Skaleup Ventures, operating under the brand INCONSCIOUS and associated with the Vested Summit, aims to solve the funding gap for #ConsciousTech startups. Their platform combines AI-driven matchmaking with a crowdfunding model, allowing individuals to invest as little as $1,000. The deck highlights a significant market opportunity, citing a $30 trillion need for UN-SDGs and over $30 trillion in untapped US savings. With revenue growing from $0 in 2017 to $216,750 in 2019, and $320,000 in investment raised by 2020, the company demonstrates early traction. The deck leans heavily on the 'Consciou…
Key takeaways
- The platform targets the #ConsciousTech sector, defined as transformative exponential technologies applied to real-world problems (Slide 2).
- Skaleup identifies the primary problem as the 90% failure rate of startups, driven by a lack of funding (Slide 3).
- The solution is a four-part model: Aggregator, Personalized Pipeline (AI matchmaking), Cross-Border investments, and Crowd-investments starting at $1,000 (Slide 4).
- Revenue projections for 2025 target $20 billion in transactions, yielding $1 billion in revenue via a 5% commission (Slide 5).
- The company reported a significant jump in revenue from $15,650 in 2018 to $216,750 in 2019 (Slide 6).
- Total investment raised as of 2020 is stated as $320,000 (Slide 6).
- The company claims over 100 partners across 25 ecosystems, including major tech firms like AWS, Microsoft, and IBM (Slide 7).
- The deck lacks a traditional 'Team' slide with names, titles, and bios, providing only a group photo (Slide 8).
Executive Summary: The Democratization of Impact Capital
Skaleup Ventures (associated with the INCONSCIOUS platform and Vested Summit) presents a vision for a global investment hub focused on #ConsciousTech. The deck positions the company at the intersection of three major trends: the rise of impact investing, the boom in exponential technology, and the massive pool of untapped retail capital in US savings accounts. By lowering the barrier to entry for startup investing to $1,000, Skaleup attempts to solve the funding gap that causes 90% of startups to fail.
Slide 1: Title and Tagline
The cover slide introduces the brand as S[k]aleUp Ventures with the tagline "Startup funding made simple." The branding is clean, using a purple and white color scheme with geometric accents. It establishes the company's focus immediately: simplifying the complex world of venture capital and startup financing.
Slide 2: The Macro Thesis for #ConsciousTech
Slide 2 serves as the "Why Now?" slide. It defines #ConsciousTech as "transformative exponential technologies applied to real-world problems." The slide uses six tiles to build a sense of urgency:
UN-SDGs: Citing a $30 trillion requirement for Sustainable Development Goals. · Impact Investing: Noting that this sector is on the rise. · Untapped Capital: Pointing to $30 trillion in US savings accounts. · Sustainability: A general move toward environmental concerns. · Tech Boom: The persistent growth of the technology sector. · COVID-19: The need for agile investment platforms to increase capital efficiency in a post-pandemic world.
Slide 3: Defining the Problem
The problem slide is minimalist, featuring a photo of a diverse team and a single statistic: "90% of startups fail." It identifies the "#1 reason" as a "lack of funding." While this is a broad problem statement, it sets the stage for a platform that aims to increase the supply of capital by tapping into new investor classes.
Slide 4: The Four-Pillar Solution
Slide 4 introduces the INCONSCIOUS platform, described as an "AI based crowd based startup investment platform." The solution is broken down into four functional areas: 1. Aggregator: A central hub for ConsciousTech startups. 2. Personalized Pipeline: Using AI matchmaking to find relevant startups for investors "in seconds." 3. Cross-Border Investments: Facilitating due diligence in emerging markets with pre-set deal terms. 4. Crowd-investments: Allowing individuals to invest as little as $1,000 with no prior tech or investment knowledge required.The slide reiterates the $30 trillion potential in US savings, framing the solution as a way to democratize VC-level returns for the average person.
Slide 5: Target Market and Revenue Projections
This slide provides a roadmap from current market sizes to 2025 targets. It notes a 2020 Global VC market of $213 billion (US, Europe, Asia) and an emerging market size of $4.6 billion (Middle East, Africa, LATAM). The 2025 targets are aggressive:
$43.5B in Impact Investments matched on INCONSCIOUS (representing a 20% market share). · $20B in Crowd-Investment Transactions. · 1 Million crowd users, 10,000 investors, and 50,000 startups. · $1B Revenue: Calculated as a 5% commission on $20 billion in transactions.
Slide 6: Traction and Investment History
The traction slide shows a clear upward trajectory in revenue, though the absolute numbers are still in the early stages:
2017: Founded, $0 revenue. · 2018: $15,650 revenue. · 2019: $216,750 revenue. · 2020: $320,000 in total investment raised.
The jump from 2018 to 2019 represents significant growth, suggesting the platform or its associated events (Vested Summit) gained substantial momentum during that period.
Slide 7: Ecosystem Partners
Slide 7 is a "logo soup" slide intended to build credibility. It claims "100+ Partners in 25 ecosystems." Notable logos include global giants like AWS, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, and IBM. It also features regional players such as Flat6Labs Cairo, NilePreneurs, and the German Cooperation (giz). This suggests the company has successfully integrated into the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) startup ecosystem while maintaining ties to global tech providers.
Slide 8: The Team (Visual Only)
The final slide provided is a "Thank You" slide featuring a group photo of approximately 15 people in front of what appears to be a resort or summit location (likely the Vested Summit). While this humanizes the company, the deck lacks a formal team slide. There are no names, titles, or professional backgrounds provided for the leadership team, which is a significant omission for a platform that requires high levels of trust and regulatory compliance.
What Works in This Deck
Strong Thematic Alignment: The deck does an excellent job of tying the company's mission to global trends like the UN-SDGs and the rise of impact investing. This makes the venture feel timely and significant. Clear Revenue Model: Unlike many early-stage decks that are vague about monetization, Skaleup explicitly states its 5% commission model on slide 5. Demonstrated Growth: The revenue bar chart on slide 6 shows a clear, non-linear growth path, which is exactly what VCs look for in early traction. Ecosystem Breadth: The partner slide (Slide 7) demonstrates that the company is not operating in a vacuum; it has managed to secure relationships with major corporate and governmental entities.
What Is Missing or Needs Improvement
The Team Slide: As noted, the absence of founder bios is a major red flag. For a platform handling cross-border investments and due diligence, investors need to know if the founders have backgrounds in finance, law, or high-scale technology. Product Depth: The deck mentions "enhanced AI matchmaking" and "pre-set deal terms," but provides no screenshots of the platform or details on how the AI actually functions. Is it a recommendation engine, or something more complex? Regulatory Strategy: Facilitating "crowd-investments" and "cross-border investments" involves navigating complex securities laws (such as the JOBS Act in the US or similar frameworks in the EU and MENA). The deck does not address how they handle compliance or the legal structure of these investments. Path to $20B: The jump from $216k in revenue to $1 billion in revenue (Slide 5) is massive. The deck lacks a middle-ground milestone or a clear explanation of the marketing and acquisition strategy required to reach 1 million users.
Founder Takeaways
Use Macro Stats to Build Urgency: Skaleup's use of the $30 trillion figure creates a compelling "size of the prize" narrative. Founders should find the one massive, undeniable macro trend that supports their business and lead with it. Quantify Your Traction: Even if your revenue is small (like the $15k reported in 2018), showing the growth to a larger number ($216k) proves that the model is working and scalable. Lower the Barrier to Entry: The specific mention of a $1,000 investment minimum is a great way to define the product's accessibility. Founders should be specific about their pricing or entry points to help investors visualize the customer journey. Don't Forget the People: A group photo is nice for culture, but a pitch deck is a resume for the company. Always include a slide that highlights the specific wins and expertise of the core leadership team.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the core value proposition of Skaleup Ventures?
- Skaleup Ventures aims to democratize impact investing by allowing average individuals to invest in high-growth 'ConsciousTech' startups alongside VCs. The platform uses AI to match investors with relevant opportunities and facilitates cross-border deals in emerging markets, lowering the entry barrier to a $1,000 minimum investment.
- How does the company plan to generate revenue?
- According to slide 5, the company utilizes a commission-based business model. They project reaching $20 billion in transaction volume by 2025, from which they intend to take a 5% commission, resulting in a target revenue of $1 billion.
- What is the significance of the #ConsciousTech branding?
- The deck defines #ConsciousTech as the application of exponential technologies to solve UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By framing the platform around this hashtag, Skaleup aligns itself with the growing impact investing trend and the $30 trillion funding gap required to meet global sustainability targets.
- What evidence of market validation does the deck provide?
- Market validation is presented through two lenses: financial growth and partnerships. The company grew revenue by over 1,200% between 2018 and 2019. Additionally, slide 7 displays logos for over 100 partners, including global tech giants like Dell, IBM, and AWS, as well as regional accelerators like Flat6Labs.
- What are the most notable omissions in this pitch deck?
- The most critical omission is a detailed team slide. While slide 8 shows a group photo, it does not list the founders, their specific expertise, or their track records. Furthermore, the deck does not explain the mechanics of its 'AI-based' matchmaking or provide a clear roadmap for how it will scale from $216k to $1 billion in revenue.
