Investor Pitch Deck Preparation for Startups
Our investor pitch deck service builds the slides you take to angels and funds, with numbers that survive due diligence. We shape the story with you, tie every figure to a financial model, and set out the ask, the use of funds and the legal route for taking the money.
What it is
A pitch deck is a short set of slides that tells an investor what problem you solve, why your solution wins, how big it can get and how much money you need. It is often the first thing an investor sees, and it decides whether they ask for more.
Design matters, but the numbers matter more. Revenue, margins, burn and runway on the slides must match your books and your financial model, because the investor’s team will check them in due diligence. That is where a CA firm adds value: we make sure the deck says nothing your accounts cannot back up.
The deck opens the conversation; the money comes in through the Companies Act. A private company cannot invite the public to subscribe for its securities under Section 2(68). Offers go to identified investors through a private placement under Section 42 or a preferential allotment under Section 62(1)(c), each with its own steps on the MCA V3 portal.
Who it applies to
You are raising your first round
Angels, angel networks, or friends and family. At this stage you need a clear story and a sensible ask more than a polished design.
You are going to venture funds
A larger round brings sharper questions. Take a Gurugram SaaS startup pitching for its Series A: the fund will ask what one customer costs to acquire, how long they stay and when the business stops burning cash.
You are bringing an investor into a family business
Picture a profitable Faridabad packaging company that wants a strategic investor to fund a new plant. The deck explains decades of customer relationships to someone who has never visited the factory.
Why it matters
Earn the first meeting
An investor gives a deck a few minutes. If the problem fits in one line and the traction is real, you get the meeting.
Survive due diligence
Here is the catch: every claim on a slide becomes a question later. If the deck says ₹1 crore of revenue and the GST returns show less, trust is lost. We reconcile the deck with your books first.
Ask for the right amount
The ask should cover a defined runway and specific milestones. We work it out from the model, so you can explain exactly what the money buys.
What goes into the deck
| Slide | What investors look for |
|---|---|
| Problem and solution | A real problem, in one sentence, and why your product solves it better |
| Market | A market size built from customers and prices, with sources, not a borrowed headline figure |
| Product and business model | How it works, who pays, how much and how often |
| Traction | Revenue, customers, growth and retention, matching your books |
| Competition | Who else solves the problem and why customers pick you |
| Team | Why these founders can build this business |
| Financials | Past results and three to five years of projections, burn and runway |
| The ask | Amount, instrument, use of funds and the milestones it reaches |
We keep the main deck short and move detail to an appendix that you send after the first meeting, along with the model.
Documents required
About the business
- Your current deck or a short note on the business
- Product details, screenshots or demo link
- Customer list, key contracts and pipeline
- Founders’ profiles
Numbers
- Financial statements and current-year books
- GST returns for the last year
- Monthly revenue and expense figures
- Any existing projections
Company records
- Certificate of incorporation, MoA and AoA
- Current shareholding and any ESOP pool
- Earlier investment agreements or convertible notes
- DPIIT recognition certificate, if any
How it works
Define the round you are raising
We discuss the business, the amount you want to raise, the kind of investor you are targeting and the timeline.
Build the model from your books
We reconcile past figures with your books and returns, then build projections, burn, runway and use of funds.
Write the story slide by slide
We agree the slide order and write the headline and content for each slide, in plain words.
Design it, then rehearse the pitch
We lay the slides out cleanly in your brand colours. You review, we revise, and we run a practice pitch with you.
Plan the share issue before the yes
We set out the cap table before and after the round and the legal steps to issue shares or notes once an investor says yes.
How long it takes
Finish the deck before outreach
In practice, time depends on the state of your books and whether a model exists. We agree the timeline at the start. Allow a review round before your first investor meeting.
Allot and file on time
Under Section 42, shares must be allotted within 60 days of receiving the money, and PAS-3 filed within 15 days of allotment. If shares are not allotted in time, the money must be refunded within the next 15 days.
Report foreign money to RBI
Shares issued to a non-resident need Form FC-GPR within 30 days of allotment, and the price cannot be below fair value under the FEMA pricing rules.
When you need it
Have it ready before outreach
Investors often ask for the deck before agreeing to meet. Have it ready before you start reaching out.
Tighten it for demo day
Accelerators and demo days run to a strict time slot. A tight deck helps you use it well.
Refresh it when the numbers move
A deck from last year with old traction figures works against you. Update it after every quarter of strong results.
Frequently asked questions
How many slides should an investor pitch deck have?
Usually 12 to 15 slides in the main deck. That is enough to cover problem, solution, market, product, traction, business model, competition, team, financials and the ask, without losing the reader. Extra detail goes into an appendix you share after the first meeting. Investors read quickly, so each slide carries one idea with a clear headline.
Should the deck mention a valuation?
Usually not as a fixed number. State the amount you are raising and the instrument, and settle the valuation in negotiation. But you need a defensible range in mind. When shares are actually issued, a preferential allotment under Section 62(1)(c) needs a registered valuer’s report, and our share valuation report service handles that. Knowing the number early keeps the negotiation realistic.
Can we send our deck to anyone who might invest?
You can share it to start conversations, but the actual offer must go only to identified persons. A private company cannot invite the public to subscribe for its securities. Under Section 42 and Rule 14, a private placement offer can go to at most 200 persons in a financial year, excluding qualified institutional buyers and employees under ESOPs. We help you keep the offer within these limits from the start.
Can a startup raise money through a convertible note?
Yes, if it is a DPIIT-recognised startup. The deposit rules exempt ₹25 lakh or more received by a startup company in a single tranche through a convertible note, convertible into equity or repayable within ten years from issue. Smaller amounts or non-startups need a different instrument. If you are not recognised yet, our Startup India registration team can file for it first.
Does angel tax still apply when we raise money?
No. Section 56(2)(viib), the so-called angel tax on share premium, does not apply from FY 2024-25 onwards after the Finance Act, 2024. Shares can still need a valuation for company law or for FEMA if the investor is a non-resident. We check which rules apply to your round, so the pricing is supported on every side. Old rounds before FY 2024-25 may still be examined.
What if our investor is outside India?
Then FEMA applies to the price and the filings. Shares issued to a non-resident cannot be priced below fair value, worked out by an internationally accepted method and certified by a chartered accountant, SEBI-registered merchant banker or practising cost accountant. FC-GPR must be filed within 30 days of allotment. We plan this before the money arrives, so nothing is left to fix after closing.
Do you introduce us to investors?
No, we prepare you; we do not broker deals or promise funding. Our job is to make the deck, model and company records ready for investor scrutiny, and to handle the share issue, valuation and ROC filings once you close. That means when an investor is interested, nothing in your paperwork slows the deal down.
What happens after an investor says yes?
The investor usually issues a term sheet, then runs due diligence, and both sides sign the investment agreement. The company passes the resolutions, receives money in a separate bank account and allots shares, filing PAS-3 within 15 days for a private placement. Our share allotment team handles these filings, so the round closes cleanly on the MCA V3 portal.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
A pitch deck carries no government fee. ROC fees and stamp duty arise only when shares or notes are issued.
Ready to begin?
Send us your current deck or a one-page note, and we will tell you what an investor will question first.