Kama Pitch Deck: 23-Slide Pre-Seed Deck

See all 23 slides of the Kama pitch deck — a Marketplace deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Kama is a dating platform that positions itself as 'Tinder + OpenTable on Steroids.' The core value proposition is the automation of first-date logistics; when two users match, the app suggests a time, place, and discount at a partner venue. This teardown examines their 23-slide deck, which highlights a unique B2B subscription model where restaurants pay $99 per month to be featured as date locations. With early traction including 5,000 students on a waitlist and 50 partnering venues in New York, the deck leans heavily on the founders' Columbia University roots and a post-COVID recovery narra…

Key takeaways

Slide-by-Slide Analysis

The Hook and the Problem (Slides 1-2)

The deck opens with a clean logo and the tagline "Redefining Dating." Slide 2 introduces the 'Jane and John' persona, a classic storytelling device in pitch decks. It highlights a staggering statistic: 8,000 swipes resulting in 150 matches but only 1 actual date. The slide identifies the 'Why' behind this failure: ghosting, poor texting experiences, and a lack of purpose in swiping. By using Columbia University students as the example, the founders immediately ground the problem in their target demographic.

The Solution: Automation and Incentives (Slides 3-4)

Kama describes itself as "Tinder + OpenTable. On Steroids." Slide 3 shows the user flow: a match immediately triggers a meeting invite at a specific time and place (e.g., Ben & Jerry's at 6:30 PM) along with a 15% discount code. This is labeled as "Churn Rate Destroyer #1." Slide 4 covers the post-date experience, where users provide feedback and can choose to 'Re-Date.' This feedback loop is intended to keep users within the app's ecosystem even after the initial meeting.

Business Model and Market Size (Slide 5)

This is the most critical slide for investors. Kama proposes a B2B Subscription Model charging venues $99 per month . They project a $120,000 Revenue Run Rate by December 2020 based on 100 partnering venues. The slide also notes the market size: 110 million singles in the USA and over 750,000 potential venue partners (restaurants, bars, and cafes). This shift from B2C to B2B is a bold move in the dating space, aiming to capture marketing spend from local businesses.

Competition and Moat (Slide 6)

Slide 6 lists major players like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge. Kama claims its moat is being the "Only app that sets-up dates with discounts" and the "Only B2B Dating completely free for users." While the 'free for users' claim is a strong acquisition hook, the deck doesn't fully address how they will prevent users from moving to WhatsApp or iMessage once the first date is set.

Traction and Milestones (Slides 7-8)

Traction is presented through qualitative and quantitative data. Slide 7 claims 500 personal interviews with a 95% willingness-to-try rate, and a 5,000-student waitlist . Slide 8 showcases logos of 50 partnering venues, including Ben & Jerry's and local NYC favorites like Wu + Nussbaum. It also lists impressive pedigree markers: Columbia's Accelerator (Almaworks), Founder Institute, and Y Combinator Startup School.

Vision and Timeline (Slides 9-10)

The vision is "Connecting Humanity in the Physical Realm," with a goal to expand into friends and professional networking. The timeline on Slide 10 is aggressive, aiming for 100,000 DAU and $100k MRR by October 2021. It also notes a transition to a commission-based model once in-app payments are implemented.

The Team and Advisors (Slides 11-12)

The co-founders, Arjun Vairavan (CEO) and Itamar Gil (CTO), are both from Columbia University. Vairavan brings experience from two previous angel-backed startups, while Gil has a background as a software developer in the Israel Defense Forces. The advisor slide (Slide 12) adds significant credibility, featuring Jerry Neumann (VC) and Daniel Rosenzweig (KettleSpace), providing a mix of venture and industry-specific expertise.

Use of Funds (Slide 13)

Kama is seeking $500,000 to provide an 18-month runway . The funds are earmarked for hiring two full-stack engineers, one UX designer, and marketing/PR. The expected achievements include conquering NYC, SF, LA, and Boston campuses and reaching 100,000 users.

Appendix and Deep Dives (Slides 14-23)

The remaining slides provide supporting data. Slide 15 offers market outlook stats (e.g., 80% of Tinder users never meet matches). Slide 16 addresses the COVID-19 context, framing the app as a sourcing tool for struggling restaurants. Slides 17-20 detail product features, restaurant tech benefits, and user acquisition channels (Campus-by-Campus). Slide 21 presents a 'Long-Term' roadmap targeting a $1B valuation by 2024. The deck concludes with a list of useful links and a QR code to the MVP.

What Works Well

Clear Value Proposition: The 'Tinder + OpenTable' analogy is instant shorthand that investors can understand. · B2B Angle: Monetizing the venue rather than the user avoids the 'success leads to churn' trap of traditional dating apps. · Hyper-Local Focus: Starting with Columbia and NYU students allows for a dense network effect in a specific geographic area. · Strong Pedigree: The combination of Columbia University, IDF technical background, and high-profile advisors like Jerry Neumann creates a 'safe' bet for early-stage investors.

What Is Missing

Unit Economics: While the $99/month fee is clear, there is no mention of the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) for a new venue or a new user. · Safety Protocols: Automating a meeting between strangers at a specific time/place raises safety concerns. While Slide 17 mentions 'GPS tracking,' a more robust safety framework is usually expected in modern dating decks. · Retention Data: The deck relies on 'Churn Rate Destroyers' but lacks actual data on how many users return to the app after their first 'Kama Date.' · Barrier to Entry: The deck doesn't explain what prevents Tinder or Hinge from simply adding a 'Book a Table' button through an API integration with OpenTable or Resy.

Founder Takeaways

Leverage Your Ecosystem: The founders used their university status to conduct 500 interviews and build a 5,000-person waitlist. This 'unscalable' early work is exactly what pre-seed investors want to see. · Solve the 'Last Mile': Many apps solve for discovery, but few solve for the logistics of the meeting. Identifying a specific point of failure (the transition from text to IRL) is a great way to find a niche in a crowded market. · Use Appendix Slides for Objections: By including a COVID-19 slide and a detailed 'Restaurant Tech' slide in the appendix, the founders pre-emptively answer questions about market timing and venue value-add. · Visual Flow: The use of mockups to show the 'Match to Date' flow (Slide 3) is much more effective than a bulleted list of features.

Frequently asked questions

How does Kama actually make money?
Unlike most dating apps that charge users for 'super likes' or profile boosts, Kama's primary revenue stream is a B2B subscription. According to slide 5, they charge venues (restaurants, bars, and cafes) $99 per month to be the designated meeting spots for matches. The deck also mentions a potential future shift to a commission-based model, taking 10% of the total bill for every date facilitated through the app.
What is the 'Churn Rate Destroyer' mentioned in the deck?
Kama identifies two 'Churn Rate Destroyers.' The first is the immediate discount (10-20%) offered at a specific venue when a match occurs, incentivizing the meeting (Slide 3). The second is the 'Re-Date' screen, which prompts users after a date to either become 'soul mates' and schedule another meeting or depart as 'discoveries,' keeping the user engaged in the ecosystem regardless of the romantic outcome (Slide 4).
Is the app currently live and available for download?
At the time the deck was produced (late 2020), the app was listed as 'Pre-Order on the App Store' (Slide 8). The timeline on slide 10 indicated an iOS launch in November 2020, with an Android launch planned for July 2021. The deck provides a QR code and links to an MVP, suggesting a functional web app existed during the fundraising period.
How does Kama plan to compete with giants like Tinder and Hinge?
Kama's competitive moat is built on being an 'IRL-first' platform. Slide 6 argues that while competitors focus on digital engagement, Kama is the only app that sets up dates with discounts and remains completely free for users. By aligning with the user's intention to actually meet, they aim to solve the 'texting sucks' and 'ghosting' problems prevalent on traditional platforms.
What are the primary risks associated with this business model?
The model relies heavily on a two-sided marketplace. They need enough users to make the $99/month fee worth it for restaurants, and enough restaurants to provide variety for users. Additionally, slide 10 notes a plan to implement in-app payment infrastructure later, which is a significant technical and regulatory hurdle for a small team.
Cover slide of the Kama pitch deck — Pre-Seed
Kama pitch deck, slide 1

Kama pitch deck: the facts

Company
Kama
Stage
Pre-Seed
Slides
23
Sector
Marketplace

Kama pitch deck PDF

The full Kama 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 Kama pitch deck was used for

This is a pre-seed pitch deck dated November 7, 2020 for **Kama**, a dating app positioned as “Tinder + OpenTable” that automates the transition from a digital match to a scheduled in-person date. The product focuses on eliminating ghosting and ‘endless chat’ by immediately proposing a time and venue based on user preferences once two people match. Kama’s model relies on partnerships with local venues that host the dates and provide discounts, creating a B2B revenue stream in a category usually driven by consumer subscriptions. The deck appears aimed at raising an early pre-seed round to build and launch the product, leveraging initial traction among Columbia and NYU students and an advisor bench with venture and F&B experience.

Business model: Dating app and marketplace that automatically sets up in-person dates for matched users by partnering with local venues, generating B2B revenue via those partnerships.

Industry
Online dating / marketplaces.

Round: Pre-seed (as stated in the pitch deck context and materials).

Year: 2020 (deck dated November 7, 2020).

What the Kama 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 Kama deck

Kama pitch deck: common questions

What is Kama and how does it work?

Kama is a dating app that automatically turns a mutual match into a scheduled real-world date by selecting a time and place based on each user’s availability and preferred activities. It partners with local venues such as restaurants, bars, cafés and ice cream shops, which host the dates and can offer discounts, positioning Kama as both a dating app and a marketplace between daters and venues.

How does Kama differ from traditional dating apps like Tinder or Hinge?

According to an interview with the founders, users sign up, specify their time availability and favorite types of venues, then swipe as on a typical dating app. When two people match, Kama suggests a concrete date (location and time) based on those preferences, so users do not have to negotiate logistics themselves. The pitch deck further emphasizes a post-date feedback and re-date flow that classifies pairs as “soul mates” or “discoveries,” and aims to reduce churn by facilitating follow-on dates.

What is Kama’s business model?

Kama earns money by partnering with local businesses that serve as the venues for dates, instead of charging users subscriptions or in-app purchases. In the GetSetDate interview, the team explains that these partner venues provide discounts and an “exclusive dating experience” to Kama users, implying a B2B relationship where Kama drives foot traffic and spending to the venues. The deck itself highlights that Kama is the “only B2B dating” solution and “only marketplace for daters and venues,” contrasting this with standard B2C dating apps.

What traction had Kama achieved at the time of its 2020 pitch deck?

The deck states that Kama had conducted over 500 personal interviews and accumulated a waitlist of over 5,000 Columbia and NYU students, with 95% expressing willingness to try the app. The GetSetDate interview, published around late 2020, corroborates that the initial user focus was on college students in New York City, including Columbia University and NYU. However, there are no readily available public funding announcements or user growth metrics beyond these early-stage traction claims.

Did Kama complete its pre-seed raise or have an exit?

Publicly available information confirms the product concept, early traction claims, and advisor involvement but does not show any completed funding round announcements, investor lists, or acquisition outcomes for Kama. Given the absence of news articles, press releases, database entries, or investor portfolio mentions, there is no externally verified record of a specific pre-seed or later round closing, nor of an exit or shutdown. Any details about the eventual outcome of the company beyond the deck’s claims remain undocumented in the sources found.

Sources

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

Kama pitch deck slides

Kama pitch deck slide 1 of 23
Kama pitch deck — slide 1 of 23
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Kama pitch deck — slide 3 of 23
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What each slide of the Kama pitch deck says

Slide 2

Problem Meet Jane and John 20, Student aig fos, 4 21, Student Columbia University < oo i Columbia University tried: @ H+ 4 ) 3 tried: @ ~. 8000 Swipes ra 150 Matches 1 Date Why? > Being ghosted > Handling logistics of first-date > Texting sucks > Swiping without any purpose

Slide 3

Solution | Tinder + OpenTable. On Steroids. Every Match = IRL Kama Date John and Jane match on Kama. Voila! - a real date is set up for them sa an = - Coa il - » ef 2 og 2.8 sol gppe—— | o a. q | @ Jenesmith pi @ Janesmith Ls 28 Lat | Ben& Jenks Time and Banc larry= 0 ELK j= place — = od] July 10th, 6:30PM 2 You have a 15% °¢ OKAMALL Go forthe date, have » discount, JIT TUIALE = == | 9 Col aE | ri la ofS Lz SENSES Chum Rate Destroyer #1 w 3

Slide 4

Tinder + OpenTable. On Steroids. Post-Date Feedback Screen They had a nice time together, and ARerifitdats = they Hey, just checking in. How was give Kama their somte feedback @ The meeting went fine Would you be interested in meet again? Yes, but just as friends Re-Date Screen Accordingly, they will either become "soul mates" and re-date. Or - they'll depart as "discoveries" \ John Williams another date Churn Rate Destroyer #2

Slide 5

Business Model USA Only Marketplace Daters $30-$70 Venues Pay per Date CT VN , MN — n nn $99 RR per month 110m Singles 660k Restaurants 32m dating app Se a 62k Bars users 10%-20% 31k Cafes Discount B2B Subscription Model - $120,000 Revenue Run Rate Expected by Dec 2020 based on 100 partnering venues ‘https://andrewchen cofhow-marketplaces-will-reinvent-the-service- economy!

Slide 6

Competition dtinder apid match' ®badoo Hinge ¥charmony Why Kama will win? Competitive Moat > Aligned with users' intention > Only app that sets-up dates with > Unique IRL Kama Date discounts Experience > Only B2B Dating completely free > Only Marketplace for daters and for users venues > Established partnerships with businesses

Slide 7

Achieved Traction Over 500 personal interviews Over 5000 students of Columbia & NYU students, on our waitlist and 95% are willing to try it out social media following "This solves my biggest problem with "Dates and discounts? Sounds really dating apps - actually . A cool, I'd be down to try it"' meeting my matches Female Sophomore at Male graduating Senior Columbia University at NYU Stern

Slide 12

Advisors and Interns Venture Capitalist Jerry Neumann - i % VC i Founder of Neu Venture Linkedin s Capital ) ) Entrepreneur Daniel Rosenzweig - Food & Beverage Co-founder of KettleSpace, Linkedin - a workspace-sharing platform Serial Entrepreneur Nessim Zouaoui - T Online Dating Founder of Lya Linkedin dating platform Established Student Evangelist Program at Columbia & NYU

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

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