This free eBook goes over the 10 slides every startup pitch deck has to include, based on what we learned from analyzing 500+ pitch decks, including those from Airbnb, Uber and Spotify.
Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.
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Cyclica clearly frames the problem around massive, industry-wide pain points: the 7-year drug discovery timeline and high clinical trial failure rates. This approach immediately establishes the scale of the opportunity and speaks directly to the financial and operational inefficiencies that investors recognize in the pharmaceutical sector. By focusing on quantifiable metrics like time and failure, they make the problem tangible and urgent, avoiding vague statements about "improving drug discovery."
Our Tip: Anchor your problem slide in specific, quantifiable industry pain points like cost, time, or failure rates to make the opportunity feel massive and undeniable.
Cyclica presents its solution not just as a product but as a holistic platform, using terms like "computational biophysics and AI" to signal deep technological expertise. They effectively connect their solution back to the problem by promising to shorten the drug discovery timeline from 7 to 3 years, providing a clear and compelling ROI. Their value proposition is sharpened by claiming to be the "first company" to integrate these specific technologies, establishing a strong position of innovation.
Our Tip: Clearly articulate your solution's direct impact on the problem you introduced, using a specific, measurable outcome to define your value proposition.
Cyclica presents a diversified business model that combines partnerships, technology licensing, equity, royalties, and upfront fees. This multi-pronged strategy works because it shows investors multiple paths to revenue, de-risking the investment by not relying on a single income stream. Notice that the model includes both short-term cash flow from upfront fees and long-term upside from equity and royalties, which is highly attractive to investors.
Our Tip: Showcase a diversified revenue strategy that balances near-term cash flow with long-term value creation to build investor confidence in your financial plan.
The team slide effectively builds credibility by highlighting both internal leadership, like Founder and CEO Dr. Arun Anand, and external validation from a major industry player, Dr. Friedrich Rippmann of Merck KGaA. This combination of entrepreneurial leadership and established corporate expertise signals to investors that the team has both the vision and the industry connections to succeed. Mentioning the diverse team of scientists and developers reinforces the company's technical depth and ability to execute its complex vision.
Our Tip: Build a team slide that blends founder vision with deep industry expertise and external validation from respected advisors or partners to maximize credibility.
Cyclica builds a powerful narrative by ensuring every slide—from the solution to the team—directly answers the massive, quantifiable problem of a 7-year drug discovery timeline. This strategy works because it constantly reminds investors of the scale of the opportunity and frames every aspect of your business as a necessary part of the solution. Define your core problem with a hard metric, then explicitly link your solution, business model, and team back to improving that specific number.
Notice how Cyclica systematically de-risks their venture by showcasing a diversified business model and securing validation from a major industry player like Merck. Investors are looking for reasons to say no, and this approach proactively counters objections by proving market demand and demonstrating multiple paths to profitability. Mitigate perceived risk by diversifying your revenue streams and featuring advisors or partners who lend your company instant credibility.
