Pitch decks are a document that helps you take Investors on a journey. It helps you share your vision, strategy and where you see your business going (it’s potential). It can also help you communicate the problem you’re solving, the positive change your work will have on your community (it’s impact) and how you will deliver your work. You should also try and focus on how your work is scalable and sustainable. PowerPoint and Canva are good tools to help and Canva has templates to help you get started.
11 key areas to include in your pitch deck
We’ve put together 11 Key areas that we think you should consider including in your pitch deck:
1. Company Purpose
Why does your company exist and how will it help people? (aka your mission and impact goal) Start with the purpose of your company, emphasising the business opportunity and the impact you're striving for. State how your company is focused on solving a social inequities in the UK and what measurable impact you plan to make. Build a story around this and focus on why your company exists beyond profit.
2. Problem
What social issue are you addressing? Frame the problem in the context of real-world impact e.g. for a company focusing on education in the prison system, you could say "57% of adult prisoners have literacy levels below those of an 11-year-old, but many prison education provisions have been deemed inadequate by Ofsted." Tell us why your work is urgent and important to the community.
3. Solution
How does your product or service solve the problem? List any competitors and how you are different. Tell us how your product or service actively solves the issue you’ve identified i.e. how your business is as an agent of change. Explain how your solution directly contributes to social impact and how this solves the problem in a unique and scalable way. Focus on differentiation—why is your approach unique, and why is it the best solution available? Highlight what makes you different (your innovation and competitive advantage), but also how it is sustainable and long-term oriented.
4. Why now?
Why is this the right moment for your solution to succeed? Emphasise the timeliness of your business from both an impact and a market perspective. For example, is there a growing awareness around your issue (e.g., social barriers, health inequities, etc.)? Are there new technological innovations or changes in policy that mean your solution is more likely to work?
5. Product
What does your product look like and how does it work? Show the actual product or service and tell us how it delivers both impact and value. Highlight any features that contribute to sustainability, social inclusion, and/or environmental responsibility. Provide a demo or walkthrough that makes the impact evident through the user experience. Share a demonstration if you can e.g. a screen recording of your app or a recording of a training session. Investors want to see the product in action and understand the user experience.
6. Business Model
How will you make money while delivering impact? Tell us about who will be using and or buying your product? e.g. your ideal customer or another company that you would like to buy your goods. Tell us how you plan to make money (i.e. a subscription, direct sales, etc). We’re looking to see how many ways of generating revenue your business has as this will help us understand how sustainable your company is.
7. Business Traction and Impact Metrics
What are your results (traction) so far? Talk about your business metrics (no. of users, letters of intent, partnerships) and impact metrics (improved health outcomes, or jobs created, etc). Investors want to see that you're achieving measurable social impact in parallel with financial progress. This is where your social proof or impact data becomes critical. Investors encourage showing proof points (evidence that your product or service works) that demonstrate that target your audience like and will use your solution (product-market fit) linked to impact outcomes.
8. Go-to-Market Strategy
How will you get customers and grow your business? Explain how your go-to-market strategy will help you reach a wide audience while staying true to your impact mission. Are you targeting underrepresented communities, or tackling underserved markets? Your strategy should focus on how you'll grow sustainably while maintaining your social impact objectives.
9. Financials & Impact Projections
What do your financials look like, and what’s the projected impact? Present your financial projections, but also outline the future impact you plan to make. For example, how will revenue growth correlate with greater social impact outcomes? Include clear projections of how your company will scale in both impact and profitability over time. If you work with an accountant, it might be useful to ask them to help with this stage.
10. Team
Who’s driving the company, and why are they well-positioned to deliver both financial and impact success? Investors need to trust that your team has the right expertise in building the business and driving meaningful social change. Highlight any team members with lived experience in the problem they are addressing, any experience of delivering impact, expertise in the area that you’re working in and industry connections and or awareness. Make the case for why your team can deliver on the dual goals of profitability and social impact.
11. Vision for the Future
Where are you heading in the long-term, both financially and in terms of impact? Investors want to understand your long-term vision for growth and societal change. Explain how you plan to scale not just in financial terms, but also in the depth of your impact. What will success look like in 5 or 10 years in terms of both your business and the change you're creating in the world? What is your exit strategy?