At TechCrunch Disrupt, three buyers took the stage to dissect what makes — and breaks — a pitch deck. Jyoti Bansal, a founder-turned-investor; Medha Agarwal of Defy; and Jennifer Neundorfer of January Ventures shared with the gang their candid views on what works in a pitch deck — and what doesn’t.
Their largest pet peeve? Buzzword overload.
The extra a founder says AI in the pitch, Agarwal mentioned, the much less AI the corporate doubtless makes use of. “The people who find themselves doing issues which are actually progressive, they’ll speak about it, and it’s in-built, however it’s not the core of their pitch,” she informed the viewers.
Bansal, who constructed and offered a number of firms earlier than changing into an investor, distilled investor expectations into three core questions. First, he asks whether or not there’s a massive sufficient market to sort out. Does the founder’s thought have the potential to turn into an enormous firm? And is the issue she or he is fixing really price fixing?
The second factor buyers need to know is why this founder is the one who needs to be constructing the corporate. “There must be one thing distinctive about you,” Bansal informed the gang, including that this included having particular members on the founding crew or having particular abilities. “Why would you win? If the issue is attention-grabbing, there will probably be 20 different firms making an attempt to resolve it, so why would you win and what’s your alternative?”
The third factor buyers need to see, Bansal mentioned, is a few validation. “Traction with prospects,” he mentioned. “Validation may very well be preliminary buyer suggestions, income, one thing, however some sort of validation.”
These three questions, Bansal famous, all result in the last word litmus check: May this turn into a billion-dollar firm?
Techcrunch occasion
San Francisco
|
October 13-15, 2026
The panel additionally addressed how AI startups can differentiate themselves because the area turns into saturated. Bansal emphasised the significance of area experience and a transparent aggressive technique. Neundorfer mentioned the businesses that catch her consideration are these enabling new behaviors relatively than merely bettering an current course of incrementally.
Agarwal supplied extra tactical recommendation to founders, saying they need to clarify how AI know-how permits their product; articulate clear go-to-market methods; and exhibit how their enterprise will probably be extra environment friendly than incumbents.
It’s additionally crucial to be sincere about what opponents are on the market, she added. A few of you have got “misplaced some credibility with me since you didn’t have it in your slide,” she informed the founders within the viewers.
Lastly, the buyers shared recommendation for navigating the quickly evolving panorama. Agarwal urged founders to remain on prime of trade developments. Neundorfer beneficial staying linked to founder networks to share instruments and insights.
Bansal’s recommendation was easier: “Concentrate on constructing your product.”
