# GENERAL RULES FOR PITCHES | TechAngels

> TechAngels' short-form pitch rules: max 10 slides, one message per slide, and the 8-part structure from market grabber to investment sought.

Source: https://techangels.ro/resources/general-rules-for-pitches/

**Basic idea**: Investors typically want both a product/service and the skills to sell it so, provide some figures and show you can sell (or get in someone who can).
And it is never bad to show off a little.

**GENERAL RULES:**

**A. Presentation:**

- Max 10 slides.

- Remember, a presentation is like a hammer: just hit one nail at a time. One message. Focus.

**B. Structure**

- **Market (as attention grabber)**

Important and powerful slide

- Show future figures, NOT past (if you don’t know them, add 50% to the 2026 figures)

- Projections for 2028 (not too big, but big enough)

- **Problem (one slide)**

Focus on one main problem

- **Solution**

Explain. Show. Without your product/service and with your product/service.

- **Product/Service**

Be explicit and hit strong.

- Clients (only one slide, max 2, if more it looks like a lack of focus). Make a choice. Have a priority.

Identify clearly with just one key point per client

- Explain (1) what do they buy? and (2) why do they buy?

- **Competition and competitive strengths**

Try to position them (and you) on a graph for the reader to quickly grasp the differences.

- **Team**

Technical degrees, anything that can put the team at the forefront

- Marketing degree (find a sales guy or advisor you can put in, at least as a board advisor or something like it)

- Prior experience

- **Financials**

What turnover in 5 years

- Business objectives

How many customers for the next 5 years

- KPIs:

Customer acquisition cost

- Revenue per customer and per year

- Customer retention

- Sales and marketing plan

- **Investment sought and for what exactly.**

How you are going to spend the money:

Salaries, salesmen, marketing, servers, etc.

- Do not hesitate to ask more if you are negotiating with a fund

*See also: [Pitch Deck Guidelines for founders](/resources/pitch-deck-guidelines-for-founders/) and the expanded [How to make a pitch deck: the TechAngels guide](/resources/how-to-make-a-pitch-deck/).*