EastFounder Pitch Deck Teardown: A 2015-Era Guide

Introduction and Marketplace Overview

Slide 1: Title Slide

The deck opens with the title "How to Fundraise on EastFounder.co." It positions the company as "The Fundraising Marketplace for the Eastern based startups ecosystem." A subtitle notes that tech investing is moving online and becoming data-driven. The slide features a background image of a man in a business setting with a quote: "We're going to Hell, so bring your sunblock." A footer adds, "Earlier you will make your startup fundable, faster you will raise."

Slide 2: The Fundraising Roadmap

This slide provides an eight-step checklist for raising funds: 1) Be Fundable, 2) Take it seriously, 3) Get your Corp. stuff ready, 3) Understand your needs (numbered twice as 3), 4) Understand the investors needs, 5) Get started, build your funding campaign, 6) Keep your startup profile alive, 7) Big Data is watching you, and 8) Experiment pain & failure. It concludes with a warning to avoid "extractor" investors who want a piece of someone else's things, versus "builders" who help create value.

Slide 3: Short Intro to EastFounder

The platform is described as a tool for Eastern-based startups to network with investors, talent, and corporates. Services for founders include fundraising guidance, free documents like term sheet templates, access to accelerators, and service providers. For investors and MNCs (Multinational Corporations), the platform provides data analytics to source suitable startups. The slide emphasizes that "fundraising is about data."

Defining Fundability and Preparation

Slide 4: Be Fundable

This slide argues that a "cool product" is insufficient for investors. It breaks fundability into three equations: Product/Business/Customers/Traction equals Business; Founders/Team equals Execution; and Market/Competitors equals Scale. It explicitly states that raising funds against equity is "not a charity campaign."

Slide 5: Take it Seriously

EastFounder warns founders not to waste time with incomplete profiles. It notes that investors see hundreds of startups monthly and will ignore profiles that lack photos, team member introductions, or fundraising history. The slide emphasizes the human element: "Everyone like to put a face on a name."

Slide 6: Corporate Readiness

This slide serves as a due diligence checklist. It lists required documents: company registration, team list with payroll, balance sheet, cash flow, short-term forecast, cap table, and previous fundraising documents. It frames these as the standard requirements for VC due diligence.

The Lean Startup Lifecycle and Financials

Slide 7: Understand Your Needs

The deck provides a roadmap for the seed process, stating it is not a "1 shot" but a progression from Pre-Seed to Seed to Post-Seed. It recommends raising for 18 months of runway in theory, and at least 12 months of cash flow in practice. Financial brackets are provided: $25K to $500K for Pre-Seed/Seed (MVP stage), $500K to $2M for Post-Seed (PMF stage), and $3M to $10M for Series A (Scale stage).

Slide 8: Position Yourself in the Lean Startup Lifecycle

Attributed to 500 Startups and Dave McClure, this slide details the characteristics of each stage. Pre-Seed involves 1-6 people and testing prototypes with 100-10,000 users. Post-Seed involves 5-12 people and improving conversion metrics. Series A involves 10-25 people, focusing on revenue and growth, and starting to think about exit options.

Investor Psychology and Strategy

Slide 9: Understand the Investor Needs (Part 1)

This slide focuses on venture math. It states investors look for a minimum 10x profit but desire 100x. It provides a calculation: a $1M investment for 20% equity requires a $50M exit to be viable. It lists four factors investors consider: Product & Timing, Execution, Market (size, competition, valuations), and Exit (who buys and when).

Slide 10: Understand the Investor Needs (Part 2)

Founders are prompted to answer the "3 Whys": Why users need the product, why choose the company over competitors, and why now. The background image features a unicorn and falling money.

Slide 11: Understand the Investor Needs (Part 3)

The deck lists five questions an investor will ask: 1) Information about the founding team, 2) Information about early adopters, 3) What is unique in the offer (the "special sauce"), 4) The plan for rapid traction, and 5) The vision for a leadership position in a $Billion market.

Platform Execution and Market Context

Slide 12: Get Started

This slide provides tactical advice for the EastFounder profile. It mentions that traction and fundraising data are restricted to qualified investors. It advises adding advisors and previous round investors to create social proof. A notable footer states: "Use a language that your Mum can understand and avoid the 'we want to make the world a better place'... we are in 2015."

Slide 13: Keep Your Startup Profile Alive

Founders are told to update their profiles regularly with new investors, clients, partners, and MRR (Monthly Recurrent Revenue). It emphasizes that "Social proof always works" and that forecasts should be based on internal traction rather than external news articles.

Slide 14: Big Data is Watching You

The deck discusses the rise of "quantitative VCs" who use data mining and pattern recognition. It mentions CrunchBase and social media as data sources. EastFounder positions itself as one of these information sources, connecting Eastern founders to global investors.

Slide 15: Experiment Pain & Failure

A motivational slide featuring a video still of an athlete. It contains the quote: "In order to achieve greatness you have to go to a lot of pain first."

Slide 16: Call to Action

The final slide shows a screenshot of the EastFounder.co beta platform. The screenshot displays metrics: 4,744 Startups, 1,023 Investors, and $592M Raising. It invites users to get their registration validated and join the beta.

What EastFounder Does Well

Clear Benchmarks: The deck provides specific dollar amounts for different funding stages (Slide 7), which helps founders set realistic expectations for the 2015 market. · Educational Value: By breaking down the "3 Whys" and the math of venture returns (Slides 9-10), the deck educates the founder on how investors think, rather than just how the platform works. · Due Diligence Transparency: Listing the exact corporate documents required (Slide 6) prepares founders for the rigors of a professional fundraise.

What is Missing from the Deck

Company Team: There is no slide introducing the founders or the team behind EastFounder itself. · Business Model: The deck does not explain how EastFounder makes money (e.g., subscription fees, success fees, or data sales). · Current Data: As the deck explicitly mentions 2015 (Slide 12), the market benchmarks and platform statistics (Slide 16) are significantly outdated. · Specific Ask: Since this is a guide for users, there is no capital ask or use of proceeds for the company itself.

Founder Takeaways

Founders should note the emphasis on social proof and data-driven profiles . The deck makes a strong case that an incomplete profile is a signal of lack of seriousness (Slide 5). Additionally, the advice to avoid platitudes like "making the world a better place" in favor of clear, simple language (Slide 12) remains relevant. The breakdown of the "3 Whys" (Slide 10) is a fundamental pitch deck component that every founder should include in their own presentation. Finally, the suggestion to raise for 18 months of runway (Slide 7) is a standard conservative approach to capital management that founders should still consider today.