At TechCrunch Disrupt, three investors took the stage to break down what makes a pitch deck successful—or a total flop. Jyoti Bansal, a founder turned investor; Medha Agarwal from Defy; and Jennifer Neundorfer from January Ventures candidly shared their insights on effective pitch decks.
Their biggest pet peeve? Overusing buzzwords.
The more a founder relies on the term AI in their pitch, Agarwal pointed out, the less likely it is that the company genuinely uses it. “Innovative companies discuss it naturally as part of their offerings, but it’s not the centerpiece of their pitch,” she explained to the audience.
Bansal, who founded and sold several companies before becoming an investor, summed up what investors want into three critical questions. First, he assesses whether there’s a sizable market to target. Does the founder’s concept have the potential to grow into a substantial company? And is the problem they’re trying to solve actually worth addressing?
Second, investors are curious about why this founder is the right person to build the company. “You need something unique about you,” Bansal emphasized, which could be special team members or unique skills. “Why would you succeed? If the problem is compelling, there will be many other startups trying to tackle it, so what’s your edge and opportunity?”
The third aspect investors look for, Bansal noted, is some form of validation. “Traction with customers,” he stated. “This could be initial customer feedback, revenue, or anything that shows proof of concept.”
These three questions ultimately lead to the big test: Could this potentially become a billion-dollar company?
The panel also discussed how AI startups can stand out as the market gets busier. Bansal stressed the value of domain expertise and having a clear competitive strategy. Neundorfer mentioned that she’s drawn to companies that foster new behaviors rather than just incrementally improving existing processes.
Agarwal offered practical advice for founders, suggesting they clarify how AI technology drives their product, outline distinct go-to-market strategies, and demonstrate how their business will outperform established companies.
Additionally, it’s crucial to be transparent about existing competitors, she noted. “Some of you have lost credibility with me because it wasn’t mentioned in your slides,” she told the founders present.
Finally, the investors provided tips for navigating the ever-changing landscape. Agarwal urged founders to keep up with industry developments, while Neundorfer recommended maintaining connections within founder networks for sharing tools and insights.
Bansal’s advice boiled down to one thing: “Focus on building your product.”
