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THE MEDKAP STARTUP PITCH
#1 Opening Impact #2 Problem Definition #3 Solution Showcase #4 The Magic Factor #5 Business Model Clarity | #6 Marketing and Sales Approach #7 Competitive Analysis #8 Team Capabilities #9 Financial Projections #10 Milestone Achievement & CTA |
At MEDKAP, we’ve reviewed countless healthcare startup pitches. Today, I’m sharing our definitive guide to creating a compelling pitch deck that resonates with healthcare investors like us.
But first, understanding the harsh reality of investor attention spans is critical when crafting your healthcare pitch deck.
The numbers are sobering: investors typically spend just one second on your cover slide, three seconds scanning your first three slides, and if you’re fortunate, thirty seconds reviewing the entire deck. Only truly exceptional presentations earn three minutes of attention.
Rest assured that the MEDKAP Jury spends 10 minutes on average on your pitch to provide high-quality feedback (from 3 healthcare experts) and make sure we select the most promising cases.
However, this means your healthcare innovation story must be razor-sharp and instantly engaging. Your cover slide should hook investors like a compelling social post, avoiding grandiose claims in favour of specific value propositions.
When presenting healthcare problems, use concrete statistics about patient outcomes or system inefficiencies rather than vague statements. Your solution must logically address the stated issue with believable benefits, while market size calculations should be bottom-up and grounded in reality.
Most importantly, remember that in healthcare investment, you’re initially pitching for the “maybe pile” – there is no immediate “yes.” This understanding should shape every slide, ensuring each element of your deck serves a clear purpose in moving your pitch forward.
Let’s explore the critical 10-slide framework that can make or break your funding success.
The Foundation Slides
1: Opening Impact
Your pitch deck begins with a powerful title slide as your digital handshake. Include your company name and purpose prominently, along with your name and title, to establish immediate credibility. Ensure your contact information is clear and professional – investors should know exactly how to reach you after the presentation.
2: Problem Definition
The second slide must clearly articulate the healthcare challenge you’re addressing with insight. Stating the incidence and prevalence shows you understand the market, but it’s also about making investors feel the problem’s urgency. In healthcare, this might involve patient outcomes, cost inefficiencies, or access to care issues.
3: Solution Showcase
Your third slide presents your value proposition – how your solution addresses the identified healthcare challenge as the game-changing answer. Focus on concrete benefits and what distinguishes your approach from existing solutions in the medical marketplace. Emphasize the current relevance of your solution by addressing “why now?” and prove the timing is right.
Technical and Business Elements
4: The Magic Factor
The fourth slide reveals your “underlying magic” – the technological innovation that powers your solution. For healthcare startups, this might include:
- Proprietary algorithms or AI implementations
- Novel medical devices or diagnostic tools
- Unique data processing methodologies
- Patents and intellectual property protection
5: Business Model Clarity
Your fifth slide must detail how you’ll compellingly generate revenue. What are you selling, to who and how? Healthcare investors need to understand:
- Revenue streams (B2B, B2C, or hybrid approaches)
- Roles of involved stakeholders (i.e. patients, users/healthcare professionals, insurance, distributors, buyers). See PURSE model.
- Pricing strategy aligned with healthcare market realities
- Customer acquisition methodology in the medical sector
Market Strategy and Competition
6: Marketing and Sales Approach
The sixth slide outlines your go-to-market strategy, including:
- Market entry tactics specific to healthcare
- Sales channels (direct, through providers, or via partnerships)
- Strategy for building and maintaining relationships with healthcare stakeholders (e.g. KOLs)
7: Competitive Analysis
Your seventh slide should highlight your edge over the competition:
- Understanding of current market competitors
- Your unique differentiators based on stakeholder benefits
- Barriers to entry you’ve established
Execution and Financials
8: Team Capabilities
The eighth slide showcases your team’s expertise:
- Key team members behind your vision with relevant healthcare experience
- Medical advisors and their credentials
- Board members who bring healthcare industry connections
9: Financial Projections
Your ninth slide presents the numbers that matter:
- 3-5 year revenue and profit forecasts
- Key healthcare metrics (patient acquisition costs, lifetime value)
- Major expense categories and burn rate
10: Milestone Achievement & CTA
The final slide demonstrates your progress and plans:
- Achieved milestones (regulatory approvals, pilot studies)
- Development timeline
- Specific use of investment funds
- Call To Action (CTA)
Healthcare-Specific Considerations
When presenting to MEDKAP or other healthcare investors, ensure your deck addresses:
- Regulatory compliance and approval pathways
- Clinical validation strategies
- Integration with existing healthcare systems
- Data security and privacy laws compliance
- Market Access and reimbursement strategies
Best Practices for Delivery (Provided you get there)
- Keep each slide focused and uncluttered
- Use action titles to drive clear messages
- Use healthcare-specific visuals and examples
- Prepare for regulatory and compliance questions
- Have backup slides for technical deep dives
- Practice the presentation and transitions between sections
- Stick to your time allocation by all means!
Final Thoughts
Remember, your pitch deck is more than a presentation – it’s a story about how your innovation will transform healthcare. At MEDKAP, we look for decks that demonstrate not only technical excellence but also a deep understanding of healthcare market dynamics and patient needs.
For startups preparing to pitch to MEDKAP, ensure your deck follows this framework while highlighting the unique aspects of your healthcare solution. Your goal is to demonstrate not just the potential for financial returns, but also the positive impact your innovation will have on patient care and healthcare delivery.
Most importantly, keep your presentation concise, impactful, and focused on what matters most to healthcare investors:
- market opportunity
- execution capability, and
- potential for meaningful change in the healthcare landscape.
And always remind yourself of these universal truths about pitch decks:
- Simple beats complex
- Clarity beats creativity
- Evidence beats promises
- Numbers beat adjectives
Good luck!
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More Resources
- Guy Kawasaki’s “The Art of the Start 2.0” – Original source of the 10-20-30 rule for pitch deck presentations
https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/the-only-10-slides-you-need-in-your-startup-pitch - DerStartupCFO: Top 10 Healthcare Series A Pitch Decks
https://www.derstartupcfo.com/en/blog/top-10-healthcare-series-a-pitch-decks - SlideGenius: How to Create an Effective Healthcare Pitch Deck: Step-by-Step Guide
https://www.slidegenius.com/cm-faq-question/how-can-i-create-an-effective-pitch-deck-for-a-healthcare-related-presentation - BestPitchDeck: Healthcare Pitch Deck Examples
https://bestpitchdeck.com/healthcare/ - Zoho: 7 Pro-tips for creating a winning pitch deck for your tech startup
https://www.zoho.com/show/chronicles/tips-to-create-a-winning-pitch-deck-for-your-tech-startup.html - SharpSheets: How To Create a Health Tech Pitch Deck: Full Guide
https://sharpsheets.io/blog/pitch-deck-health-tech/ - Eleken: 19 Best Pitch Deck Examples That Raised Millions [Free Template]
https://www.eleken.co/blog-posts/pitch-deck-examples - Pharma Gellan: Biotech and medtech pitch decks: The best guides, tips, and tricks
https://www.pharmagellan.com/blog/pitch-deck-tips - Advance-CTR: How to Create the Perfect Pitch Deck to Wow Investors
https://advancectr.brown.edu/resources/professional-development/how-create-perfect-pitch-deck-wow-investors - Failory: Top 50 Pitch Decks from Healthcare Startups (2024)
https://www.failory.com/pitch-deck/healthcare - How Investors Really Review Your Pitch Deck, Burak Buyukdemir https://www.linkedin.com/posts/burakbuyukdemir_3-seconds-rule-activity-7286696046313795585-ZFV1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
