Equity Engine Pitch Deck: 17-Slide Breakdown

See all 17 slides of the Equity Engine pitch deck — a PropTech deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Equity Engine's 2019 concept deck addresses the impending retirement of 4 million US business owners, a phenomenon it labels the 'Silver Tsunami.' The company proposes a unique hybrid model that combines real estate development with employee ownership transitions. By developing the real estate under a business to its 'highest and best use' and relocating the company to a lower-cost neighborhood, Equity Engine aims to generate the capital necessary to fund buyouts that would otherwise be financially prohibitive due to high taxes and lending constraints. The deck focuses heavily on the Chicago…

Key takeaways

Executive Summary: The Intersection of M&A and Urban Development

Equity Engine's 'Concept Shaping' deck from April 2019 presents a sophisticated, if complex, solution to the problem of small business succession. Rather than a standard brokerage or private equity approach, Equity Engine positions itself as a development partner that uses real estate arbitrage to fund employee ownership. The deck is heavily rooted in social impact, aiming to prevent the 'bathtub effect' of community wealth leakage by keeping businesses operational under new, local ownership.

Slide 1: Title and Mission

The cover slide introduces Equity Engine Chicago with the tagline 'Facilitating Business Ownership Succession.' It explicitly states a dual purpose: 'Preserving Jobs & Growing Community Wealth via Employee Ownership.' The branding includes the logo for Marketsling Innovation Labs, suggesting Equity Engine may be a project or subsidiary of this entity. The visual of a baton pass reinforces the theme of succession.

Slide 2: The Market Opportunity

This slide establishes the 'Silver Tsunami' as the primary market driver. It provides two scales of data. Nationally, it cites the Budget & Tax Center, noting 4,000,000 Boomer-owned businesses will be sold or dissolved by 2030, totaling $10 trillion in wealth. Locally, it focuses on Metro Chicago, citing Price Waterhouse Coopers data that 43% of SMBs (108,393 companies) have owners over 65 without a succession plan. A critical friction point is noted: while 70% of owners prefer to keep the business in the family, only 30% actually do so, creating a massive gap for third-party intervention.

Slide 3: The Problem 1.0 - Financial Inefficiency

Slide 3 breaks down why traditional business sales fail. It claims 'most sales are funded with the seller's own money' and highlights five pain points: Owner (keeps only $0.70 of every $1.00), Company (faces double taxation), Buyers (must earn $1.82 for every $1.00 paid due to taxes/interest), Lender (low LTV and only 25% deal funding rate), and Government (high taxation on both sides). This slide effectively argues that the current system 'strangles cash flows.'

Slide 4: The New Capital Facility

This is the most technical slide in the deck, outlining a five-step financial structure. Step 1: The company borrows from a lender and lends to the owner at deductible interest. Step 2: The owner buys a single premium high cash value life insurance policy. Step 3: The owner borrows from the policy in year 3 for tax-free retirement income. Step 4: Policy loan interest is kept below 1% AFR. Step 5: The lender is repaid with a tax-free death benefit. This structure is designed to make buyout payments exempt from capital gains, though it relies heavily on specific IRS interpretations of insurance and lending products.

Slide 5: The Problem 2.0 - Disinvestment

Equity Engine shifts from financial mechanics to social impact. Using a 'bathtub' metaphor, it illustrates 'Community Assets' (skills, local employers, homeownership) vs. 'Community Leakages' (unemployment, crime, payday lenders). The argument is that when a business closes due to a lack of succession, the 'water' (wealth) drains out of the community, leading to urban decay.

Slide 6: The Answer to Capital Scarcity

This slide introduces the real estate pivot. The solution is to 'Develop the real estate under the business to highest and best use and relocate the company to a neighborhood in need of the economic impact.' The deck uses the controversial term 'inclusive gentrification,' arguing that this process directs wealth to communities that need it rather than displacing them. This suggests Equity Engine acts as both a real estate developer and a business consultant.

Slide 7: More Capital = More Impact

A comparison slide pits three options against each other: 1. Include property with company sale: (Consequence: High tax basis, new owner likely closes facility). 2. Sell property to a developer: (Consequence: Owner loses back-end upside, company closes, jobs lost). 3. Partner with Equity Engine: (Consequence: Relocation pays for ownership conversion, owner gets more money, employee-buyers get a better cost basis). This slide is the core 'pitch' for their specific business model.

Slide 8: Finance - The Capital Stack

This slide visualizes the funding of a typical project. The 'Total Project Cost' is comprised of: 60% Senior Debt (construction costs), 30% Bridge Loan (relocation and renovation), and 10% Owner Equity (land contribution). The 'Project Profit' is then shared between the original owner and Equity Engine. This clarifies that Equity Engine's revenue model is tied to the success of the real estate development, not just the business transition.

Slide 9: Contact and Conclusion

The final slide provides contact information for Michael Woyan at Marketsling Innovation Labs. It features a Chicago skyline graphic, reinforcing the local focus. No specific call to action or investment amount is listed on this slide.

What Equity Engine Does Well

The deck excels at identifying a massive, looming macroeconomic problem (the Silver Tsunami) and providing a highly specific geographic focus (Chicago). By narrowing the scope, the founders make the problem feel solvable and the data more tangible. The use of a 'bathtub' visual for community wealth is an effective way to communicate social impact to investors who may be more focused on financial returns. Furthermore, the deck does a good job of identifying the 'villain'—inefficient taxation and traditional lending—which makes their 'New Capital Facility' feel like a necessary innovation.

What is Missing from the Deck

The most glaring omission is a Team Slide . While Michael Woyan is listed as a contact, there is no information regarding his background in real estate, finance, or M&A. For a model this complex, investor confidence in the execution team is paramount. Also missing is a Traction or Case Study Slide . The deck is labeled 'Concept Shaping,' which explains the lack of historical data, but even a hypothetical 'Model Deal' with specific dollar amounts would help clarify the 'New Capital Facility.' Finally, there is no Ask Slide . It is unclear if they are looking for equity investors in Equity Engine itself, or LP investors for specific real estate projects.

Founder Takeaways: Real Estate as an Enabler

Founders in the M&A or SMB space can learn from how Equity Engine looks for 'hidden' assets to fund transactions. Many small businesses are 'asset-rich but cash-poor,' often owning the land they sit on. By decoupling the business operations from the real estate, Equity Engine creates a path for ownership that doesn't rely solely on the cash flow of the business. However, founders should be cautious about using terms like 'gentrification'—even when prefixed with 'inclusive'—as it can be a polarizing term for impact investors. A more neutral term like 'urban revitalization' or 'strategic relocation' might serve the same purpose without the negative connotations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 'Silver Tsunami' mentioned in the deck?
The 'Silver Tsunami' refers to the massive wave of Baby Boomer business owners reaching retirement age. According to Slide 2, 4 million businesses are expected to be sold or dissolved by 2030, representing a $10 trillion wealth transfer. Equity Engine views this as a market opportunity to intervene before these businesses close, which would otherwise lead to job losses and community disinvestment.
How does Equity Engine use real estate to fund business buyouts?
Equity Engine proposes developing the land currently occupied by a business to its 'highest and best use' (Slide 6). By partnering with the owner to unlock this real estate value, they generate capital. This capital is then used to relocate the business to a more affordable neighborhood and fund the transition to employee ownership, which the deck argues provides a better cost basis for the new employee-buyers (Slide 7).
What is the 'New Capital Facility' described on Slide 4?
It is a five-step financial maneuver designed to minimize taxes. The company borrows money to lend to the owner, who buys a high cash value life insurance policy. By year three, the owner borrows against that policy for tax-free retirement income. Eventually, the lender is repaid via the tax-free death benefit, and buyout payments are structured to be exempt from capital gains.
What geographic area does Equity Engine focus on?
The deck is highly specific to the Metro Chicago area. Slide 2 cites data from Price Waterhouse Coopers regarding 230,624 Chicago SMBs, and the visual branding throughout the deck features the Chicago skyline and the city's flag. The contact information also uses a Chicago (312) area code.
What are the primary risks of the Equity Engine model according to the deck?
While the deck focuses on benefits, it frames the risks of *not* using their model on Slide 7. These include new owners stripping assets and closing facilities, city loss of tax revenue, and the 'zero chance' for original owners to participate in back-end development profits if they sell to traditional developers.
Cover slide of the Equity Engine pitch deck
Equity Engine pitch deck, slide 1

Equity Engine pitch deck: the facts

Company
Equity Engine
Slides
17
Sector
PropTech

Equity Engine pitch deck PDF

The full Equity Engine deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the Equity Engine pitch deck was used for

This is the "Equity Engine Concept Shaping Deck 4.29.19" hosted on Slideshare and attributed to user Michael Woyan. The deck outlines a PropTech and financial engineering strategy focused on succession for retiring small business owners facing the "Silver Tsunami" of retirements. It proposes converting companies to a new ownership and financing model that blends employee ownership, life insurance, and real estate development to preserve jobs and community wealth. No external sources were found that describe a specific fundraising round or confirm the company’s corporate or financing status beyond this concept deck.

What the Equity Engine deck got right

What could have been stronger

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Risks that stand out

Questions this deck invites

What founders can take from the Equity Engine deck

Equity Engine pitch deck: common questions

What is Equity Engine according to the concept shaping deck?

Equity Engine is presented in the deck as a structured succession and financing model that helps retiring small business owners transition their companies while preserving jobs and community wealth. It focuses on converting businesses to employee ownership using tax-advantaged financing and related tools rather than a simple sale to competitors that may dissolve the business.

What problem does Equity Engine aim to solve in this deck?

The deck describes a problem where many baby boomer business owners are retiring without succession plans, a phenomenon it calls the "Silver Tsunami," which threatens widespread business closures and community disinvestment. Equity Engine’s proposed solution is to use employee ownership structures, lender financing, and life insurance-based retirement income planning to create buyouts that keep companies locally owned and operating.

What types of businesses is Equity Engine targeting?

Based on the deck text and host information, Equity Engine’s model appears designed for small and mid-sized privately held businesses whose owners are nearing retirement and considering exit options. These businesses are typically located in communities at risk of job loss and reduced tax base if companies are sold to outside buyers or shut down.

How does the Equity Engine financing mechanism work in the deck?

The deck indicates that Equity Engine facilitates a structure where a company borrows funds from a lender and then lends those funds to the owner at tax-deductible simple interest. The owner uses proceeds to purchase a high cash value life insurance policy, later borrowing against that policy’s cash value to create tax-free retirement income while simultaneously converting payments into buyout payments, with lender repayment funded at the owner’s death from a tax-free death benefit.

Was this Equity Engine deck used for a specific funding round?

There is no externally verified information indicating that this deck was tied to a specific venture capital or institutional fundraising round. The Slideshare title explicitly calls it a "Concept Shaping Deck" dated April 29, 2019, which suggests it may have been used to refine or communicate the concept rather than report on an executed financing.

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-22 from the pages below.

Equity Engine pitch deck slides

Equity Engine pitch deck slide 1 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 1 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck slide 2 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 2 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck slide 3 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 3 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck slide 4 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 4 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck slide 5 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 5 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck slide 6 of 17
Equity Engine pitch deck — slide 6 of 17

What each slide of the Equity Engine pitch deck says

Slide 1

Equity Engine 3 Ny < No == PRESERVING JOBS & kh a 4 GROWING COMMUNITY WEALTH A | VIA EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP. 9 4 - i

Slide 2

Equity Engine Equity Engine helps facilitate successful for retiring owners by converting their companies to Equity Engine's model brings to bear while ; benefiting sellers, new employee owners, local taxing authorities and disinvested communities.

Slide 3

The Market Opportunity A SILVER TSUNAMI: BY THE NUMBERS UNITED STATES BY 2030 METRO CHICAGO AREA NOW 4,000,000 Businesses owned by 230,624 SMBs (< 100 employees.) Baby Boomers to be sold Ere or dissolved. —— 108,393* Companies with owners ant 43%) > 65 years of age without $1 0 trillion Total wealth transferred. asuccession plan. (Source: Budget & Tax Center) (Source: Price Waterhouse Coopers) BUSINESS OWNERS fhdideiie 70% prefer to keep business in the family. PRPREIIIPE 20% wil actually do so. (Source: American Management Services) oy DI A) I~ Simons”

Slide 4

3 99 H * eo Our “Why?”: Capital* + Jobs Vi 48% % OF YOUNG BLACK % OF TOTAL MFG. JOB POSTINGS ANNUAL COST OF MALES NOT WORKING REQUIRE H.S. DIPLOMA OR CHICAGO GUN AND NOT IN SCHOOL. VOCATIONAL TRAINING. VIOLENCE. (Source: UIC Great Cities Institute) (Source: Century Foundation) (Source: University of Chicago Crime Lab) LOCAL CHICAGO BUSNESSES IN **IF EVERY SMALL BUSINESS LOW-INCOME, MAJORITY- ADDED JUST OVER 1JOB, CHICAGO MINORITY AREAS CREATED 8% OF INNER-CITY UNEMPLOYMENT TOTAL REVENUE GENERATED... WOULD BE ELIMINATED. (Source: Initiative for a Competitive Inner City) % OF TOTAL JOBS | < IN CHICAGO BY 3 h) a. COMPANIES WITH "BECAUSE THEY ONLY RECEIVED 7 X <250 EMPLOYEES. 3.8% OF AVAILABLE…

Slide 5

The Problem 1.0 REALITY: MOST SALES ARE FUNDED WITH THE SELLER'S OWN MONEY. of & (mun 1s Ts N a me J Vil? Vel = i | {Hy OWNER COMPANY BUYERS LENDER GOVERNMENT Keeps .70 from Double taxation for Must earn $1.82 for Expensive, low LTV Exorbitant taxation every $1.00 paid. C corporations; every $1.00 paid. and only 25% of oon both sides, it is primary financier of Taxes & interest deals get any the IRS's highest the transaction. strangle cash flows. funding at all. taxed transaction. | THE PARTIES TO A BUSINESS SALE 3 2 « . 9 Ovarion”

Slide 6

Typical Small Business Sale IT COSTS MORE THAN YOU THINK. Sell Business to a competitor. Business is dissolved. Economic impacts. he high venue Code and new owners are

Slide 7

COMPANY borrows $ from LENDER and lends it to OWNER at tax deductible simple interest. New Capital Facility OWNER uses proceeds to buya single premium high cash value life insurance policy. OWNER borrows $ from policy cash value inyear 3to create taxfree retirement income. Policy loan interest payments areat <1% AFR allowing OWNER to convert payments to buyout payments. payments are exempt from capital gains and LENDER is repaid with aKETSL, tax-free O g o death benefit. 7,

Slide text above is read directly from the Equity Engine deck PDF embedded on this page.

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