Pitch Deck

Founder Academy Guide

Best Practices for Pitch Decks
As an early-stage entrepreneur, the Pitch Deck can be a valuable tool for helping you win early partners, advisors and
investors. Remember that the specific sections and content of a pitch deck may vary depending on the audience, purpose
and stage of a startup. Here are some best practices to consider when developing your pitch deck:

Tell a story Use visuals Know your audience

Tell a clear and compelling story about Visuals such as charts, graphs and images, Your pitch deck should be tailored to
your startup, highlighting the problem including from data and metrics, can your audience. Understand and adjust
you’re solving and value you’re creating. convey your message more effectively. to their interests and preferences.

Keep it simple Practice and refine Be authentic

Your pitch deck should be concise and Your pitch deck should be a living Your pitch deck should reflect your
to the point, focusing on only the most document that evolves over time based personality and passion for your startup,
important information. on practice and feedback from others. and convey your vision and mission.
Two Versions
In this Founder Academy Guide, we’ve included two versions of the a Pitch Deck to help you get started.

Template Example
This is a version that you may use to Provides a real-world example of how the
adapt and submit as a deliverable. tool can be filled by an entrepreneur.
 Te
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Company Name
Tag Line
The Problem
Describe the ideal customer profile and their problems or pain points that the startup is addressing, and why it’s significant
enough to need a solution. When pitching, make sure to emphasize how you as a founder can relate personally to this problem.

Pain Point #1 Paint Point #2

Briefly elaborate on pain point, including Briefly elaborate on pain point, including
any relevant market research data points. any relevant market research data points.

Ideal Customer Profile

Define the primary customer segment
for which you are building your solution,
based on their characteristics, location,
needs and/or behaviours.
Pain Point #3 Paint Point #4
Briefly elaborate on pain point, including Briefly elaborate on pain point, including
any relevant market research data points. any relevant market research data points.
The Solution
Outlines the startup’s solution to the identified problem, including the key benefits of the product or service. This should
articulate how your solution is different from others that may be available to your customer segment.

Benefit #1 Benefit #2
Briefly elaborate on how your product or Briefly elaborate on how your product or
service helps deliver this outcome. service helps deliver this outcome.

Your Product or Service

Briefly describe the main functions and
MVP features of your product or service, Benefit #3 Benefit #4
including what technologies are used.
Briefly elaborate on how your product or Briefly elaborate on how your product or
service helps deliver this outcome. service helps deliver this outcome.
The Market
Defines the target market for the solution, including the size, growth potential and segmentation of the market.

Size of Market Growth Potential Segmentation

Provide an overview of the Total
Addressable Market (TAM) for
your solution, including the
estimated size of the market in
terms of revenue and number of
customers or units sold.
Highlight any trends or change
that could impact demand for the
solution, such as the expected %
growth of your target market
according to industry reports.
Identify the one or more
segments within the target
market that your solution will
focus on at first, and how they
fit into the broader market.
The Business Model
Describes how the startup plans to generate revenue and sustain its operations, including pricing strategy, revenue streams
and cost structure.
Cost Structure
Outline the main expenses and
investments required to develop,
launch and operate your
solution, such as product
development, marketing and
staffing.
Pricing Strategy
Explain the types of pricing you
offer. This should include how
your price compares to
competitors and also how to
compares with the cost of
delivering your solution.
Revenue Streams
Describe the ways in which your
solution generates revenue,
such as subscription fees,
commission on sales, or
advertising revenue.
The Go-To-Market Strategy
Outlines the marketing and sales strategy for the startup, including customer acquisition channels, distribution channels and
partnerships.

Customer Acquisition Distribution Partnerships

Describe how you will acquire
customers, such as paid
advertising, social media,
referral programs or email
marketing.
Share how your startup will
distribute its product or service to
customers, such as online
marketplaces, retail partnership
or direct sales.
Provide any details about
strategic partnership that your
startup will pursue to accelerate
growth and increase customer
acquisition.
The Competition
Identifies the main competitors in the market, and describes how the startup differentiates itself from them in terms of value
proposition and competitive advantage.

Benefit #1 Benefit #2 Benefit #3 Benefit #4

Your Startup ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Competitor #1 ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘

Competitor #2 ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘

Competitor #3 ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘
The Team
Introduces the founding team and any key members of the startup, highlighting their skills, experience and expertise.

Founder #1 Founder #2 Key Staff/Advisor

role role role
Highlight key skills, experience Highlight key skills, experience Highlight key skills, experience
and expertise. and expertise. and expertise.
The Financials
Provides an overview of the startup’s financials, including current funding status, revenue projections, and fundraising plans.
Current Funding
Mention if you already have any
previous funding amounts
secured or are bootstrapping.
Mention how long you can
continue with current funding
status. Indicate which, if any,
co-founders and investors have
already contributed or pledged.
Revenue Projections
Outline your annual revenue
projections for the next 3 years,
including key assumptions, such
as “We project to generate $X in
revenue during our first year, and
achieve $X in annual revenue by
year three, assuming strong
demand and license approval.”
Fundraising
Indicate whether you are
seeking investment and the
amount of capital the startup
intends to raise in the short
term. Explain the key milestones
this funding would enable you to
achieve over a specific
timeframe.
The Milestones
Outlines the key milestones that your startup has achieved to date, and your future goals and objectives. If you have launched
or have any specific user traction, make sure to include and specify this here.

Milestone 2 Milestone 4
Month Month
Short description Short description
Year Year

Month Month
Milestone 1 Year Milestone 3 Year

Short description Short description

 Ex
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Nairide
From A to Z for Free
The Problem
Nairobi's transportation system is inefficient and unreliable, with limited options for safe and affordable transportation,
particularly for women and low-income populations.

Inefficient
Commuters wait an average of 20
minutes to board transport and routes
used take 50% longer than possible
optimized routes.
Unreliable
There are only 3 on average official
transport terminals per square kilometer
with as little as 1 in some regions resulting
in unguaranteed routes.

Women & Low-Income

Urban Population
People who travel within Nairobi on a
daily or weekly basis who spend a
significant portion of their daily hours
and income on transit.
Unsafe Unaffordable
Average of 345 safety incident reports on Using other ride-hailing apps and
existing modes of transport. traditional taxis would cost 15% of
average monthly income.
The Solution
Our ride-hailing app is a convenient, safe, and affordable transportation option that connects riders with nearby drivers, using
a mobile app and GPS technology. We offer free rides to riders who agree to display advertisements in their vehicle or share
feedback about their ride experience on social media.

Route Optimization Distributed Network

We use AI & ML algorithms alongside GPS
technology to connect riders with nearby
drivers and recommend the most efficient
transport routes.
We have a well distributed network that
ensures riders can be picked up from
where they are and incentivizes drivers to
go to all routes since they have high
likelihood of picking other riders there.

Nairide
Our solution is a ride-hailing app that Vetted & Trained Riders Dynamic Pricing Model
connects rides with nearby drivers Our dynamic pricing model powered by
All of our drivers undergo a security
utilizing AI & ML for route optimization AI & ML algorithms varies price based on
screening before selection and are then
and network distribution. To subsidize factors such as demand enabling riders to
trained on safety and professionalism. We
cost we offer free or discounted riders to plan around that. Riders can also opt to
also collect feedback from riders on
riders in exchange for viewing ads or see ads and share their experience for
drivers and riders can share their live trip.
performing actions. discounts.
The Market
The target market for our ride-hailing app includes urban residents in Nairobi, estimated at over 4 million people, with a focus
on underserved segments such as women, low-income populations, and tourists.

Size of Market Growth Potential Segmentation

Our initial market is the over 4 million
people in Nairobi with an average
estimate of 50 trips per month per
rider and 2 million active riders per
month in Nairobi. Estimated 2% of
riders in Nairobi use ride hailing apps
spending USD 20 per trip resulting in
annual revenue of USD 1.2 billion.
Market research estimates the entire
commuter market size at USD 10
billion, this can be further expanded
by serving underserved segments
such as women, low-income
populations, and tourists.
Industry reports estimate the
ride-hailing market to grow by
3.5% annually. Drivers of the
growth include population growth
rate of 2% annually, increased
tourist visits estimated at 4%
annually, a growing middle class
at 3% annually, and change in
consumer preferences following
the COVID-19 pandemic.
We perform segmentation both on
our riders and drivers based on
transport priorities, socio-economic
characteristics, and their location. We
will initially focus on riders and
drivers in densely populated regions
before expanding our network. Our
initial riders would be underserved
women and tourists to before
expanding to low-income via
cross-subsidization. Our initial drivers
would be existing ride hailing drivers
seeking to make extra income.
The Business Model
Our ride-hailing app generates revenue through a commission-based model, charging drivers a percentage of each ride fare.
We also generate revenue by selling advertising space to businesses that want to promote their products or services through
our app and on our partner vehicles.

Cost Structure Pricing Strategy Revenue Streams

We estimate our initial product
development cost at USD 15,000
over 4 months . Thereafter our
estimated monthly operating
costs are estimated at USD
5,000 consisting of 65% (USD
3,250) staffing for at team of 5,
20% (USD 1,000) marketing, and
15% (USD 750) for general and
administrative (professional
services, rent & utilities, licences
etc.).
We have a dynamic pricing
model for both riders and
advertisers. For riders price is
determined by overall demand,
their persona, and their trip. Our
surge pricing is capped at 20%
less than the most expensive
alternative (traditional taxis) and
our minimum price ensures a
40% contribution margin. For
advertisers our average cost per
impression is estimated 30%
cheaper than alternatives such as
billboards.
We would charge 10%
commision on fare per ride. We
will also generate revenue
through selling advertising
where we would have auctions
among advertisers for cost per
impression by different
customer personas and at
different times.
The Go-To-Market Strategy
Our ride-hailing app uses a mix of digital and offline channels to acquire and engage customers, including social media, search
ads, events, and partnerships with hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. The company also offers promotions, discounts,
and referral programs to incentivize adoption.

Customer Acquisition Distribution Partnerships

We anticipate to acquire most
customers through exclusive
referral links and a strong social
media presence. We will also use
paid marketing through digital
marketing campaigns with paid
advertising and rewards to
customers for performing
specific actions. Email marketing
will be used for existing
customers and those who sign
up on a waitlist.
Our distribution strategy will
largely revolve around app stores
with a focus on Google Play Store
and Apple App Store. We will
start development on Flutter
framework that enables us to
launch on all major phone
platform targets.
facilitators for ease of payment
To accelerate growth and
increase customer acquisition
we will partner with popular
event organizers, event
locations, hotels, restaurants,
and tourist attractions to get
discounts or win free rides for
using our app. We will also
partner with payment
and cash back rewards.
The Competition
Our ride-hailing app's main competitors are other ride-hailing apps, traditional taxis, and informal transport modes such as
matatus. The company differentiates itself through its focus on safety, affordability, and convenience, as well as its
commitment to social impact and inclusion.

Partnership with Rides subsidized by Route Customized Trips for

hotels, restaurants, ads and actions Optimization Women, Elderly, and
and tourist attractions those with Disability

Your Startup ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Other ride-hailing ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
apps

Traditional taxis ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘

Informal
transport modes ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
(e.g. matatus)
The Team
Our ride-hailing app team is comprised of experienced professionals in technology, transportation, and business, with a
passion for innovation and social impact. We also have a network of advisors, mentors, and partners in the local ecosystem.

Juma Okonkwo Lethabo

CTO CEO COO
Technology expert Business expert Transport expert
(Education, experience, and skills (Education, experience, and skills (Education, experience, and
in technology) in business and sales) skills in transport industry)
The Financials
Our ride-hailing app is seeking USD 50,000 in seed funding to complete the product development and launch. We are
projecting USD 50,000 in revenue and USD 10,000 in profit by Year 1, with a target of 1,000 monthly rides and 200 active
drivers.

Current Funding Revenue Projections Fundraising

We are currently bootstrapping
and have made USD 20,000
revenue and acquired 50 drivers
who have done 4,000 ride from
our initial investment of USD
5,000 from co-founders. Our
current monthly net burn rate is
USD 700 translating to a runway
of 6 months given cash balance
of USD 4,200.
We project to generate USD
180,000 in revenue during our
first year, and achieve USD
400,000 in annual revenue by
year three, assuming strong
demand and license approval.
We are seeking a capital raise
of USD 50,000 in seed funding.
The use of funds would be for
product development, staffing,
and marketing to achieve
milestones of launching the app
in beta, expanding the driver
and rider base, and building a
trusted and reliable brand in
Nairobi.
The Milestones
Our ride-hailing app has achieved several key milestones to date, including the development of the prototype, the recruitment
of a network of 50 drivers, and the validation of the concept through user testing and feedback. The company's future goals
include launching the app in beta, expanding the driver and rider base, and building a trusted and reliable brand in Nairobi.

Met Legal Requirements Average NPS score of 8

March We incorporated our startup and May Incorporated feedback from user testing and
2023 obtained initial necessary licenses 2023 feedback resulting in improved NPS score

May June
Prototype 2023 Network of 50 drivers 2023

We developed our prototype Onboarded our first 50 drivers in

key locations