How to create a 10-slide pitch deck (Sequoia structure)

The 10-slide structure Sequoia, Y Combinator, and most early-stage funds expect. One idea per slide, no walls of text.

9 min read intermediateUpdated Jun 10, 2026

Reviewed by the editorial team · Jun 10, 2026

Before you start

Step by step

01
Slide 1 — Cover
Logo, one-line tagline, your name, contact. That's it. No 'pitch deck Q2 2026 confidential'.
02
Slide 2 — Problem
Who has the pain, how bad, how often. One stat. Avoid 'people hate X' — be specific.
03
Slide 3 — Solution
One screenshot or demo gif + one sentence. Show, don't describe.
04
Slide 4 — Why now
What changed (regulation, tech, behavior) that makes this possible now and not 5 years ago. Investors love timing.
05
Slide 5 — Market size
TAM/SAM/SOM with sources. A bottom-up calculation is more credible than 'Gartner says $50B'.
06
Slide 6 — Product
Two or three screenshots showing the core flow. Highlight the differentiation, not the feature list.
07
Slide 7 — Traction
MRR/users chart going up and to the right. If pre-revenue, show waitlist or pilot LOIs.
08
Slide 8 — Business model
One line: who pays, how much, how often. Plus your unit economics — CAC, LTV, gross margin.
09
Slide 9 — Team
Photos, names, one credibility line per person. Investors fund founders.
10
Slide 10 — Ask
Amount, runway it buys, what you'll hit by the next raise. Be specific.