Is this a standard startup pitch deck?

No. This is a multi-company webinar presentation produced by The Digital Insurer (TDI). While it contains elements of pitch decks for Surer and Praxonomy, its primary purpose is educational and ecosystem-building. It provides a framework for understanding funding rather than soliciting investment for a single entity, making it a unique resource for founders to see how different companies present their value propositions within a broader market context.

What market data does the deck provide for InsurTech?

The deck provides high-level funding trends sourced from Willis Towers Watson and CBInsights. Slide 4 shows a clear upward trajectory in both deal volume and dollar amount from 2012 to 2021. It specifically highlights that 2021 was a record-breaking year, surpassing the $10 billion mark for the first time in industry history, which serves to validate the sector's maturity and investor interest.

How does Praxonomy differentiate itself in the board portal market?

Praxonomy uses a classic 2x2 matrix on Slide 18 to position itself against competitors. It claims to be more affordable and easier to use than incumbents like Diligent and BoardEffect. Furthermore, Slide 19 highlights ten 'Unique Selling Points' including ISO 27001 certification and a per-user charging model, which allows for flexible scaling compared to traditional enterprise software pricing structures.

What funding stages are covered in the presentation?

Slide 9 provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Venture Capital lifecycle. It covers Pre-Seed (concept development), Seed (prototyping), Series A (market research and scaling), Series B (expanding consumer interest), Series C (acquiring companies), Mezzanine (preparing for IPO), and Exit. Each stage is paired with typical funding sources, ranging from 'Self, family and friends' at the early stages to 'Hedge funds and Banks' at the later stages.

What are the projected returns for investors in the Praxonomy case study?

Praxonomy presents highly aggressive return projections on Slide 22. For a planned IPO in 2022, they project a 12x Multiple on Invested Capital (MoIC) and a 131% Internal Rate of Return (IRR). For a trade sale in 2024, the projections jump to a 76x MoIC and a 138% IRR, based on a projected valuation of $934 million. These figures are intended to demonstrate the high-growth potential of the SaaS governance sector.

ITD Unplugged Pitch Deck Teardown: A Masterclass

The ITD Unplugged presentation is not a single company pitch deck but a curated industry webinar deck by The Digital Insurer (TDI). It functions as a strategic overview of the InsurTech funding landscape, utilizing real-world examples from companies like Surer, Lift Women, and Praxonomy to illustrate different funding paths. The deck is data-heavy, citing Willis Towers Watson and CBInsights to show that InsurTech funding surpassed $10 billion in the first three quarters of 2021. It transitions from macro-market trends to specific startup profiles, such as Surer's $1.1 million seed round and P…

Key takeaways

InsurTech funding reached a historic peak of $10,503 million across 421 deals by Q3 2021, according to Slide 4.
Surer successfully raised $1.1 million in pre-seed and seed funding to connect intermediaries with insurers, as noted on Slide 7.
The deck categorizes the venture capital lifecycle into seven distinct stages, from Pre-Seed to Exit, mapping specific business activities to each, per Slide 9.
Praxonomy positions itself as a high-affordability, high-ease-of-use alternative to incumbent board portals like Diligent and BoardVantage on Slide 18.
Regulatory pressure is a primary market driver, with 81% of countries deploying public regulators to enforce corporate governance, cited on Slide 15.
Praxonomy projects a massive scale-up to 416,880 users and $123.7 million in revenue by 2024, as shown on Slide 21.
The presentation outlines clear exit strategies for Praxonomy, including an IPO on the London Stock Exchange's AIM or a trade sale for a projected $934 million valuation on Slide 22.
Educational content is prioritized over a direct 'ask,' using a 'Housekeeping' slide (Slide 2) and speaker polls (Slide 23) to drive engagement rather than capital.

Introduction: The Ecosystem Approach to Fundraising

The presentation titled "ITD Unplugged: Practical Tips on Securing the Right Funding for You" is a departure from the standard single-company pitch deck. Produced by The Digital Insurer (TDI), this 89-slide deck (of which 23 are analyzed here) acts as a strategic guide for the InsurTech community. It combines macro-market analysis with specific case studies of startups at different stages of their journey. By analyzing this deck, we can see how industry aggregators use data to educate founders while simultaneously promoting the companies within their directory.

Slides 1-5: Setting the Stage and Market Validation

Slide 1 introduces the TDI InsurTech Directory and the theme of the presentation: practical tips for securing funding. Slide 2, titled "Housekeeping," establishes this as a webinar format, emphasizing interaction through Q&A and polls. This is a critical distinction; the deck is designed for an audience of founders and industry stakeholders, not just a room of VCs.

Slide 3 features the "InsurTech Wheel," a comprehensive categorization of the industry. It places "Support Services" as a new category helping companies scale globally. This slide is essential for any founder trying to explain where they fit in a complex value chain. It breaks the industry into segments like "Improving Today" (Administration, Underwriting) and "Reinventing Tomorrow" (Eco-systems, New Digital Business Models).

Slide 4 provides the heavy-hitting market validation. Using data from Willis Towers Watson and CBInsights, it shows that InsurTech funding grew from $348 million in 2012 to a staggering $10,503 million by Q3 2021. The number of deals also rose from 46 to 421 in that same period. For a founder, this slide is the "Why Now?" argument on a global scale. Slide 5 reinforces the TDI branding, ensuring the audience knows who is providing this expertise.

Slides 6-8: Case Study - Surer

Slide 6 introduces Gordon Tay, Co-founder of Surer. The slide is a masterclass in establishing founder-market fit. It highlights Tay's 10 years of experience and his background as a Director at two Southeast Asian unicorns (Carousell and PropertyGuru). Surer is described as a digital ecosystem connecting intermediaries with insurers.

Slide 7 provides the hard metrics for Surer: launched in Q4 2020 and raised US$1.1m in pre-seed and seed funding. It also lists their investors, including Markel, Kistefos, and Antler. Slide 8 is a simple logo slide for Surer, providing a visual break before moving into the next section of the presentation.

Slide 9: The Venture Capital Lifecycle

Slide 9 is perhaps the most useful educational slide in the deck. It provides a table titled "Stages of Venture Capital," which breaks down business activities and funding sources for every stage from Pre-Seed to Exit. For example, it notes that at the Series A stage, companies should be "Researching industry and markets" and "Generating revenue," with funding coming from Accelerators, Super Angels, and VCs. This slide helps founders benchmark their progress and target the right type of investor for their current maturity level.

Slides 10-11: Case Study - Lift Women

Slide 10 introduces Irene Tsang, Founder & CEO of LIFTwomen Group. Like the Surer slide, it focuses on credibility: 20 years of regional experience in banking and insurance, and having managed a US$250 million annual P&L. Slide 11 introduces the "CrowdFunding Perspective," positioning LIFTwomen as Australia's first women-focused crowdfunding platform. This provides a counterpoint to the VC-heavy focus of the previous slides, showing that alternative funding routes are viable.

Slides 12-13: The Art of the Pitch

Slide 12, branded by Quinlan & Associates, defines what a pitch deck is: a short summary to drive conversations. It uses a Venn diagram to show the intersection of Aspirations, Capabilities, and Conversations. Slide 13 provides ten tips for "Pitch Deck Delivery," focusing on soft skills like Body Language, Empathy, and Friendliness. This section shifts the deck from "what to raise" to "how to raise," providing actionable advice on the mechanics of the pitch.

Slides 14-17: Case Study - Praxonomy (Market Drivers)

The deck then transitions into a deep dive on Praxonomy, a board portal solution. Slide 14 (labeled Slide 10 in the Praxonomy sequence) discusses the "Regulatory Drive." It notes that 81% of countries deploy public regulators to enforce governance . It lists specific examples, such as Norway mandating that listed companies reserve at least 40% of board roles for women. This creates a "compliance-driven" market need, which is a very strong sell for investors.

Slide 15 (labeled Slide 14) provides market sizing. It projects that the number of global board members will grow by 60% from 2018-2024. It breaks down the total addressable market (TAM) into listed companies, unlisted companies, NGOs, and government organizations, totaling 92.3 million entities and 36 million board members. This level of granularity in market sizing is exactly what Series A and B investors look for.

Slides 18-20: Praxonomy (Product and Strategy)

Slide 16 (labeled Slide 18) shows the product interface across laptop, tablet, and mobile devices. It emphasizes four pillars: SaaS Solution, Intuitive Portal, Comprehensive Functions, and Secure Infrastructure. Slide 17 (labeled Slide 22) is the competitive landscape. It uses an "Affordability vs. Ease-of-Use" axis to place Praxonomy in the top-right quadrant, contrasting it with "clunky" incumbents like Diligent and BoardVantage.

Slide 18 (labeled Slide 26) lists ten Unique Selling Points (USPs) in a circular graphic. Key points include being "ISO 27001-certified" and having a "per user basis" charging model. Slide 19 (labeled Slide 30) outlines the marketing strategy, focusing on Events, Direct Outreach, Campaigns, and Social Media. It identifies "Simple, Affordable, Secure" as the key messages.

Slides 21-23: Praxonomy (Financials and Exit)

Slide 20 (labeled Slide 34) shows the "Integrated Platform" roadmap, moving from a board portal to director matching and virtual data rooms. This demonstrates a clear path to increasing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). Slide 21 (labeled Slide 38) provides revenue projections. Praxonomy expects to reach $123.7 million in revenue by 2024 , representing a 1% global market share. The slide breaks this down into Direct Sales, Channel Sales, and Renewal Revenue.

Slide 22 (labeled Slide 42) discusses exit options. It targets an IPO in 2022 on the London Stock Exchange (AIM) or Hong Kong Stock Exchange (GEM), or a trade sale in 2024. The projected valuation for a trade sale is $934 million, offering a 76x MoIC. Finally, Slide 23 returns to the webinar format with a poll, asking the audience if they would like to contact the speakers.

What Works in This Deck

Data-Backed Narratives: The use of third-party data from Willis Towers Watson and the OECD (Slide 14) gives the presentation immediate authority. It doesn't just say the market is growing; it proves it with specific percentages and dollar amounts. · Clear Benchmarking: Slide 9 (VC Lifecycle) is an excellent tool for founders to self-assess. By providing a roadmap of what is expected at each stage, the deck provides value beyond just a sales pitch. · Multi-Perspective Case Studies: By featuring Surer (Seed stage), LIFTwomen (Crowdfunding), and Praxonomy (Growth stage/IPO path), the deck covers the entire spectrum of the startup journey. · Granular Market Sizing: Praxonomy's market sizing on Slide 15 is exceptionally detailed. It doesn't just give a single 'billions of dollars' number; it breaks down the number of entities by size and type, which makes the projections feel more grounded in reality.

What Is Missing

Unit Economics: While Praxonomy provides high-level revenue projections, the deck omits specific unit economics such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) or Lifetime Value (LTV). For a SaaS company, these are critical metrics for investors. · Burn Rate and Runway: As this is a public-facing webinar deck, it understandably omits the specific 'Ask' and the current financial health (burn rate/runway) of the featured companies. A real pitch deck would need these details. · Direct Competitor Feature Comparison: While Slide 17 shows where competitors sit on an axis, it doesn't provide a feature-by-feature breakdown. Investors often want to know exactly why a product is 'easier to use' than the incumbent. · Team Slide for Praxonomy: While Surer and LIFTwomen have founder profiles, the Praxonomy section (as presented in these 23 slides) lacks a dedicated team slide. In a growth-stage pitch, the executive team's pedigree is a major factor.

Founder Takeaways: What to Copy

The 'Why Now?' Slide: Copy the format of Slide 14. Identify a specific regulatory or macro-economic shift that makes your solution mandatory rather than just 'nice to have.' · The Competitive Axis: Use the 2x2 matrix from Slide 17. It is the most efficient way to communicate your positioning. Ensure your axes (e.g., Affordability and Ease-of-Use) are the two things your target customers care about most. · The USP Circle: The circular graphic on Slide 18 is a great way to present a large number of benefits without overwhelming the reader. It groups information logically and keeps the slide visually balanced. · Exit Strategy Detail: Don't just say 'we will be acquired.' Follow the example on Slide 22 by identifying specific exchanges for an IPO and specific categories of buyers (e.g., 'Enterprise Software Vendors') for a trade sale. Listing the 'Acquisition Drivers' shows you understand the strategic value you provide to a buyer.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a standard startup pitch deck?: No. This is a multi-company webinar presentation produced by The Digital Insurer (TDI). While it contains elements of pitch decks for Surer and Praxonomy, its primary purpose is educational and ecosystem-building. It provides a framework for understanding funding rather than soliciting investment for a single entity, making it a unique resource for founders to see how different companies present their value propositions within a broader market context.
What market data does the deck provide for InsurTech?: The deck provides high-level funding trends sourced from Willis Towers Watson and CBInsights. Slide 4 shows a clear upward trajectory in both deal volume and dollar amount from 2012 to 2021. It specifically highlights that 2021 was a record-breaking year, surpassing the $10 billion mark for the first time in industry history, which serves to validate the sector's maturity and investor interest.
How does Praxonomy differentiate itself in the board portal market?: Praxonomy uses a classic 2x2 matrix on Slide 18 to position itself against competitors. It claims to be more affordable and easier to use than incumbents like Diligent and BoardEffect. Furthermore, Slide 19 highlights ten 'Unique Selling Points' including ISO 27001 certification and a per-user charging model, which allows for flexible scaling compared to traditional enterprise software pricing structures.
What funding stages are covered in the presentation?: Slide 9 provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Venture Capital lifecycle. It covers Pre-Seed (concept development), Seed (prototyping), Series A (market research and scaling), Series B (expanding consumer interest), Series C (acquiring companies), Mezzanine (preparing for IPO), and Exit. Each stage is paired with typical funding sources, ranging from 'Self, family and friends' at the early stages to 'Hedge funds and Banks' at the later stages.
What are the projected returns for investors in the Praxonomy case study?: Praxonomy presents highly aggressive return projections on Slide 22. For a planned IPO in 2022, they project a 12x Multiple on Invested Capital (MoIC) and a 131% Internal Rate of Return (IRR). For a trade sale in 2024, the projections jump to a 76x MoIC and a 138% IRR, based on a projected valuation of $934 million. These figures are intended to demonstrate the high-growth potential of the SaaS governance sector.