Peoplewave Pitch Deck (2018): 16-Slide Seed Deck

Peoplewave’s pitch deck is a masterclass in brevity, designed for a three-minute presentation window. The company addresses the $12.59 billion HR software market by targeting the emotional and functional failures of traditional performance reviews. By March 2018, the startup had already secured 100 SME sign-ups and 45 pilot customers with a remarkably low customer acquisition cost (CAC) of $45. The deck is highly specific, requesting a final $100,000 to close out their seed round while simultaneously pitching for new pilot customers with 50 to 5,000+ employees. While it lacks a detailed finan…

Key takeaways

• The company identifies a massive market opportunity, citing a global market size of $12.59 billion in 2016 with a 9.6% CAGR (Slide 4).
• Peoplewave uses emotional hooks to define the problem, stating that 1 in 4 employees cry after performance reviews (Slide 3).
• The startup demonstrates significant early traction with 100 SME sign-ups and 45 pilot customers achieved between November and January (Slide 7).
• A highly efficient customer acquisition cost (CAC) of $45 is highlighted as a primary growth metric (Slide 7).
• The product suite is clearly divided into 'First 100 Days' for onboarding and 'Performance Wave' for appraisals, both of which were in-market by March 2018 (Slide 6).
• The 'HR Command Centre' analytics tool was positioned as a future value driver with a 'Coming 2018' launch date (Slide 6).
• The funding ask is extremely specific, seeking the 'last USD $100,000' of their seed round (Slide 8).
• The team is led by a digital marketing expert and a technology leader, though the deck lacks a dedicated slide for the full team's pedigree (Slide 5).

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary problem Peoplewave is trying to solve?

Peoplewave targets employee disengagement and the failure of traditional HR processes. According to Slide 2 and Slide 3, 70% of employees are disengaged, and 25% have a negative emotional reaction (crying) to performance reviews. The company aims to replace these 'broken' systems with data-driven, transparent onboarding and appraisal tools that put 'people first.'

How does Peoplewave acquire customers so cheaply?

Slide 7 shows a Cost Per Acquisition (CAC) of just $45. While the deck doesn't detail the exact marketing channels, it attributes this efficiency to a mix of 100 SME sign-ups and 45 pilot customers. This suggests a low-touch SaaS sales model for smaller businesses combined with a growing $1.5 million enterprise sales pipeline.

What is the current stage of the product development?

As of the March 2018 deck, two products were fully 'Available Now': First 100 Days (onboarding) and Performance Wave (appraisals). A third product, the HR Command Centre for analytics and benchmarking, was scheduled for release later in 2018 (Slide 6).

What is the specific investment opportunity mentioned?

Peoplewave was not looking for a massive lead investor at the time of this deck. Instead, Slide 8 indicates they were seeking the 'last USD $100,000' to complete their seed funding round. This suggests the round was already mostly committed, and they were looking for a final check to close.

Who are the founders of Peoplewave?

The company was founded in January 2017 in Singapore by Damien Cummings (CEO), described as a digital/marketing expert, and Phil Aldridge (CTO), described as a technology leader. By the time of the pitch, the company had grown to 17 employees (Slide 5).

Peoplewave pitch deck: the facts

Company

Peoplewave

Year

2018

Stage

Seed

Slides

16

Sector

HR Tech / SaaS

Deck type

3-minute Pitch / Seed Bridge

Outcome

Not stated in slides

Headquarters

Singapore

Peoplewave pitch deck PDF

The full Peoplewave 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 Peoplewave pitch deck was used for

This deck is Peoplewave’s 3‑minute pitch from around 2018, used at seed stage to raise capital for its HR tech / SaaS platform focused on employee onboarding, continuous appraisals, and data-driven people management. The company is a Singapore-based HR software startup offering tools such as “First 100 Days” for onboarding, “Performance Wave” for continuous 360-degree appraisals, and an “HR Command Centre” analytics suite, later positioned as blockchain-ready via its Wavebase platform. The deck reportedly included a specific US$100,000 seed ask and highlighted customer acquisition cost metrics as part of a concise, metric-driven fundraising story. This fundraising sat alongside or on top of a broader US$500,000 seed round from angels and HR-aligned companies closed in late 2017.

Business model: Peoplewave provides HR software as a service, offering tools for new-hire onboarding, continuous 360-degree performance appraisals, and an HR analytics suite, with a blockchain-ready platform called Wavebase for verified employee performance data.

Round

Seed.

Year

2017.

Headquarters

Singapore, Singapore.

Industry

HR technology / HR software / enterprise SaaS.

Raised: US$500,000 seed round, following a US$100,000 founder-funded pre-seed, for a total of about US$600,000 in equity funding by late 2017.

Total funding: Peoplewave raised an initial US$100,000 pre-seed funded by founders, followed by a US$500,000 seed round from angels and HR-aligned companies in late 2017, for a total of about US$600,000 in equity funding.

Use of funds as presented: Public commentary indicates that the seed funding was used to strengthen Peoplewave’s funding stream, build its HR software tools, and establish a Singapore-based tech team to enhance and perfect its products.

What happened after the Peoplewave deck

Following its 2017–2018 seed-stage fundraising, Peoplewave expanded its HR SaaS platform, launched a blockchain-ready product (Wavebase) with an associated PWV token sale that reached its soft cap, and gained recognition through accelerator programs and startup awards; however, publicly available sources do not provide a clear, up-to-date picture of the company’s later-stage financing or current o

• Closed a US$500,000 seed round from angels and HR-aligned companies around November–December 2017, following a US$100,00
• Developed and launched a multi-product HR software suite including “First 100 Days” onboarding, “Performance Wave” conti
• Launched Wavebase, a blockchain-ready platform for verified employee performance data, and conducted a token sale (PWV)
• Selected for Startup Station Singapore by Facebook and IMDA, and recognized as a Top 5 winner in the 2018 Startup-O Fast

What the Peoplewave deck got right

• Clear articulation of a major HR pain point and aligned product use cases. The deck focuses on a large, well-documented pain point—employee disengagement—and ties it to specific HR workflows like onboarding and performance appraisals, matching the company’s public positioning as an “employee relationship management” platform that reduces turnover and improves retention. This clarity of problem and use case makes it easy for investors to understand why the product matters.
• Concise, metric-driven narrative with a specific funding ask and CAC data. Even in a 3-minute format, the deck is described as including a specific US$100,000 seed ask and clear CAC metrics, reinforcing a disciplined, metric-driven approach to customer acquisition and capital needs.[existing_article] For seed investors, this signals that the team is tracking unit economics early rather than relying solely on vision.
• Platform-oriented product suite increasing revenue and engagement potential. Peoplewave presents itself as a platform with multiple products—“First 100 Days” for onboarding, “Performance Wave” for continuous 360-degree appraisals, and “HR Command Centre” for analytics—providing both breadth and cross-sell potential. A 3-minute deck that captures this suite demonstrates that the business is more than a single-feature tool.
• Strong external validation through funding, accelerators, and awards. The company’s external track record—closing a US$500,000 seed round, joining Startup Station Singapore by Facebook and IMDA, and earning recognition in Startup-O Fasttrack and ATP Pitchdeck Asia awards—adds credibility and social proof that can be referenced or implied in the deck. For investors, this external validation reduces perceived risk.
• Differentiated positioning via blockchain-ready verified performance data. By the time of this deck, Peoplewave was already framing its software as “blockchain-ready” with Wavebase and a PWV token, introducing a differentiated angle in the HR SaaS market by focusing on verified performance data on-chain. A deck that combines familiar HR workflows with a novel data and blockchain layer can stand out among traditional HR tech pitches.
• Disciplined, focused structure well-suited to a 3-minute pitch format. The short, 3-minute structure forces the deck to be focused; combined with mention of CAC metrics and a precise ask, it likely avoids the bloat and clutter common in early-stage decks, which can help investors quickly decide whether to engage further.

What could have been stronger

• Potential confusion between the US$100,000 deck ask and the publicly reported US$500,000 seed round. External commentary notes that the deck includes a specific US$100,000 seed ask, yet public funding disclosures show an already-closed US$500,000 seed round and US$100,000 pre-seed by late 2017. Without clarity in the deck on whether this is a top-up, a bridge, or a tranche within the larger seed, investors may be confused about how the ask relates to the broader cap table and total capital plan.
• Limited or unclear communication about the subsequent blockchain / token strategy in the seed narrative. Peoplewave’s public narrative quickly evolved to emphasize a blockchain-ready platform and token sale (Wavebase and PWV tokens), yet seed-stage materials like this 3-minute deck appear focused on SaaS metrics and HR tools. If the deck underplays the forthcoming token strategy, investors later encountering the ICO may question whether the business focus or risk profile changed relative to what was originally pitched.
• Likely limited quantified traction or customer proof points at the time of the seed deck. Public articles highlight that Peoplewave’s products aim to reduce turnover and make performance management more transparent and data-driven, but they do not cite specific numbers on customer counts, retention, or revenue at the time of the seed deck. To the extent the deck mirrors this, it risks relying heavily on problem framing and product description without demonstrating quantified traction beyond general statements or CAC metrics.
• Compressed long-term strategy and roadmap due to 3-minute format. Given the 3-minute time constraint, much of the externally described Peoplewave story focuses on product scope (onboarding, performance, analytics) and high-level metrics like CAC, but does not articulate a detailed multi-year roadmap or expansion plan in public-facing materials. If the deck similarly compresses the strategy, investors may struggle to see the long-term scaling path beyond the immediate HR tools.

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

• The deck’s emphasis on solving employee disengagement and improving onboarding and appraisals taps into a large and well-recognized HR problem, aligning with public descriptions of Peoplewave’s mission to make people management fairer, more transparent and data-driven.
• Peoplewave’s suite of products (“First 100 Days,” “Performance Wave,” and “HR Command Centre”) demonstrates a platform approach that can drive multiple revenue streams per customer and deepen engagement over time.
• The presence of clear customer acquisition cost (CAC) metrics in a short, 3-minute deck signals a data-driven go-to-market mindset that many seed investors view positively.[existing_article]
• Externally verified funding of US$500,000 seed plus US$100,000 pre-seed indicates that other angels and HR-aligned companies had already diligenced and backed the business, providing social proof for new investors viewing this deck.
• Peoplewave’s later acceptance into Startup Station Singapore by Facebook and IMDA, and its recognition in Startup-O Fasttrack and other awards, supports the perception that the team and product are credible and competitive in the region.

Risks that stand out

• The introduction of a blockchain-based platform (Wavebase) and a PWV token sale shortly after the seed round adds regulatory, execution, and token-market risks on top of the core SaaS business, potentially complicating the company’s focus and investor alignment.
• If the deck emphasizes CAC metrics but offers limited transparency on revenue, customer count, or cohort performance, investors face uncertainty about whether the economics are truly validated beyond early experiments.
• The HR software market is crowded, and while Peoplewave’s narrative of fairer, data-driven performance management is compelling, public sources do not identify strong defensibility via patents or exclusive data access, raising questions around differentiation and barriers to entry.
• The reliance on a relatively short, 3-minute format may mean that critical details on governance, token structure, or longer-term financial planning are not fully disclosed, leaving investors to fill in gaps through separate conversations rather than the deck itself.

Questions this deck invites

• How does the US$100,000 ask in this 3-minute deck relate to the previously reported US$500,000 seed and US$100,000 pre-seed—does it represent an additional top-up, a remaining tranche, or a specific allocation within the overall round?
• What were Peoplewave’s actual paying customer numbers, retention rates, and annual recurring revenue at the time of this deck, and how do those compare with the CAC metrics referenced in the presentation?
• How did the company plan to balance and govern its traditional SaaS business with the later Wavebase token sale and PWV token economics, and what protections were in place for equity investors versus token holders?
• What evidence existed at the time of the seed deck that Peoplewave’s tools measurably reduced employee turnover or improved engagement—for example, customer case studies, NPS, or quantified outcomes?
• How capital-efficient was the business in deploying the initial US$600,000 (US$100,000 pre-seed plus US$500,000 seed), and what specific milestones (product, customers, revenue) had been achieved by the time of this deck?

What founders can take from the Peoplewave deck

• Anchoring a short seed deck on a specific, quantified funding ask (US$100,000) and concrete CAC metrics can create a concise, metric-driven narrative that appeals to investors, but it must be reconciled clearly with any larger round already raised so as not to create confusion about total capital ne
• Positioning an HR SaaS platform around clear, named products that address distinct pain points—onboarding, continuous performance appraisals, and analytics—helps investors quickly grasp the product suite and upsell potential, especially in a time-constrained pitch.
• When a startup plans to introduce a significant strategic layer such as a blockchain platform and token sale, founders need to ensure that their seed decks either foreshadow this shift or clearly communicate it to avoid misalignment between early equity investors and later token-related initiatives.
• Using the language of fair, transparent, data-driven performance management, as Peoplewave does, can resonate with both HR buyers and investors because it reframes HR software as an analytics and decision-support platform rather than a compliance tool.
• Participation in well-known accelerators and recognition in regional startup competitions, as seen with Peoplewave’s involvement in Startup Station Singapore and Startup-O Fasttrack, can be highlighted alongside fundraising decks to add external validation and social proof for investors.
• A tightly timed, 3-minute deck can still be effective if it focuses on a large, clearly articulated problem like employee disengagement, a differentiated product suite, and a few critical metrics (such as CAC and funding ask), with the understanding that deeper details will be covered in follow-up m

Peoplewave pitch deck: common questions

What does Peoplewave do?

Peoplewave is a Singapore-based HR technology company that offers a suite of HR software tools, including a new hire onboarding product (“First 100 Days”), a continuous 360-degree performance appraisal tool (“Performance Wave”), and an HR analytics suite (“HR Command Centre”). Its platform later incorporated a blockchain-ready layer called Wavebase to provide verified employee performance data for hiring and people management.

Where is Peoplewave based?

Peoplewave is headquartered in Singapore, operating as a regional HR technology company focused on Asia while marketing itself as “Asia’s leading blockchain-ready HR software company.”

How much funding has Peoplewave raised around the time of this deck?

Peoplewave raised an initial US$100,000 pre-seed round funded by the founders, followed by a US$500,000 seed round from angels and HR-aligned companies that was reported as closing around November to December 2017. The 3-minute pitch deck you are analyzing was used at seed stage around 2018, with a specific US$100,000 funding ask referenced in secondary commentary, likely as part of or on top of this broader seed financing.

Who invested in Peoplewave’s seed round?

Peoplewave’s funding around this deck included a US$500,000 seed round from a series of angel investors and HR-aligned companies, reported in late 2017, plus an earlier US$100,000 founder-funded pre-seed. Investor names were not disclosed in the available public sources, though Peoplewave later participated in the Facebook and IMDA-backed Startup Station Singapore program, which is an accelerator rather than an equity investor.

What happened after Peoplewave’s seed round in terms of funding or token sales?

Beyond the seed funding, Peoplewave launched a token sale (ICO) for its Wavebase blockchain platform in 2018, listing its PWV token on QRYPTOS after achieving its US$2 million soft cap on QUOINE’s Mission Control platform. However, publicly available sources do not detail traditional later-stage equity rounds beyond the reported US$600,000 total equity funding (US$100,000 pre-seed plus US$500,000 seed) around 2017–2018.

Sources

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

• HR software startup Peoplewave strengthens funding stream with $500,000 seed round
• Peoplewave | Singapore Startup
• HR Tech
• Managing people problems with technology
• Peoplewave
• Damien Cummings exits StanChart, sets up HR venture
• Peoplewave | Most Promising Enterprise Startup-2017
• Getting Digital with HR

Peoplewave pitch deck slides

What each slide of the Peoplewave pitch deck says

Slide 1

peoplewave Cloud-based HR Software Onboarding | Data-driven Appraisals | People Analytics PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST IN PEOPLE MANAGEMENT March 2018

Slide 4

46% of new hires leave within 18 months. 30% are looking within 6 months.

Slide 6

THE BIG PROBLEM $550 billion No.1 issue estimated cost of turnover & unhappy that keeps CEOs awake at employees - worldwide [17:47] rom— 72974 peoplewave

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

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