Pajebal, Inc. Pitch Deck (2010): 10-Slide Breakdown

See all 10 slides of the Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — a 2010 deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Pajebal’s pitch deck, submitted for the Liquidnet Impact Challenge, identifies five core failures in the current microfinance landscape, specifically targeting the lack of financial accountability and the 'disconnect' created by pooling small donations. The company proposes a shift from 'Traditional Donors' to 'Social Investors' by facilitating direct B2B relationships where U.S. corporations lend to specific developing-world businesses. Key features include a video-based pitch system to increase transparency and a game-like 'stock market' for small businesses to track performance via points.…

Key takeaways

Executive Summary: A Pivot from Charity to Social Investment

The Pajebal pitch deck, created for the Liquidnet Impact Challenge, represents a fundamental critique of the first generation of online microfinance. While acknowledging that platforms like Kiva have successfully reached millions, the authors, Rob Krieger and Jessie Margolis, argue that the current model is flawed because it treats lenders as 'Traditional Donors' rather than 'Social Investors.' The deck is structured as a series of three 'Ideas' or innovations intended to transform Pajebal, Inc. from a standard microfinance intermediary into a B2B connection platform. It is a process-heavy deck that prioritizes the 'how' of the relationship over the 'how much' of the market.

Slide 1: Title and Vision

The cover slide introduces the 'liquidnet impact challenge' branding and the core thesis: 'Turning Traditional Donors into Social Investors: Revolutionizing the Online Microfinance Platform.' It features a side-by-side comparison of a 'Traditional Donor' (motivated by heart/emotion, no research, limited focus on returns) versus a 'Social Investor' (motivated by heart and head, rigorous research, high focus on social returns). This sets the stage for a deck focused on professionalizing the micro-lending experience.

Slide 2: The Current Landscape

Slide 2 provides context by illustrating the existing microfinance model, citing Kiva, MicroPlace, and MYC4. It uses a flow chart from Kiva.org to show how capital moves from lenders to field partners and finally to entrepreneurs. The slide acknowledges that these platforms have 'significantly enhanced the ability for capital to reach millions,' but serves as a baseline for the critique that follows.

Slide 3: Identifying the Five Core Issues

This is the 'Problem' slide, though it is framed as 'Issues.' Pajebal identifies five specific shortcomings of current platforms: Issue #1: Lack of financial accountability. Issue #2: Inability to gauge 'communicative dynamism' or passion. Issue #3: The 'feel good effect' replaces strategic decision-making. Issue #4: Failure to leverage the business knowledge of developed-world lenders. Issue #5: An over-concentration on micro-loans rather than small businesses that can create significant employment.

Slide 4: Idea #1 - The Video Pitch System

To solve the transparency and dynamism issues, Pajebal proposes a video-based system. The slide shows mockups of a YouTube-style interface where borrowers create video pitches. The rationale is that current platforms do not allow for 'sufficient direct screening.' The solution requires all borrowers to post a video to give lenders a 'true inside look' into the business attractiveness.

Slide 5: Idea #2 - The Gamified Stock Market

This slide introduces a more radical concept: an online 'stock market' for small businesses. Crucially, the slide notes that 'investment does not equate to actual legal ownership.' Instead, it is a game-like setting where participants trade shares based on financial statements and video pitches. Motivation comes from 'gain in points' and the pride of being the 'best investor in the competition.' This is presented as a way to efficiently allocate capital by identifying the most promising projects through crowd-sourced due diligence.

Slide 6: Idea #3 - The B2B 'Deep Dive'

Idea #3 is the core of the 'New Pajebal.' It moves away from individual micro-lenders to a 'one business lender-to-one business borrower relationship.' Using Stonyfield Farm as an example, the slide explains how a U.S. company can use its CSR funds to lend to a specific entrepreneur (e.g., Francisco, an organic coffee farmer). This 'one-lender-one-borrower dynamic' allows the investor business to take on a consultative role.

Slide 7: Synthesizing the Solutions

This slide maps the three ideas back to the five issues identified on Slide 3. It serves as a summary of the value proposition. For example, it notes that Idea #3 solves Issue #4 by allowing U.S. businesses to take a consultative role via an 'online portal and Skype.' It also addresses Issue #5 by focusing on 'small to medium businesses' rather than just micro-enterprises.

Slide 8: The User Journey Comparison

Slide 8 provides a detailed, step-by-step comparison between how 'John Doe' uses current platforms (pooling $50 with no direct connection) and how 'Stonyfield Farm' would use the New Pajebal (investing $3,200, reviewing financial info and video pitches, and maintaining a direct connection). This slide is effective at illustrating the shift in scale and engagement the founders are proposing.

Slide 9: Implementation and Organization Status

The deck moves into execution with a 6-step process for establishing the lender-borrower relationship, emphasizing 'Skype video meetings' and 'regularly practiced feedback.' The bottom of the slide contains critical organizational data: Pajebal, Inc. is a 'registered North Carolina nonprofit corporation' with an office in 'Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.' It states the intent to scale across Latin America and notes that competition funds would be donated to the nonprofit.

Slide 10: The Origin Story

The final slide explains the name 'Pajebal,' which is Kiche Maya for 'at the snake’s tail.' It provides an emotional hook, stating that the people at the 'end of the line' have been there too long. It concludes with a call to action to view the project at their website.

What Works in This Deck

Clear Problem Identification: The deck does an excellent job of articulating exactly why the current microfinance model is insufficient for 'social investors.' By breaking the problem into five distinct issues, the founders create a logical framework that their solutions directly address.

Differentiated Model: The shift from individual micro-donations to B2B corporate lending is a clear, defensible pivot. It targets a different pool of capital (CSR budgets) and offers a different value proposition (mentorship and high-touch due diligence).

Process Mapping: The 6-step implementation plan on Slide 9 and the step-by-step comparison on Slide 8 make the theoretical ideas feel tangible. Investors (or competition judges) can easily visualize how the platform would actually function.

What Is Missing from This Deck

Business Model and Sustainability: As a nonprofit, the deck explains how it will use 'won funds,' but it does not explain how Pajebal sustains itself long-term. Is there a fee on the loans? A subscription for the U.S. corporations? The financial mechanics of the organization itself are absent.

Team Slide: While the names Rob Krieger and Jessie Margolis appear on the cover, there are no bios, photos, or descriptions of their expertise. In fundraising, the 'who' is often as important as the 'what,' especially for a project requiring boots-on-the-ground operations in Guatemala.

Market Size and Traction: The deck mentions an existing office in Guatemala but provides zero data on current operations. How many loans have they facilitated? What is the repayment rate? How many U.S. companies are interested? Without these metrics, the deck remains purely conceptual.

The 'Ask': Because this was for a competition, there is no specific funding goal or breakdown of how capital will be deployed. A standard pitch deck needs a clear financial request and a roadmap for those funds.

Lessons for Founders

Use a 'Problem/Solution' Matrix: Pajebal’s use of Slide 7 to map specific solutions to previously identified problems is a masterclass in logical consistency. Founders should ensure that every 'feature' they pitch is a direct answer to a 'pain point' they’ve established.

Leverage Comparative User Stories: Slide 8’s comparison between 'John Doe' and 'Stonyfield Farm' is much more effective than a bulleted list of features. It tells a story of how the user experience changes, which is easier for an audience to remember.

Define Your 'Social' Metrics: Pajebal successfully argues that 'feel good' isn't a metric. By emphasizing 'financial accountability' and 'communicative dynamism,' they suggest that social impact can be measured with the same rigor as financial returns. Founders in the ESG or impact space should adopt this 'Head and Heart' approach to appeal to sophisticated investors.

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary problem Pajebal is trying to solve?
Pajebal argues that current microfinance platforms like Kiva focus too much on 'feel-good' donations rather than strategic social investment. According to slide 3, these platforms fail to encourage financial accountability, do not allow lenders to assess an entrepreneur's 'communicative dynamism,' and disconnect the donor from the project by pooling funds. Pajebal aims to fix this by creating direct, high-transparency B2B connections.
How does the 'stock market' idea work if the shares aren't legal?
As detailed on slide 5, the 'stock market' is a game-like competitive setting. While the initial capital extension involves real funds, the subsequent trading of 'shares' does not equate to legal ownership. Instead, participants use a points system to 'buy' and 'sell' based on financial statements and video pitches. This is designed to motivate lenders through pride and competition rather than direct financial gain.
What is the role of U.S. corporations in this model?
Pajebal targets U.S. companies through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Slide 6 explains that a single U.S. business lends to a single business in the developing world. This allows the U.S. company employees to take on a consultative role, providing mentorship and due diligence, which Pajebal believes leads to more prudent investment and better business growth for the borrower.
Is Pajebal a for-profit startup or a nonprofit?
Pajebal is explicitly identified as a 'registered North Carolina nonprofit corporation' on slide 9. The deck was created for the 'liquidnet impact challenge,' and the text notes that any funds won in the competition would be donated to the organization to help it scale from western Guatemala to other areas of Latin America.
What technology does Pajebal use to facilitate these relationships?
The deck emphasizes two main technology components: a video-based pitch website and Skype. Slide 9 outlines a 6-step implementation process where Skype video meetings are used for the initial 'get-to-know-the-business' conversation and subsequent weekly or quarterly feedback sessions between the lender and the borrower.
Cover slide of the Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — 2010
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck, slide 1 (2010)

Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck: the facts

Company
Pajebal, Inc.
Year
Not stated…
Stage
Competition Entry (Liquidnet Impact Challenge)
Slides
10
Sector
Microfinance / Nonprofit
Deck type
Strategic Pivot / Competition Pitch
Outcome
Not stated
Headquarters
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala / North Carolina, USA

Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck PDF

The full Pajebal, Inc. 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 Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck was used for

This deck is a 10‑slide presentation of Pajebal, Inc., a nonprofit microfinance platform proposing a new online system to turn traditional donors into **social investors** by connecting U.S.-based individuals and companies to small businesses in the developing world. It appears as a competition entry in the Liquidnet Impact Challenge under the Liquidnet for Good program, distributed via the liquidnetforgood SlideShare account around early 2011. The deck focuses on concept development rather than reporting on a specific priced funding round, and frames the raise as attracting CSR capital and operational funding to launch and pilot Pajebal’s platform in Guatemala. It emphasizes three product ideas—video pitches, a gamified “equity” market, and one‑to‑one business‑to‑business mentorship—as the core of Pajebal’s impact model.

Business model: 501(c)(3) nonprofit microfinance platform connecting U.S. lenders and corporate CSR capital to rural micro and small businesses in Guatemala through loans and business/IT consulting support.

Founders
Rob Krieger
Headquarters
New York, New York, United States (mailing address: 100 Ave A, New York, NY 10009).
Industry
Microfinance / Nonprofit organization management.

What the Pajebal, Inc. 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 Pajebal, Inc. deck

Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck: common questions

What is Pajebal, Inc. and what does it do?

Pajebal, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit microfinance organization that allows U.S. citizens and residents to directly contribute to rural Guatemala’s development through loans to micro and small businesses, combined with business and IT consulting support to those entrepreneurs.

What are the core ideas presented in Pajebal’s pitch deck?

The deck proposes three main features: (1) a video‑based pitch system where prospective borrowers in the developing world post video presentations of their business and financials; (2) an online “stock market” style points‑based competition for investing in small businesses; and (3) a one‑lender‑to‑one‑borrower business‑to‑business relationship model using online information sharing and Skype to enable due diligence, financing, and mentorship.

For what context was this Pajebal pitch deck created?

The deck is tied to the Liquidnet Impact Challenge and was uploaded through the liquidnetforgood account on SlideShare, indicating it was used as a competition entry rather than a traditional investor roadshow; the timing of related Pajebal and Duke presentation uploads points to early 2011.

Who founded Pajebal, Inc.?

According to public profiles, Pajebal was founded and led by former Peace Corps Small Business Development Volunteer Rob Krieger, who served as President and Founder of Pajebal from July 2008 to December 2013.

What does the name “Pajebal” mean and why was it chosen?

The deck states that “Pajebal” is the original K’iche Maya name of a Guatemalan village that inspired the project and translates as “at the snake’s tail” or “at the end of the line,” symbolizing communities that have long been last in line for economic opportunity.

Sources

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

Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slides

Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 1 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 1 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 2 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 2 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 3 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 3 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 4 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 4 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 5 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 5 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck slide 6 of 10
Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck — slide 6 of 10

What each slide of the Pajebal, Inc. pitch deck says

Slide 1

NNN liquidnet impact challenge Turning Traditional Donors into Social Investors: Revolutionizing the Online Microfinance Platform by Rob Krieger and Jessie Margolis

Slide 2

Online microfinance platforms have in the new millennium significantly enhanced the ability for capital to reach millions of poor people across the globe Example: ly Kivalenders fund the i loan request Kiva sends the funds to X¢ ¢ R the Field Partner BooBl~ wm 9 vem \ ] DES Hes \ > ma a Field Partner uploads i pd N =] ~/VA Ye ul desi \e w Bs |] J 1s that . vd YOUR TOOL FOR CHANGE dso iS 2 < > AF omer tka PayPal eel Credit: kiva.org The microfinance social impact philosophy: Providing loan capital to small private sector enterprises uses the power of incentive-based capitalism & the free market to increase GDP & living standards in poorer regions of the world.

Slide 3

However, current online micro and small business lending platforms fall short on turning traditional donors into true social investors Ci i‘

Slide 4

Idea #1: Create a video-based "pitch" system of ideas from entrepreneurs of the developing world Rationale: Current online microfinance platforms not only do not sufficiently connect the online lender to the potential dynamism (or lack thereof) of the developing world entrepreneurs and their businesses, they also do not allow for sufficient direct screening. Simply put, there is not enough transparency. 1) Prospective borrowers create video pitches with their MFI %, 2) Prospective online investor reviews pitches quarterly basis e v Solution: All prospective borrowers must make a video "pitch" of their ideas, to be posted on the website. The prospective lender thus gets a true inside look in…

Slide 5

Idea #2: Create an online "stock market" for small businesses in the developing world Rationale: Although online debt market platforms have been successful at raising capital for micro and small loans in the developing world, no one has capitalized on the power of an equities market platform to more appropriately and efficiently allocate capital online. 5) Participants are motivated not by financial gain, but by gain in points. This motivation stems from: a) Pride in being the best investor in the competition—you spot the successful investments early! It is embarrassing if your invested projects end up being priced the lowest. b) Doing well in the competition means you are allocating funds…

Slide 6

The "Deep Dive": Idea #3 One business lender - to - one business borrower relationship Introducing: The New PaCj)Ebal Online business to business connections for the developing world: Fueling sound business growth through direct due diligence, financing, and mentorship Francisco: Organic Coffee Farmer Example: Credit: stonyfield.com Rationale: Other platforms do not establish/facilitate relationship building and mediated communication between the lender, the local MFI and the small business owner. By establishing and facilitating a three-way symbiotic relationship, we can ensure: 1) Selection of investments only in the best small businesses; 2) Assistance in developing sound business manage…

Slide 7

Idea #3 leverages some variants of other ideas described previously to maximize its value proposition Business to Business Connections for Developing World Small Business

Slide 8

First, how current major online finance platforms work: Step 1: An online microfinance intermediary organization posts a short description and a few picture of a developing world micro business on their website. Step 2: John Doe in the U.S. sees the $300 loan on the website, likes the story and pictures, and extends a $50 loan. Step 3: When John extends his funds they are placed in a general pool to, at the end of the month, be transferred in bulk to the MFI that is facilitating the loan to the end borrower. Often, that specific loan has already been extended to the borrower, and John's funds are really going to replenish the capital of the MFI. Step 4: John liked the idea that his funds we…

Slide 9

Idea #3: Implementation The 6 step process: Pajebal will establish this process as part of their innovation implementation by using online information sharing & communication and Skype video meetings to guide the development of the lender-borrower relationship. 1. Pajebal facilitates the introduction of lender to borrower: profile exchange and initial get-to-know the business their relationship. Pajebal stands and investor-vision/investeeasa support and resource during vision conversation. this process. Pajebal Business to Business Connections for Developing World Small Business 2. Lender/borrower establish goals and define the terms of 6. Pajebal works with the borrower & lender to evaluat…

Slide 10

The word Pajebal is the original indigenous Kiche Maya name for the Guatemalan village that inspired our work. "Pajebal" means "at the snake's tail," or, "at the end of the line." The people of Pajebal, and of all the Pajebals spread out across the developing world, have been at the end of the line for too long. Pajebal, Inc. exists to provide them with real business growth solutions rooted in sound business management, intelligent use of capital, and effective intercontinental business-tobusiness communication. Pajebal View the current state of the project at www.pajebal.org

Slide text above is read directly from the Pajebal, Inc. deck PDF embedded on this page.

Related fundraising guides (24)

Decks from the same year (1)

Decks from the same region (1)

Browse companies alphabetically (1)

More pitch deck teardowns (16)

Recently published pitch deck teardowns (12)

Fundraising library · Pitch deck examples · Investor directory · Founder database