We’ve seen a lot of pitch decks, and we’ve built a lot of pitch decks. One thing is clear: the first four slides are the most critical part of your deck—and they often fall short.

These four opening slides set the tone for your entire pitch. They determine whether investors grasp your message immediately or spend the rest of your deck trying to piece it together. 

A weak start leads to confusion. A strong start creates clarity, engagement, and momentum—so that by the time your audience moves into the rest of your deck, they already get it.

1. The Problem Slide: Creating Context

Yes, this is the problem slide—but it’s much more than that. It doesn’t just introduce an issue; it paints a picture and places your audience within the context of "who" this problem affects.

Too often, we see problem slides overloaded with information:

• Multiple statistics competing for attention

• Three different problems being introduced at once

• Dense text that overwhelms rather than informs

Investors get lost before they even understand what your company does.

How to Build It Right:

✅ Focus on one, clear problem statement. Introduce the problem in a single, direct sentence.
✅ Support it with a single, powerful statistic. Pick one, save the others for later. This stat can either stand alone or be integrated into the sentence, but keep it concise and impactful.
✅ Make it digestible. The goal here is clarity—this is the very first slide setting the stage for your company.

When done correctly, this slide immediately frames the discussion and primes the audience for your solution.

2. The Solution Slide: The Call-and-Response

This is where you introduce the what—but it’s not the time for features or deep explanations.

Your solution should directly respond to the problem you just introduced. Too many decks lose momentum here by diving into product features too early, cluttering the slide, or making it hard for the audience to immediately connect the dots.

How to Build It Right:

✅ One-liner that synthesizes your product into a single, clear sentence.
✅ Keep it simple. Investors should instantly understand what your company does at a high level.
✅ Use negative space. Whether it’s an image of the platform, a prototype, or an intuitive representation of what you’re building, a strong visual here reinforces clarity.

When structured correctly, this slide doesn’t just present the connection between the problem and your solution—it allows investors to discover it themselves. 

3. The “How It Works” Slide: Structuring the Process

Now that the audience understands the problem and solution, they’re naturally asking: "Okay, but how does this actually work?"

This slide should provide a logical, digestible breakdown of your process. Depending on your business, this can be consumer-focused (customer experience) or technology-focused (product mechanics).

How to Build It Right:

✅ Start with an introductory sentence that explains the process at a high level, A-Z.
✅ Break it into 3-5 clear steps. Each step should:

• Follow a logical progression.

• Be mutually exclusive (no overlapping explanations).

• Have a clear, concise sentence that focuses on just that step.

✅ Format matters. Whether it’s a flowchart, numbered steps, or icons, make sure it’s structured visually so it’s easy to follow.

A well-structured "How It Works" slide eliminates confusion and reassures investors that your solution is both functional and executable in practice.

4. The Value Proposition Slide: Why This Matters

At this point, the audience understands:

1. What the problem is.

2. How your company is solving it.

3. How your solution actually works.

Now, you need to answer the bigger question: "Why should I care?"

Your value proposition slide is where you highlight the unique benefits that make your company worth paying attention to. This isn’t just about what you do—it’s about why it’s valuable and why your solution is superior.

How to Build It Right:

✅ Start with a one-liner summarizing your company’s holistic advantage. This is the “so what” statement—why your product or solution is important in the big picture.
✅ Identify 3-5 key value propositions. These could be: cost advantage, efficiency, etc.

✅ Make each value prop mutually exclusive. Each point should stand alone and not overlap with the others.
✅ Use bold headers for each value prop, followed by a concise explanation underneath.

This slide solidifies the WHY behind your company. If done right, your audience should already be nodding their heads, understanding exactly why this is an opportunity worth paying attention to.

Why These Four Slides Matter

Without a doubt, these four slides set the entire foundation of your pitch deck. If they are structured correctly:
✔ The problem is clear.
✔ The solution is obvious.
✔ The execution is digestible.
✔ The value is undeniable.

You never get a second chance at a first impression, and in fundraising, those first slides are the impression. Get them right, and you set the stage—not just for a great pitch, but for the kind of belief that turns conversations into commitments.

Interested in working with LionRun?

Doroni Secures $30M to Take Flight 🚀

Our client, Doroni Aerospace has secured a $30M strategic investment from Kingdom Aero Industries (KAI) to accelerate Doroni's efforts in scaling development, certification, production, and hiring, aiming to bring the H1-X to market by the end of 2026.

This is a massive milestone, and we couldn’t be prouder to be working alongside Doroni as they scale into this next chapter.

If you’re interested in investing in Doroni, their StartEngine campaign closes in just 24 days.

Join Us in NYC on March 17th!

We’re hosting a Startup Founder Meetup: Fundraising Preparation at Nomadworks Times Square on March 17th 6-8pm. Connect with top founders, exchange real insights on raising capital, and dive into the strategies that actually move the needle when preparing for a fundraise.

Whether you’re deep in the process or just gearing up, this is the room you want to be in. 

Our team is looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces there!

📍 Nomadworks Times Square (Exact details sent upon registration)

Welcome Jason to the LionRun Team! 🎉

We’re thrilled to have Jason Hess join LionRun as Head of Client Engagement! With a decade in the financial sector, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in VC and Investor Relations building out investor portfolios. He will ensure your time with LionRun is seamless from initial connection to a successful raise—so don’t be surprised if he pops into your inbox soon.

If you’re interested in learning more about LionRun or working with us again, Jason is your go-to-guy. 

Client Spotlight: Liberation Labs, $50.5M Raised!

We’re thrilled to spotlight Liberation Labs, a company redefining the future of precision fermentation with their Bio3 facility. Liberation Labs is tackling one of the biggest bottlenecks in the industry—scaling production capacity for alternative proteins and biomanufacturing at scale.

A big congratulations to Liberation Labs for closing a massive $50.5M raise, and is now working on raising an additional $25M safe round. 🎉

We recently sat down with co-founder Etan Bandheim to talk about his experience working with LionRun and how we helped refine their materials for fundraising.

Thanks for reading, here's a 10% discount on any project—use it yourself or share it with a fellow founder who could benefit from our services. Download the PNG and send it to us upon outreach!

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Until next time— we’ll be on the lookout!

Interested in working with LionRun?