ALWAYS open with a hook, NEVER with an introduction. "Hi, I am Jane and my company is X" wastes the most valuable 10 seconds of the pitch. Open with the problem story, then introduce yourself and the company.
ALWAYS allocate at least 30% of the pitch to the problem. Investors invest in large, painful problems. If the audience does not feel the problem, they will not care about the solution.
ALWAYS include traction if any exists. Traction is the single most compelling element of a pitch. If you have users, revenue, or engagement data, it should be one of the first things the audience sees or hears.
NEVER use jargon or buzzwords without explanation. "We are an AI-powered, blockchain-enabled SaaS platform" communicates nothing. Describe what the user does and what outcome they get.
ALWAYS use bottom-up market sizing, not top-down. "The global CRM market is $80B" tells investors nothing about your opportunity. "There are 500,000 target customers spending $10,000/year on this problem, giving us a $5B SAM" is credible.
Keep the team section brief. Investors care about the team, but 30 seconds of relevant credentials is more effective than 2 minutes of career history. Focus on why you are uniquely positioned to solve this specific problem.
The ask must be specific. "We are raising $1.5M to hire 3 engineers and reach $50K MRR by December" is specific. "We need funding to grow the business" is not.
ALWAYS practice the pitch out loud and time it. A 5-minute pitch that runs to 7 minutes signals poor preparation. Cut ruthlessly until it fits the time slot.
End memorably. The last sentence is what the audience retains. Circle back to the opening hook, state the vision, or deliver a line that encapsulates the opportunity.
Show, do not tell. A 15-second live demo is more convincing than 2 minutes of describing the product. If a demo is not possible, use a clear product screenshot or user flow diagram.