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[Slide 4] Here’s a problem slide for you . . .Image Credits: Equals
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[Slide 4] Here’s a problem slide for you . . .Image Credits: Equals
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[Slide 6] Here’s where the magic happens.Image Credits: Equals
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[Slide 12] Such a great way to map your near future.Image Credits:Equals
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[Slide 8] Yeah, but do the investors care?Image Credits: Equals
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[Slide 14] Erm, sure, but this is way too vague.Image Credits: Equals
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It ’s a rare inauguration that tears down itsownpitch pack of cards , butthat ’s exactly what Equalsdid afterit raised a $ 16 million Series A round . Equals ’ mission is not to supersede the spreadsheet , but to ensure that a spreadsheet can do whatever its drug user throw at it . As an inveterate spreadsheet substance abuser , this is an approach that I can get behind — I ’ve build entire software solutions with super complex spreadsheet as the back end .
Furthermore , as a sales pitch deck connoisseur , I can also get behind the undimmed and bluff invention of Equals ’ deck .
I particularly enjoyed a take I ’ve not often seen in deck blueprint , which is breaking down the deck into two dissimilar section : a pitch deck of cards and a data point deck . The latter provides a breakdown of the company ’s financials over seven slides , showing ARR , lead - to - customer conversion rates , churn , and other figure . It ’s a good idea : I often advise startup to tell the story with parole , then tell the same story with numbers .
get ’s see what else there is to love about this deck of cards .
We ’re looking for more unique delivery deck to tear down , so if you require to submit your own , here ’s how you could do that .
Slides in this deck
material body from the two traction slide were redacted , and there is a lot of ( redacted ) data point in a disjoined information deck . There are no market place size of it and go - to - market slides either , but we ’ll get to that later on .
Three things to love
I ’ve already given Equals kudos for the invention , but this deck is strike enough that it ’s deserving remark again : This is a good - looking pack of cards . Here are a few other things that stood out to me :
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Making it real
For a while , it ’s seemed as if the easiest way to build a successful software startup was to find something people use Excel for , then work up a tool that ’s good , more focused and easier to use . That ’s worked well for countless businesses , so it ’s a bold project to take on Excel at its domicile turf , by replacing a spreadsheet with . . . a spreadsheet . Airtable has had some achiever in this distance , so one of the first things that bounce to mind is whether there is room for another troupe in this vertical .
Equals makes a comprehensive and compelling argument for a resounding yes to that interrogative by heel out a number of economic consumption cases for its software :
The trouble seems veridical enough , but it seems largely to do with the provenance of data and information analysis / algorithmic program . And sure , Excelfilescan be challenge , but Excel itself has a comparatively robust online resolution as well now ( so the instruction “ Excel has not ” feel slightly hyperbolic ) . We also have Google Sheets , Airtable and a ton of other possible contender in the space .
Still , in the dry and dull world of spreadsheets , this is in all likelihood the most fun way to outline the job you ’re trying to solve . I like it !
So it’s Excel, but more online
Founders , especially technical founders , often face a marvellous challenge when trying to excuse what their inauguration does in simple price . I ’m really impressed that peer ’ squad carry off to distill the intersection down to something this simple : spreadsheet , but with database connective and coaction . That very simple statement obscure a lot of expert complexness and what must have been an sheer nightmare of an integration challenge .
But hiding the complexity is a majuscule approximation : The goal users do n’t want to know why their spreadsheet wo n’t connect to the Stripe datum germ . They just need it to work .
Quite elegant . Very well done .
That’s how you map a path to the future!
Investors seldom care about this level of granularity in your product roadmap , but they ’re notuncurious , you eff ? This is a expectant rough overview of what you care about and does n’t go into the weeds about the nuts and bolts of what the engineering team will be build up .
Even though this plan is middling expert , I ’m impressed by the squad ’s ability to resist the temptation to go into too much here . I ’ve no idea what they ’re going to link up Command + K to , but it does n’t really count — this is a great top - point view that will let you have a board - grade conversation about the product priorities for the next twelvemonth .
Equals has also done something clever with the come before playground slide : Slide 11 show the feature that have already been built , which then allows the narrative to flow evenly to this slide ( with the existing feature of speech now highlighted in hoary ) . This let you have a two - dance step conversation about the product : Talk about everything you ’ve built , then babble about everything you ’re going to ramp up and how that helps the product become more relevant to your target audience — and mayhap expand the potential substance abuser foundation as well .
As a inauguration , you could learn from this swoop that you should not pass too much time on your product . These two slides are a great example of how you’re able to duck that problem with discreetness .
In the rest of this teardown , we ’ll take a spirit at three things Equals could have improve or done other than , along with its full pitch deck !
Three things that could be improved
It ’s not all rainbows and unicorns in Equals ’ deck . . .
Be mindful of your audience
A somewhat common problem with rake decks is that it ’s sometimes hard to tell whether the founders understand who they are talking to . Check out this testimonials slide :
I have no incertitude that this is a powerful slide to employ in the caller ’s sales military operation when spill the beans to unexampled clients . But I ’m not sure how effective it is as part of an investment pitch .
I can see several progeny here :
Overall , this slide seems impersonal at good — at least when it comes to convincing an investor to invest . So it ’s probably good to just allow for it out of the deck wholly .
So . . . how big is this market?
Perhaps I ’m pick at nit here . Ask any investor , “ If I can steal 30 % of Excel ’s business , is the market big enough ? ” and you ’ll probably get a resonant yes .
The matter is , this deck is also missing a go - to - marketplace chute . That means Equals is missing out on two opportunity to tell investor how it is retrieve about its marketplace . Who are the customers ? How many of them are there ? What is the value prop ? How do you attain these client ? How do you convince them to remain ? You ’ll need to reply that cadre of questions to successfully raise money — and it ’s a small slight on the ground in this pack of cards .
What are the goals, though?!
Investors are not looking for a ballpark figure or a dim plan when it comes to how your inauguration will use the cash in hand raised . A well - crafted “ use of funds ” coast does more than just lean expenses ; it build up faith . By being diaphanous about your fiscal needs and how they adjust with your business goals , you ’re show potential investors that you ’re not just another inauguration seem to burn cash . No , rather , you ’re a serious enterpriser with a design for growth and a clear vision for the future .
I know many founders stumble on this critical slide . Glamorous but unneeded disbursal , a nebulous abyss of “ miscellaneous ” monetary value , and wispy descriptions of how the finances will be used are just a few coarse pitfalls that can sprain investor away . Equals light prey to such a sand trap : None of these goals are nearly specific enough . The sloping trough should be as clean and elaborated as possible , avoid generalisation , and focus on specific , measurable , achievable , relevant and time - bound ( SMART ) goals .
Be specific . utilise your “ use of funds ” slide well . This is not the time for abstraction , but for bold , specific , quantified audacity . This slide is where you spell out your imaginativeness in dollars and penny , and if you do it correctly , it ’s where investor will begin to see their futures adjust with yours .
Crucially , a well - project “ use of funds ” slide helps paint the picture for yournextfunding daily round . If you hit all the goals , can you farm the Series B ? cracking ! Does your plan set you up for success ? Fantastic !
This slide is almost useless , which is such a shame . gravid precision here would make fundraisingsomuch easier .
The full pitch deck
If you want your own pitch pack of cards teardown have on TechCrunch , here ’s more information . Also , correspond outall our Pitch Deck Teardownsall collected in one handy space for you !
