While an integral part of raising money today, pitch decks are actually a pretty new phenomenon. In 2004, Facebook was credited with creating the first pitch deck. Since then, entrepreneurs and startups have been trying to understand: Why do some pitch decks work better than others?
Docsend and Harvard Business School looked at 200 startups who raised $360 million to better understand what really makes a pitch work. One thing that definitely makes a difference is design. From typography to color, small differences in design can have a huge impact on their effect.
“Given how rapidly investors evaluate opportunities and given the importance of initial visual response to guiding subsequent experiences, the quality of the entrepreneur’s pitch deck assumes incredible importance.” This study tries to identify what makes a pitch deck visually compelling to potential investors. We used it while designing our pitch deck template (see below!)
