising ecosystem, your pitch deck is the key to opening doors. Whether you’re reaching out to angel investors, venture capitalists, or institutional introducers, your deck must tell a compelling story with clarity, precision, and purpose.

At ThatRound, we’re on a mission to simplify startup fundraising. A standout deck is the first step in that journey. In this guide, we break down the anatomy of a powerful pitch deck, share insights on what investors really want, and link you to real-world examples that have successfully secured millions.

What Makes a Pitch Deck Stand Out?

Investors spend less than four minutes reviewing most decks. Yours needs to arrest attention quickly — with storytelling, structure, and substance. A good deck doesn’t just inform; it builds belief.

If you’re looking for real-world inspiration, Pitch Deck Hunt is an excellent open library of decks from startups that have already raised capital. It’s a great way to benchmark your structure, tone, and slide design.

10 Slides Every Investor-Ready Deck Needs

1. Vision / Introduction - Set the tone. Share the purpose behind your startup and the change you're aiming to create. This slide needs to signal ambition and urgency‍
2. Problem - Lay out the pain points clearly. The best decks frame a problem that’s big, urgent, and emotionally resonant‍
3. Solution - Keep it simple but differentiated. Show how you solve the problem uniquely and why now is the right time‍
4. Market Opportunity - Define your TAM, SAM, SOM using verifiable data. Demonstrate the potential for scale — investors want to see £100M+ markets‍
5. Business Model - Outline how you’ll make money and how the model evolves as you grow. Think: margin, scalability, and LTV‍
6. Traction - Use real evidence — users, revenue, partnerships, retention. Traction is the most compelling validator‍
7. Financials - Include your burn rate, cash runway, and three-year forecasts. Avoid fantasy curves — ground your projections in reality‍
8. Team - Show why this team will win. Prior experience, domain expertise, and complementary skill sets matter‍
9. Competitive Landscape - Don't just name competitors — map them. Then show your unfair advantage‍
10. The Ask - State how much you're raising, what it’s for, and what milestones it will help you hit. Be transparent and specific

Pitch Deck Principles: What to Do (and Avoid)

✅ Do:

• Lead with storytelling – Investors invest in conviction as much as numbers
• Design intentionally – Use clean, visual-first slides. No bullet-heavy blocks
• Validate with data – From user metrics to market size, evidence wins
• Tailor the message – Align tone and depth to your audience (angel vs VC)

❌ Don’t:

• Overwhelm with detail – This isn’t a data room. Keep it strategic
• Ignore design fundamentals – Poor visuals signal poor execution
• Make unbacked claims – Always support key points with real data or analogues
• Forget your narrative arc – Make the journey of your startup easy to follow

What Are Investors Really Looking For?

Investors filter opportunities fast. Across hundreds of decks, they gravitate to the ones that:

• Solve a real, valuable problem
• Operate in a high-potential market
• Demonstrate early momentum
• Show a credible path to return
• Are led by a capable, committed team

You can study how successful founders have answered these questions by exploring The VC Corner’s curated list of 100+ pitch decks that collectively raised over $5 billion. Use it to benchmark your format, flow, and ask.

Tailor Your Deck for Different Funding Pathways

• Angel Investors - Angels care about vision and potential. Focus on your mission, the problem you're solving, and early traction. Emotional resonance counts‍
• Venture Capital - VCs are looking for outlier returns. Emphasise your market opportunity, scalability, and team execution. They need confidence in your ability to build a £100M+ business‍

Your Deck Is a Door Opener — Not the Whole Conversation

Think of your pitch deck as a trailer, not the full film. Its job is to get you in the room. From there, investors will dig deeper into metrics, diligence, and deal terms but you need to own the narrative that shows you and your startup have potential. At ThatRound, we help you to move faster by connecting you with the right fundraising services and platforms that can get you in front of the right investors and help you take the next step toward success.

References & Resources:

1. 1000+ Pitch Deck Examples From the Most Successful Startups | PitchDeckHunt - https://www.pitchdeckhunt.com
2. The 100+ Pitch Decks That Raised Over $2B 💰 | The VC Corner - https://www.thevccorner.com/p/the-100-pitch-decks-that-raised-over

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