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J Skyler Fernandes

This course is based on the "Best" Startup Investor Pitch Deck Methodology, which has become the #1 Startup Pitch Deck online, viewed and downloaded over 45,000 times, and taught at top business schools and accelerators around the world. This course is taught by its creator, J. Skyler (Sky) Fernandes, who is a top ranked Venture Capitalist (a Powerlist 100 VC), an Angel Investor, a serial entrepreneur, adviser to start-ups, and a frequent speaker on the topic of entrepreneurship at institutions such as Harvard Business School, Wharton, New York University, New York Stock Exchange, and also presented the first TED Talk on Venture Capital.

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This course is based on the "Best" Startup Investor Pitch Deck Methodology, which has become the #1 Startup Pitch Deck online, viewed and downloaded over 45,000 times, and taught at top business schools and accelerators around the world. This course is taught by its creator, J. Skyler (Sky) Fernandes, who is a top ranked Venture Capitalist (a Powerlist 100 VC), an Angel Investor, a serial entrepreneur, adviser to start-ups, and a frequent speaker on the topic of entrepreneurship at institutions such as Harvard Business School, Wharton, New York University, New York Stock Exchange, and also presented the first TED Talk on Venture Capital.

The knowledge you'll obtain from this class comes from an aggregation of some of the best pitch decks and wisdom from some of the top angels, VCs, and entrepreneurs, including Sky's personal insights and experiences.

The class is much more than just a template for entrepreneurs to use to present to investors and a discussion of what details should be addressed on each slide. During each session, Sky will discuss personal stories and share some of the "secret" inner thinking that goes on inside an investor's mind and how (ultimately) they decide to invest in a select few of the thousands of opportunities that show-up in their in-boxes each year.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Help you create a start-up pitch deck that is best in class
  • Learn what investors are looking for in the deals they invest in
  • Learn how to speak "investor" and answer the main questions they ask every entrepreneur
  • Avoid some of the main mistakes that many entrepreneurs make when creating and presenting a pitch deck for their start-up

Syllabus

Introduction

The first TED Talk on Venture Capital by J. Skyler Fernandes: TED Talk: Innovating The Financing of Innovation

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Download the slide template below to use for your presentation.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Examines proven and successful pitch deck creation for entrepreneurs to attract investors and secure funding
Taught by venture capitalist with successful track record and experience at Fortune 500 companies
Gain access to insights, techniques, and tactics used by top-tier angel investors and venture capitalists
Offers practical guidelines and templates for creating persuasive pitch decks
Explicitly addresses common mistakes and pitfalls in investor presentations

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Reviews summary

Mastering startup pitch decks with vc insights

According to students, this course is an invaluable resource for mastering the art of the startup pitch deck, particularly praising the instructor's unparalleled VC expertise and real-world insights into investor thinking. Learners highlight the excellent pitch deck template provided, calling it a game-changer that offers actionable advice and demystifies the fundraising process. Many appreciate the engaging delivery and personal anecdotes that make complex topics accessible. While it provides a clear, comprehensive guide for most, a few suggest more experienced founders might find some sections introductory, desiring more advanced or hands-on exercises. Overall, it's largely considered a must-take for entrepreneurs seeking to raise venture capital.
The instructor's delivery and anecdotes keep learners engaged.
"The stories from his experience make it incredibly engaging."
"Sky's delivery is charismatic and easy to follow."
"The instructor's anecdotes are engaging, but I was looking for more practical exercises to apply the concepts."
Offers a clear, concise, and comprehensive guide to pitch decks.
"Sky provides such a clear, concise, and comprehensive guide to crafting a pitch deck."
"The guidance on structuring the deck is spot on."
"It provides a clear roadmap for pitch deck creation."
Provides an excellent, actionable template and practical advice.
"The template provided is excellent, and the stories from his experience make it incredibly engaging."
"The pitch deck template alone is worth the price of admission."
"I've already applied several tips and seen a positive response."
"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."
Unparalleled wisdom from a top-ranked Venture Capitalist.
"Sky's insights into what VCs *really* think are invaluable."
"The depth of knowledge from a real VC is unparalleled."
"I finally understand the nuances of what VCs look for."
"His course cuts through the noise and gives you the essential framework."
Some wished for more practical exercises or specific examples.
"It's more theoretical 'how to think' than 'how to build step-by-step'."
"More practical, hands-on exercises would improve it."
"Would have loved to see a bit more about post-pitch follow-up strategies."
Ideal for new founders, but potentially high-level for experienced ones.
"It's good for beginners, but experienced founders might find some parts too introductory."
"Found some of the content to be a bit high-level and generic."
"I was hoping for more advanced strategies for specific industries or detailed financial modeling examples."
"I felt that some of the 'secrets' weren't particularly groundbreaking for someone who has already been through a few fundraising rounds."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The "Best" Startup Pitch Deck - How To Raise Venture Capital with these activities:
Read 'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries
Gain insights into the Lean Startup methodology to validate and refine your business ideas, ensuring a data-driven and iterative approach to startup success.
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes on key concepts.
  • Apply the principles to your own startup idea.
Conduct Market Research for a New Business Idea
Conduct thorough market research to identify and evaluate potential startup business ideas, ensuring your pitch is grounded in solid data and market understanding.
Show steps
  • Brainstorm potential business ideas.
  • Conduct primary and secondary research on the target market.
  • Analyze the competition and identify opportunities.
Develop a Pitch Deck Prototype
Create a rough draft of your pitch deck based on your understanding of the course material and feedback from your team, preparing you for further refinement.
Browse courses on Venture Capital
Show steps
  • Gather information and data on your startup.
  • Develop the pitch deck slides.
  • Refine the content and design.
Show all three activities

Career center

Learners who complete The "Best" Startup Pitch Deck - How To Raise Venture Capital will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Investment Banker
Investment Bankers often write pitch decks to potential investors to show why they should invest in a company. This course will teach you how to write an effective pitch deck and make you stand out from the competition.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts also write pitch decks when they present their research on a company to their clients. This course will help you get started with writing a pitch deck and provide you with the information you need to make your writing effective.
Venture Capitalist
Venture Capitalists are the primary audience for a pitch deck. This course may provide you with insight into creating a pitch deck that will help you attract investors.
Angel Investor
Angel Investors use pitch decks to learn about startups they want to invest in. This course may provide you with insight into creating a pitch deck that will help you attract investors.
Product Manager
Product Managers often present their products to investors and other stakeholders using pitch decks. This course may be helpful to you as a Product Manager and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your product or service.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Managers use pitch decks to present their marketing plans to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Marketing Manager and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your marketing campaign.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers use pitch decks to present their sales plans to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Sales Manager and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your sales plan or strategy.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts use pitch decks to present their financial and business analysis to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Business Analyst and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your business analysis or financial report.
Investment Manager
Investment Managers use pitch decks to present their investment strategies to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as an Investment Manager and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your investment strategy.
Financial Advisor
Financial Advisors use pitch decks to present their financial advisory services and investment strategies to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Financial Advisor and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your services.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officers often use pitch decks to present their strategic vision for the company to investors and other stakeholders. This course will help you get started on writing a pitch deck and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your strategic vision or company.
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officers often use pitch decks to present their financial plans for the company to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Chief Financial Officer and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your financial plan or strategy.
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officers often use pitch decks to present their operational plans for the company to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Chief Operating Officer and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your operational plan or strategy.
Entrepreneurship Professor
Entrepreneurship Professors often use pitch decks to present their business ideas to investors and other stakeholders. This course will help you get started with writing a pitch deck and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your business ideas or curriculum.
Business Development Manager
Business Development Managers often use pitch decks to present their business development plans to investors and other stakeholders. This course may be helpful to you as a Business Development Manager and provide you with the information you need to create a successful pitch deck for your business development plan or strategy.

Reading list

We've selected 17 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in The "Best" Startup Pitch Deck - How To Raise Venture Capital.
Common textbook for entrepreneurship classes. It discusses how to build a successful business using the lean methodology. Many of the concepts relate to securing funding.
Must-read for any entrepreneur who wants to learn how to build a successful business using the lean startup methodology.
Contrarian's guide to building a successful business. Thiel argues that the only way to create a truly successful business is to find a way to do something that no one else is doing.
Provides a practical guide to developing and testing new products using the lean methodology. It is useful for entrepreneurs who want to quickly and efficiently bring new products to market.
Is frequently cited for its ideas on how to create and communicate a successful strategy. It is useful as a reference guide for entrepreneurs seeking funding.
Is an industry classic. It dives into why large companies sometimes fail to survive when disruptive changes happen in their industry.
This classic book provides a framework for understanding the challenges of moving a product or service from the early adopter market to the mainstream market.

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