A pitch deck should help an investor understand the business and decide what to examine next. It is not a substitute for customer evidence, and a polished presentation does not turn an assumption into a result. This checklist is for founders in Azerbaijan preparing a first conversation with an angel network, venture fund or support programme. Adapt it to the recipient’s current instructions rather than treating it as a universal application form.
Decide what this conversation needs to achieve
Before editing slides, write the company’s current stage, the financing or support sought, and the next business milestone. An introduction, a product discussion and a formal investment review need different levels of detail. Prepare a short explanation of why this particular organization is relevant.
Sequoia’s business-plan guidance emphasizes a clear account of the business, its market and the team. Y Combinator also publishes a seed fundraising guide. The working checklist below is AzerStartup’s own practical synthesis, not an official template or a statement that either investor endorses your business.
Build the story around evidence
Use a simple sequence: who needs the product, what changes for that customer, what you have demonstrated, and what the next stage requires. Make each section answer a question that someone outside the company can understand. Explain unfamiliar local terms and specify whether a result relates to Azerbaijan, another country or several markets.
| Section | Evidence to bring | Mistake to catch |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and problem | A defined customer group and observed problem | Describing everyone as a potential customer |
| Product | A usable demonstration or an honest prototype description | Presenting a roadmap feature as already available |
| Demand | Dated usage, paid customers or clearly labelled pilots | Adding signups, active users and paying customers together |
| Commercial model | Who pays, how pricing works and delivery costs | Treating transaction volume as company revenue |
| Growth and alternatives | A tested acquisition route and relevant alternatives | Claiming there is no competition |
| Team and next milestone | Responsibilities, gaps, funding need and planned use | Listing advisers as full-time team members |
A pre-revenue team can still explain learning: what was tested, with whom, what changed and what remains uncertain. A pilot is useful evidence when its scope and status are described accurately. Do not label an unpaid test as recurring revenue or a conversation as a signed customer contract.
Make the numbers consistent
Choose a reporting period and use it throughout the deck. Label currency, country coverage and whether figures are actual results or forecasts. Keep a dated copy of the underlying calculation so you can explain it in a meeting. If you use a market-size estimate, show the assumptions that connect it to customers you could realistically serve.
- Define an active user before displaying an active-user total.
- Separate revenue, bookings, gross transaction value and cash received.
- Separate a one-time sale from recurring income.
- Show the period and cohort when discussing retention.
- Explain planned costs and what changes if a key assumption is wrong.
For a simple hypothetical runway check, a team with AZN 40,000 available and a steady net cash outflow of AZN 8,000 per month has roughly five months before additional financing or changes are needed. Real plans also need payment timing, commitments and uncertainty. These numbers illustrate a calculation and do not describe any AzerStartup-listed company.
Prepare a small, controlled evidence folder
Have supporting information ready, but share it in stages appropriate to the conversation. Keep the deck separate from confidential legal, financial and personal documents. Do not publish customer lists, identity documents, passwords or credentials in an unrestricted folder.
- A dated deck and a short company summary with the same figures.
- A product demonstration and clear description of what is live.
- An explanation of ownership and any existing funding obligations.
- Supporting customer or pilot evidence that you are entitled to disclose.
- A cost plan linked to the next milestone and key hiring needs.
- A record of important questions, answers and follow-up actions.
Use descriptive filenames and control who can access sensitive material. Check with a qualified adviser when an investor requests documents connected to ownership, intellectual property or a binding transaction. This checklist does not prescribe a legal document package for every company.
Tailor the submission to the recipient
Read our guide to startup funding in Azerbaijan before selecting a route. Compare the investor directory with your actual stage. The Caucasus Ventures profile and Next Business Angels profile link to each organization’s sources; their criteria and application paths should be checked independently.
Write a short introduction that identifies the product, customer, current evidence, request and reason for contacting that recipient. Follow any stated file or form requirements. Avoid sending a mass message that makes the recipient discover the relevance for themselves. An application receipt confirms submission, not an investment decision.
Rehearse the questions, not just the slides
Ask a person unfamiliar with the company to describe the product back to you. If they cannot identify the customer and the benefit, simplify the explanation. Practice answering what is measured, what is assumed, why customers return, what you will test next and what the financing would change. When you do not know an answer, record it as a follow-up instead of inventing precision.
Final send checklist
- Company name, product links and contact details are correct.
- Every chart has a period, a unit and an understandable definition.
- Actual results and forecasts are clearly separated.
- Customer evidence can be shared lawfully and confidential details are controlled.
- Funding request and use of funds support the same milestone.
- The file and the official application link work on another device.
- A teammate can explain every material number in the presentation.
Common questions
Is there a required slide count?
There is no slide count established by this editorial checklist. Follow the recipient’s instructions and use the space needed to communicate the evidence clearly.
Must I already have revenue?
Requirements depend on the investor or programme. Describe your stage honestly and show the evidence available at that stage; do not invent revenue to satisfy a perceived expectation.
Can I use a public startup profile instead of a deck?
A public startup profile can help someone discover the company. A tailored deck explains the current request and evidence. Keep both consistent, while reserving confidential information for an appropriately controlled review.