We sat down with Chad Dehmer, Senior Manager on the Opportunities and Investments team here at UPMC Enterprises, for a Q&A session to talk about what a pitch deck is and what to keep in mind when creating one.
The health care startup space is full of complexities, nuances, and is extremely resource intensive. As an entrepreneur in the space, it’s inevitable that you will have partners and investors, which means you will be interacting with people from whom you need something: capital, business services, or a wide range of other startup needs. You and your business also have a story. But just how do you convey that story to potential investors? How do you pass an oftentimes vigorous vetting process to get in front of the folks who are signing the checks? Enter the pitch deck.
At a high-level, pitch decks are typically PowerPoint presentations that provide an overview of a company, idea, or product which includes some type of request (e.g. funding, co-development, research partnership, strategic relationship, etc.).
We sat down with Chad Dehmer, Senior Manager on the Opportunities and Investments team, for a Q&A session. Chad and his team have extensive experience reviewing pitch decks that come in to Enterprises. Below, we break down what a pitch deck is, why it’s important, and some things to keep in mind while you design your pitch deck and prepare to tell your story to potential investors.
Q: Firstly, thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Chad. We appreciate it and look forward to your insight. To kick things off, in your own words, what is a pitch deck?
Q: Excellent. Who typically sends the pitch deck and who typically receives it? What does that process look like?
Q: Are there some tell-tale signs of a good pitch deck?
Q: How specific should a pitch deck be?
Q: Is there anything that could derail a conversation and perhaps ruin a deal during this stage?
Q: How would you describe the importance of trust between two organizations at this point in the deal flow?
Q: From an investor perspective, could trust get a company or entrepreneur from a pitch to a partnership or investment?
Q: We’ve talked about a lot so far. Are there one or two pieces of advice you would give to an entrepreneur or a company who is entering the world of health care venture capital?
Q: Fantastic, Chad. We really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to close with?
Do you have a pitch deck to share with UPMC Enterprises? Drop us a line and let’s start a conversation. For more tips on how you can become a leader in the field, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
