Most founders spend weeks on their pitch deck and still get it wrong.

I’ve analyzed over 50 pitch decks from Y Combinator startups to billion-dollar companies. Compared them to what YC actually recommends. And it turns out they all follow the same patterns.

So let me walk you through each slide.

Not a reader? [Watch the full video here]

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The two things founders get wrong

Your pitch deck is your first impression to investors. And usually two things kill it:

The story doesn’t make sense.
Or there’s not enough clarity in the points you’re making.

Both scare investors away.

1. The Problem Slide

This is probably the most important slide and the one most people mess up.

You need a one-liner that anyone can understand, even someone outside your industry. If you can’t explain the problem simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

Good examples from real decks:

→ Linear: “Current issue trackers feel like a chore to use”
→ Prewave: “Supply chains are unreliable, unsustainable and non-compliant”
→ Passionfruit: “Creators run small businesses but have a lot of admin overhead”

2. The Solution

Turn the problem into the solution. Linear did this perfectly. The problem was “nobody likes using it.” The solution? “A tool your team will actually enjoy using.”

Don’t overcomplicate this. Say what your product does and how it solves the problem. That’s it.

3. Traction

This is where you have to be honest with yourself.

Waitlist signups and letters of intent sound nice, but they prove almost nothing. You don’t know if those people will actually use or pay for your tool.

What actually works:

• Paying customers, even just one or two
• Organic growth without ad spend
• High user retention over time

If you’re early, get creative. But don’t show weak proof and call it traction.

4. Secret Sauce

Why is your tool special? Why can only you solve this?

Could be industry knowledge, patents, or hardcore users who love the product. If you don’t have any of that yet, frame it as a “why now.” New legislation, market shifts, anything that creates urgency.

5. Business Model

Show that you have an idea of how you’re going to make money. Subscription, usage-based, platform fees. Investors want to see that you’ve thought about this.

6. Market Opportunity

This might be the slide investors care about most. They know 99% of startups will fail. They need to believe yours could be the one that makes it all back.

Research the numbers. Understand your market. Show that this could be a 100x opportunity.

7. Team

YC recommends two to four founders. One is usually not enough, more than four is too many stakeholders.

Show that you have domain experts who know the industry, not just people who can build software.

8. The Ask

How much money do you need? How are you going to use it? And why do you need it now?

Be specific. Investors appreciate clarity here more than anywhere else.

The full structure

Title → Problem → Solution → Traction → Secret Sauce → Business Model → Market Opportunity → Team → The Ask

I put together a Figma file with 50+ real startup pitch decks you can explore yourself.

Download it here → https://www.figma.com/community/file/1602640056249708265/top-50-startup-pitch-decks-including-airbnb-wework-linear​

And if your startup needs more than just a pitch deck fix, book a €49 UX audit and I’ll show you what’s holding your website and product back.