# Send-ahead pitch deck template: 11 slides, free download

> The send-ahead deck: 11 slides, each with the title to write, what goes on it and what to leave off, checked against 1,322 decks that went on to raise.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/deck-templates/send-ahead (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Deck Templates](https://millionrounds.com/deck-templates) / Send-ahead

Deck template · 11 slides

# The send-ahead *deck*.

A deck that must make the case with nobody there to explain it. Read on a phone, between meetings, in about three minutes.

[**Download.pptx** PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides](https://millionrounds.com/deck-templates/download/send-ahead.pptx)

[Outline as text](https://millionrounds.com/deck-templates/download/send-ahead.txt)

Free, no login · guidance in the speaker notes

**01** Cover Acme: fills the appointments clinics lose to no-shows**02** Summary Acme: $168k ARR, 128% net retention, raising $8M**03** Problem Clinics lose 18% of appointments to no-shows**04** Solution Acme predicts no-shows and refills the slot two days ahead**05** Traction ARR up 8x in a year, to $168k**06** Market 230,000 clinics at $4,200 a year: a $1B market in the US**07** Business model $350 a clinic a month, paid back in under two months**08** Competition Reminders tell patients; Acme refills the slot**09** Team Ran a 60-clinic group; built scheduling at scale**10** The ask Raising $2.5M to reach 150 clinics and $1.2M ARR in 20 months**11** Contact Maya Chen · maya@acme.example · acme.example

About 2 minutes to read. The highlight walks the deck at the pace a first read moves; click a slide for its notes.

**11** slides; the median of those decks runs 14

**1,322** decks that went on to raise it was checked against

**8** of its slides appear in at least a quarter of them

**Sent** built to be read without you

Slide by slide

## What goes on each slide

- 01 **01** Cover Cover [Company]: [what you do] for [whom] e.g. "Acme: fills the appointments clinics lose to no-shows" What goes on it The name and one line a stranger could repeat The round and the date Leave it off A tagline that sounds like a brand and explains nothing. **100%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **1** of 14 about **11** words on it See it in [Carta](https://millionrounds.com/decks/carta) (slide 1), [Uber](https://millionrounds.com/decks/uber) (slide 1), [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 1)
- 02 **02** Summary Summary [Company] in one slide e.g. "Acme: $168k ARR, 128% net retention, raising $8M" What goes on it What you do, the traction, and the raise, on one slide A partner should be able to forward this slide alone Leave it off Repeating the cover.
- 03 **03** Problem Problem [Who] lose [what] every [period] e.g. "Clinics lose 18% of appointments to no-shows" What goes on it Who has the problem, in one line What it costs them, in money or time, with a number How they cope today Leave it off A problem only you have noticed, or one sized in adjectives. **36%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **5** of 14 about **57** words on it See it in [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 2), [Revolut](https://millionrounds.com/decks/revolut) (slide 2), [Replit](https://millionrounds.com/decks/replit) (slide 5)
- 04 **04** Solution Solution [Product] [does what] so [result] e.g. "Acme predicts no-shows and refills the slot two days ahead" What goes on it What you do about the problem, in one sentence The result for the customer, as a number if you have one Leave it off A feature list. Features belong on the product slide. **32%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **6** of 14 about **52** words on it See it in [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 3), [Revolut](https://millionrounds.com/decks/revolut) (slide 4), [ElevenLabs](https://millionrounds.com/decks/elevenlabs) (slide 4)
- 05 **05** Traction Traction [Metric] up [x] in [period] e.g. "ARR up 8x in a year, to $168k" What goes on it One chart of the metric that matters, over time Retention or repeat use beside it Leave it off Cumulative charts, vanity numbers, and no dates on the axis. **27%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **8** of 14 about **34** words on it See it in [Carta](https://millionrounds.com/decks/carta) (slide 5), [Bolt](https://millionrounds.com/decks/bolt) (slide 8), [Shopify](https://millionrounds.com/decks/shopify) (slide 20)
- 06 **06** Market Market [n] [customers] pay [amount]: a $[size] market e.g. "230,000 clinics at $4,200 a year: a $1B market in the US" What goes on it The market bottom up: customers you can reach times what each pays Where you start and where it leads Leave it off A top-down TAM from an analyst report with no route to it. **63%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **7** of 14 about **49** words on it See it in [Carta](https://millionrounds.com/decks/carta) (slide 8), [Uber](https://millionrounds.com/decks/uber) (slide 4), [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 4)
- 07 **07** Business model Business model [Price] per [unit], paid back in [time] e.g. "$350 a clinic a month, paid back in under two months" What goes on it Who pays, how much and how often Margin, and payback on acquiring a customer if you know it Leave it off Five revenue streams. Show the one that matters. **16%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **8** of 14 about **48** words on it See it in [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 7), [Revolut](https://millionrounds.com/decks/revolut) (slide 5), [Shopify](https://millionrounds.com/decks/shopify) (slide 23)
- 08 **08** Competition Competition Why [customers] choose us over [alternative] e.g. "Reminders tell patients; Acme refills the slot" What goes on it What customers use today, including doing nothing The one or two things you do that they cannot Leave it off A 2×2 where you are alone in the top right, or "no competitors". **22%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **8** of 14 about **54** words on it See it in [Uber](https://millionrounds.com/decks/uber) (slide 6), [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 9), [Revolut](https://millionrounds.com/decks/revolut) (slide 7)
- 09 **09** Team Team [Why this team] wins this market e.g. "Ran a 60-clinic group; built scheduling at scale" What goes on it The founders, and the one thing each has done that matters here Key hires and advisers only if they change the odds Leave it off Logos of every employer and degree. **47%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **8** of 14 about **47** words on it See it in [Coinbase](https://millionrounds.com/decks/coinbase) (slide 12), [Airbnb](https://millionrounds.com/decks/airbnb) (slide 11), [Canva](https://millionrounds.com/decks/canva) (slide 10)
- 10 **10** The ask The ask Raising [amount] to reach [milestone] in [months] e.g. "Raising $2.5M to reach 150 clinics and $1.2M ARR in 20 months" What goes on it The amount, and the runway it buys The milestones it reaches, which set up the next round Use of funds in three lines at most Leave it off An amount with no milestone, or "$1M to $3M". **19%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **9** of 14 about **52** words on it See it in [Bolt](https://millionrounds.com/decks/bolt) (slide 2), [Revolut](https://millionrounds.com/decks/revolut) (slide 11), [Docsend](https://millionrounds.com/decks/docsend) (slide 3)
- 11 **11** Contact Contact [Name], [email], [website] e.g. "Maya Chen · maya@acme.example · acme.example" What goes on it A name, an email and the website Nothing else: this is the slide left on screen Leave it off "Questions?" with no way to reach you. **50%** of decks that went on to raise have one usually about slide **13** of 14 about **46** words on it See it in [Carta](https://millionrounds.com/decks/carta) (slide 12), [Bolt](https://millionrounds.com/decks/bolt) (slide 13), [Gusto](https://millionrounds.com/decks/gusto) (slide 32)

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## Built it? Check it.

Drop the finished deck into the Deck Analyzer to see it the way an investor skims it, without it leaving your browser.

[Deck Analyzer](https://millionrounds.com/deck-analyzer)[Download.pptx](https://millionrounds.com/deck-templates/download/send-ahead.pptx)