The article provides a pitch deck teardown of Wilco, a startup that successfully raised money despite some issues with its pitch deck. Here are the key takeaways:
Issues with the pitch deck:
- Lack of market sizing: The investors likely demanded market sizing calculations, and it’s surprising that they didn’t include them in the original deck.
- No operating plan: The deck doesn’t provide a clear outline of how Wilco plans to achieve its goals, which is essential for investors.
- Unclear business model: There are multiple possible revenue streams (junior developers, content partners, and companies), but it’s not clear which one will be the primary source of income.
Recommendations:
- Incorporate market sizing calculations: Include a slide that shows how Wilco thinks about its market size, using either top-down or bottom-up approaches.
- Add an operating plan: Provide a clear outline of how Wilco plans to achieve its goals, including key milestones and timelines.
- Clarify the business model: Spell out which revenue streams are most important and how they will contribute to the company’s growth.
General advice for pitch decks:
- Include market sizing calculations: It’s essential to show investors that you’ve thought about your market size and potential for growth.
- Provide an operating plan: A clear outline of how you plan to achieve your goals is crucial for investors.
- Be transparent about your business model: Clearly explain which revenue streams are most important and how they will contribute to the company’s growth.
Overall, while Wilco successfully raised money with its original pitch deck, it’s essential to address these issues to make the deck more robust and effective in securing funding.
