When it comes to startup fundraising, a great team slide in your investors' deck is essential for getting VCs and business angels on board. Building a great team is the cornerstone of any successful business and it is a key factor in convincing investors to invest in your startup. The team slide provides information about the key members of the team, including their backgrounds, skills, and experience. This helps investors understand the capabilities and expertise of the team, which is crucial in evaluating the potential of the business and determining whether or not to invest. Investors want to know that the team has the necessary skills, experience, and expertise to execute on the business plan and achieve the desired results. They also want to see that the team has a diverse set of skills and experiences that complement each other and can work well together. A strong team is an important factor in the success of a business, and investors want to see that the team is capable of delivering on the business's potential.
A great team slide in the pitch deck can help you stand out from the competition and leave a lasting impression on potential investors. Venture capital firms invest in people, not in businesses, so it’s super important to let them know you and your team can build a successful business from the very first moment.
And, if you want to discover more VC funds, check out our VC list - a complex database of the best early-stage venture capital funds investing in innovative startups across different verticals. Read More.
What is a team slide in a startup pitch deck?
A team slide is a graphic representation of the people on your startup team. It should include pictures, names, job titles, information about their roles, responsibilities as well as qualifications, skills, prior experiences and successful exits. The main goal of your team slide is to build confidence in your team and their skills to make the business a huge success.
How to craft an effective team slide in an investor's deck?
When crafting your team slide, there are a few steps that you should keep in mind.
- Make sure to include only relevant information about each team member - don't mention too many details.
- Focus on what makes each team member unique and valuable. Highlight their skills, experience, accomplishments and complementarity in covering important aspects of your startup. Also, be clear about the roles of team members in your startup. This will demonstrate to investors that your team is capable and qualified to run a successful business and everybody has a specific range of responsibilities.
- Use visuals to make your slide more engaging. Include images of each team member and use graphics to illustrate their accomplishments to make sure that your audience will notice the most important information.
- Make sure to keep your slide concise and to the point. Investors don't have a lot of time to read long slides, so make it brief and focused. While creating a team slide keep in mind the following questions: Why to bet on your team? Is your team the right team for the job?
Why having a great team slide in your investors' deck is essential for successful fundraising?
Having a great team slide in your investors' deck is essential for successful fundraising especially at the earliest stages, when investors evaluate the founding team more than any other factor. The reason behind it is quite simple: in early-stage startups everything goes wrong and only great teams can successfully respond to various obstacles. Investors want to know if your team members have the skills and experience necessary to make your business successful.
This slide should also convince them that your team members are capable, committed and motivated to grow the business and create trust. Team slide should clearly communicate who your team is and why they are the right people for the job. A great team slide will demonstrate to investors that your team is passionate about what they do. Moreover, it is crucial to show that you all have the same goals and vision of the business you are running and that nobody is there by chance. The vibe of the team is also something that investors want to feel before making a decision, are they friends? Do they enjoy spending time together? Do they inspire and motivate each other? That’s essential.
Why is team slide important for investors?
One of the most important steps in the process is creating an investors' deck - a presentation that includes information about your startup, your team, and your business plan. It is the key tool you will use to convince investors to invest in your company. Here you should focus on every slide to pass the clear message that your business is worth investing. One of its aspects that should convince investors to stay by your side and provide necessary support is a team slide. They invest in people, they believe in people as at the end of the day it is you and your team that stay behind the whole idea and make it work.
What to include in your team slide while preparing an investor deck?
Your team slide should include information about team members - their name, position, and a brief description of their roles and responsibilities. It should also provide information showing the strength of your team - members’ skills, experience, and accomplishments, successful exits, as well as any awards or recognition they have received. You may also want to attach a short bio for team members to give investors a better idea of who they are. This will demonstrate to investors that your team has a proven track record of success.
However, don’t put the entire team on the slide - employees come and go, and a young company should rely on its founders and core team members.
How to create a great team slide?
Although a team slide may not seem very challenging, many founders fail here. It requires some thought and planning and despite the cutting-edge idea you still need to prove that you are the right guys to bet on.
So, you should start by researching each team member and gathering information about their skills, experience, and accomplishments. You should also think about how to present this information in a way that will be compelling and convincing to potential investors, but not overwhelming at the same time. So your team slide should be organized, visually appealing and designed in a way to draw attention to the most important information. Don’t forget about including images of team members. You should also make sure to mention any awards or recognition the team has received to prove your credibility.
Examples of successful team slides
There are many examples of successful team slides out there. One great example is the team slide from the pitch deck of Opendoor highlighting the skills, experience, accomplishments and a brief bio for each team member at the same time having very clear design. This slide demonstrates to investors that the team knows its strengths and that their skills fit the vision they have for the business.
Another great example is the team slide from the pitch deck of the popular startup Dropbox. It includes a brief overview of the members’ professional experience, also the position in the company is presented in a very clear and distinguishable way. This slide makes a great impression on investors and assures them about the team's qualities.
These are just a few examples of successful team slides. There are many others out there, and studying these slides can help you craft an effective team slide for your own investors' deck.
Where to place a team slide in an investor's deck?
There is a common belief that it's best to start a presentation with a team slide, but we suggest you place it closer to the end. This way, before you introduce the team, investors will have an understanding of your company, market and what you are trying to accomplish. Therefore, they will pay better attention to your expertise in this field while estimating the probability of your potential success. However, if you are a well-known entrepreneur with a great track record of building and exiting successful startups feel free to position this section right after introduction. You might use this slide earlier during a face-to-face presentation as you have to introduce yourself anyway.
Strategies for presenting your team slide in an investors' deck
When presenting your team slide in an investors' deck, it is important to have a strategy for making it engaging and convincing. First, make sure to introduce each team member and their role in the company as this will simply help investors understand who is responsible for what. Second, highlight each team member's skills, experience, and accomplishments to prove their credibility and team fit. Third, focus on the value each team member brings to the table. Make sure to explain how their qualities and approach will help your startup succeed. This will show investors that your team is the right one to support and cooperate with.
Finally, make sure to end your presentation on a positive note. Summarize the key points of your team slide to leave investors with a positive impression and make them more likely to invest in your startup.
How to practice pitching your team slide?
Once you have created your team slide, it is important to practice presenting it as doing it for the first time in front of an important audience might be intimidating. Show it to your friends, family, or colleagues and ask for feedback. Then use it to improve your presentation. Also, practicing in front of the mirror works - this will help you become more comfortable, control your gestures and enhance your presentation skills.
Resources for creating team slides
There are many resources available to help you create a great team slide for your investors' deck such as templates from canva, beautiful.ai, slides, etc., or video tutorials. Finally, there are many design tools available that can help you make your team slide look professional and visually appealing.
Conclusion
Having a great team slide in your investors' deck is essential for successful startup fundraising. It will show investors that your team is capable and committed to growing your business. When crafting your team slide, make sure to include relevant information about each team member and highlight their skills, experience, and accomplishments. At the same time, make your slide engaging, concise and to the point. Finally, practice presenting your team slide to be able to pass the main message and convince investors.
Startup fundraising can be a long-lasting process, but having a great team slide in your investors' deck can help you stand out from the competition. With the right strategy and preparation, you can create an effective team slide and leave a lasting impression on potential investors.
Wanna know more about the fundraising process and how to successfully get your startup funded? Click here to download Perfect Pitch - The Ultimate Startup Guide, an ebook prepared by the team of experts and investors including insights about startup’s pitches, tips from investors, advice on how to pitch, and much more!
Needed expert help? Here in Vestbee, we gathered a team of VC professionals who will support your startup in the fundraising journey. Join us and create your online startup one-pager to share your business with investors with a click, track their engagement and get access to top VC funds from Vestbee startup & VC community!
Related Posts:
How To Successfully Get Grant Funding For Your Startup? (by Jure Tomc, Director, Cresco Innovation)
Why Your Startup Needs Venture Debt? - Advantages and Disadvantages of Venture Debt Funding (by Ewa Chronowska, Partner, Next Road Ventures)
Startup Fundraising: How To Craft Startup One-Pager For Investors? (by Olga Chechłacz, Editor, Vestbee)
