Whylab Pitch Deck: Slide-by-Slide Breakdown

The Hook: Reimagining Mental Health as Fitness

Whylab enters the crowded mental health space with a distinct linguistic pivot. By calling themselves a "digital gym for mental fitness" on Slide 1 , they immediately move the conversation away from the clinical, often stigmatized world of therapy and into the aspirational world of self-improvement. The cover slide features a laptop screen showing a Zoom-style group session, signaling that this is a social, live experience rather than a solitary meditation app.

Defining the Problem and Solution

Slide 2 establishes the urgency. It cites a CDC 2021 source stating that "75% of young adults report to struggle with mental health." The slide identifies four symptoms: exhaustion, isolation, anxiety, and poor relationships. Crucially, it defines the gap not as a lack of doctors, but as a "lack of effective & accessible solution for mental health prevention."

Slide 3 introduces the solution: the concept that "mental fitness prevents severe mental health issues." It draws a direct parallel to physical fitness, suggesting that the mind, like the body, can be trained effectively. This is a strategic move to lower the barrier to entry for users who might not feel they need "therapy" but are comfortable with "training."

Product Mechanics and User Experience

Slide 4 and Slide 5 dive into the product. The platform is described as an "all-in-one digital gym" combining "live workouts" for emotional experiences and a "digital coach" for behavioral change. Slide 5 provides the most detail on the user journey, showing three distinct app interfaces: mental fitness assessment (a mood tracker), train together with your group (a video call interface with interactive exercises), and coach & group accountability (a habit tracker with social features like "Nik's accountability partner"). This suggests a hybrid model of synchronous and asynchronous engagement.

Traction and Validation

Slide 6 is the "proof" slide. It lists three impressive figures: 130k+ minutes spent training, a 92% satisfaction rate , and an ARPU of 335€ . The ARPU figure is particularly notable for a pre-seed stage company, suggesting a high-ticket subscription or course-based model rather than a low-cost mass-market app. The slide also includes testimonials that emphasize the social aspect, with one user noting they "would have never thought I could open up to strangers."

Mission and Market Context

Slide 7 and Slide 8 zoom out to the broader vision. The mission is stated as becoming the "mental fitness companion enabling a happier and healthier society." Slide 8 uses a honeycomb graphic to illustrate the "mega trend" of mental wellness. It lists external factors such as "stigma decreases," "law regulation loosen up," "technology advances (AI, voice)," and "COVID-19 isolates." This slide serves to convince investors that Whylab is riding a wave of inevitable cultural and regulatory change.

Market Size and Financial Opportunity

Slide 9 quantifies the opportunity using the standard TAM/SAM/SOM framework. They claim a TAM of 120 billion Euros for the global mental wellness industry and a SAM of 90 billion Euros for the mental wellness budget among young adults in developed countries. Their SOM is 4.5 billion Euros , which they define as a "market share of 5% after 5 years." While the 5% market share assumption is aggressive, the 90 billion Euro SAM indicates a massive target demographic.

The Roadmap and Team

Slide 10 presents a linear timeline. In 2022, the focus is on the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), a B2C focus, and a Seed round. By 2023, they plan to roll out in Northern Europe, move into B2B, and raise a Series A. This roadmap shows a clear progression from a consumer-first product to an enterprise-grade health benefit.

Slide 11 introduces the founders. The team has high "pedigree"—a term often used by VCs to describe founders from top-tier firms. Sarah Reitz (Chief Psychologist) brings clinical credibility and a background at BCG and Columbia University. Luca Lea Kleene (Strategy & Operations) comes from Rocket Internet and Accenture. Nikola Berkmann (Product & Tech) also has Accenture and ESCP experience. This combination of clinical expertise, operational scaling (Rocket Internet), and corporate strategy (BCG/Accenture) is a strong signal for a pre-seed investment.

What Works in This Deck

The Metaphor: The "Digital Gym" framing is consistent throughout and helps the investor immediately categorize the product without needing a complex technical explanation. · Visual Clarity: The deck uses a clean, blue-gradient aesthetic that feels professional and "calm," fitting for a mental health startup. · Traction Metrics: Including a specific ARPU (335€) on Slide 6 is a bold and effective way to show that users are willing to pay significant money for this service. · Team Credibility: The logos on Slide 11 (BCG, Rocket Internet, Accenture) do a lot of heavy lifting in establishing that the founders have the professional discipline to execute.

What Is Missing

The Ask: Slide 12 is a contact slide, but nowhere in the deck does it state how much money they are raising or what the valuation expectations are. This is a significant omission for a fundraising document. · Unit Economics: While ARPU is provided, there is no mention of Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). In the crowded wellness space, CAC is often the factor that kills startups. · Competitive Landscape: The deck assumes a vacuum. There is no mention of Calm, Headspace, or more clinical competitors like Lyra or BetterHelp. Investors need to know why Whylab wins against these incumbents. · Retention Data: 130k minutes is a good start, but for a "gym" model, investors want to see cohort retention—how many people who start in Month 1 are still "training" in Month 6?

What a Founder Should Copy

The Problem Framing: Start with a massive, undeniable statistic (the 75% figure on Slide 2 ) and then narrow it down to a specific, solvable gap (prevention). · The "How it Works" Slide: Slide 5 is excellent because it shows the product in three different contexts (assessment, group, and habit tracking), giving a full picture of the user experience in one glance. · The Mega Trend Slide: Slide 8 is a great way to show "Why Now?" without using those exact words. It shows that the startup is the logical conclusion of several converging social and technological forces.