This template walks through the 12 slides most early-stage investors expect to see: problem, solution, market size, product, traction, business model, competition, team, financials, the ask, and use of funds.
It’s structured to be adapted rather than filled in verbatim — the goal is a clear narrative arc, not a checklist. Pair it with real traction data and keep it under 15 slides for a first meeting.
Covers the core terms founders and investors negotiate in a SAFE round: valuation cap, discount rate, pro-rata rights, and most-favored-nation clauses.
This is a starting point for conversations with counsel, not a substitute for legal review — SAFE terms directly affect your cap table at the next priced round, so get a lawyer to review before signing anything.
A linked three-statement model built for early-stage startups: revenue build-up, headcount planning, burn rate, and runway calculations feed into an integrated income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Useful for board reporting, fundraising diligence, and internal planning — most investors will ask for something close to this during a raise.
A cap table template that tracks founder equity, option pool allocation, and investor ownership across multiple funding rounds, with built-in dilution modeling for future raises.
Keeping this accurate from day one avoids painful reconciliation work later — update it every time you issue equity, not just before a fundraise.
Covers the basics every co-founder agreement should include: role and responsibilities, vesting schedule, IP assignment, confidentiality, and termination terms.
Vesting is the most important clause here — even among close co-founders, a standard four-year vesting schedule with a one-year cliff protects the company if someone leaves early.
Walks through the questions to answer before launch: who’s the first customer, which one or two channels will you focus on, how is the product priced relative to alternatives, and what does an early success metric look like.
The biggest mistake this guide tries to prevent is spreading a small team across too many channels at once — pick one, get it working, then expand.