HaxAsia Pitch Deck Teardown: A Hardware Accelerator’s

Introduction and Program Overview

The HaxAsia Acceleration Program deck is a process-oriented presentation that focuses on the mechanics of hardware startup growth. Rather than pitching a single product, it pitches a methodology for scaling consumer electronics. The visual style is functional, utilizing flowcharts and photographic evidence of facilities to establish credibility in the physical goods space.

Slide 1: Title Slide

The deck opens with a minimalist red background featuring the HaxAsia logo and the title HaxAsia Acceleration Program . It is a standard introductory slide that establishes the brand identity but offers no immediate value proposition or tagline.

Slide 2: HaxAsia Product Launch Model

This slide serves as the executive summary of the program's operations. It outlines a circular workflow starting with Prototype validation and funding. It notes that 10 teams are taken to Singapore annually for up to 6 months to finalize products and prepare for crowdfunding. The process then moves to San Francisco for a 1-month media exposure phase with Founders Space , followed by a return to Singapore to work with Contract Manufacturers . A key metric is highlighted in red text: US $2,000,000 raised on IndieGoGo . The slide concludes by stating that startups progress from prototype to mass manufacturing within 9 months.

Slide 3: Step 1 - Launch Marketing & DFM

Focusing on the first 4 months of the program, this slide emphasizes Design For Manufacturing (DFM) . The text explains that teams join a 6-month program in Singapore to develop manufacturing-ready designs and work on 'Smart City' projects. Crucially, it mentions the financial component: Up to 100K SGD per startup in equity funding , though it notes this is milestone-dependent. The inclusion of the Singaporean and Russian flags suggests the geographic origin or target market of the participating teams.

Slide 4: Step 2 - Media Launch Tour

Step 2 is a 30-day phase located in SF/Silicon Valley . The slide features logos for Founders Space, TechCrunch, and Mashable . The text claims a 'proven consistent delivery of coverage' by these outlets. The goal of this phase is to demo products to tech media, get industry endorsements, and launch the crowdfunding campaign. It explicitly mentions a partnership with Steve Hoffman of Founders Space to help founders acquire 'Silicon Valley DNA' and finalize investment pitches.

Slide 5: Step 3 - Delivery Program

The final phase lasts 120 days and is centered on manufacturing. The slide shows a factory floor and flags for China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. HaxAsia’s role here is identifying the best-fit contract manufacturer based on Industrial Design (ID) and Mechanical Design (MD) requirements. They also assist with quality control systems and help companies raise seed rounds while the first batch is being produced. This slide positions the accelerator as a long-term partner that stays involved until the product is delivered to backers.

Slide 6: Offices in Singapore

This slide provides visual proof of the accelerator's infrastructure. It features three photos of Haxasia @ BLK 71 , a well-known startup hub in Singapore. The images show a coworking space, a hardware lab bench with soldering stations and vices, and a general office area. This is intended to reassure investors or applicants that the program has the physical tools necessary for hardware development.

Slide 7: Offices in Shenzhen & San Francisco

Continuing the infrastructure theme, this slide shows the Office Innozen in Shenzhen and a modern office space in San Francisco . By showing these locations, HaxAsia reinforces its claim of being a global bridge, providing startups with direct access to the world's manufacturing capital (Shenzhen) and its venture capital capital (San Francisco).

Slide 8: Crowdfunding Success

A simple transition slide with the Indiegogo logo and the text: Our projects raised over 2 min on Indiegogo . Note: The '2 min' is likely a typo intended to mean '2 million,' as referenced on Slide 2 and Slide 9.

Slide 9: We Hacked Crowdfunding

This is the 'Traction' slide for the accelerator. It displays screenshots of six Indiegogo campaigns with overlaid labels showing their total raises. The featured projects include Touchjet Pond ($900,000+) , Touchjet WAVE ($700,000+) , CreoPop ($200,000+) , EzeeCube ($160,000+) , SmartMio ($120,000+) , and Codie ($90,000+) . This slide is the most compelling evidence in the deck, demonstrating that the 'HaxAsia Model' produces repeatable, high-dollar results in the public market.

Slide 10: Investor Network

The final slide is a logo wall divided into three tiers: Investors that had already invested in our portfolio companies (e.g., 500 Startups, Mophie), VCs we are closely connected on the partner level (e.g., Gobi Partners, Monk's Hill), and Partners of VC firms we know (e.g., Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Bessemer). The footer claims they know more than 200 partners in total across the USA, China, Singapore, and Russia. This slide aims to demonstrate the 'exit' or 'follow-on' potential for startups entering the program.

What HaxAsia Does Well

The deck excels at defining a clear, time-bound process. Hardware is notoriously difficult due to manufacturing delays and 'hardware hell,' so providing a 9-month roadmap with specific durations for each phase (4 months, 30 days, 120 days) is highly effective. The geographic strategy is also a strong point; it acknowledges that a successful hardware startup needs to be in Singapore/Shenzhen for making things and San Francisco for selling/funding them.

The use of social proof on Slide 9 is the deck's strongest asset. By showing actual Indiegogo campaign pages with high dollar amounts, HaxAsia moves from theoretical claims to proven results. This 'hacked crowdfunding' angle is a unique selling proposition that differentiates them from generic software accelerators.

What is Missing from the HaxAsia Deck

The most glaring omission is a Team Slide . For an accelerator, the value lies almost entirely in the expertise of the mentors and the connections of the partners. While Steve Hoffman is mentioned in the text of Slide 4, the core HaxAsia management team is never introduced. Investors need to know who is managing the 100K SGD investments and who has the manufacturing expertise to vet contract manufacturers.

There is also no Business Model slide for the accelerator itself. While it mentions taking equity in exchange for 100K SGD, it doesn't specify the percentage or how the accelerator sustains its own operations (e.g., management fees, corporate sponsorships, or success fees from crowdfunding). Furthermore, there is no Ask . It is unclear if HaxAsia is looking for LPs for a new fund, corporate partners for their Smart City projects, or simply using this deck to recruit new startups.

Founder Takeaways

Process is a Product: If you are building a service or an accelerator, treat your workflow as a product. HaxAsia’s breakdown of the 9-month journey makes a complex process feel manageable and professional. · Quantify Your Success: The 'We Hacked Crowdfunding' slide is a masterclass in using third-party validation. Instead of just saying 'we are good at marketing,' they showed the receipts from Indiegogo. · Leverage Geography: If your business operates across borders, highlight why those specific locations matter. HaxAsia doesn't just say they have offices; they explain that Singapore is for DFM, SF is for Media, and Shenzhen is for Manufacturing. · Don't Forget the People: Never leave out a team slide. Even if you have great logos and metrics, venture capital is a people business. Omitting the founders and key mentors leaves a gap in the narrative that investors will immediately question.