Side by side
Two tools, two jobs
A pitch deck makes the case for your company and gets you the meeting. A data room holds the proof behind every claim in that case, and it's what investors check in due diligence.
| Smart Deck | Data room | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your pitch deck, memo, valuation and model on one link | The documents an investor checks before they put money in |
| Its job | Get the meeting and make the case | Back up the case, line by line |
| Who sees it | Anyone you send the link to | Serious investors, usually after they sign an NDA |
| When | Before and after the first call | During due diligence |
| What's inside | Your story and the numbers that matter | Company papers, cap table, contracts, full accounts and customer detail |
Your Smart Deck
Everything an investor needs to say yes to a meeting
A Smart Deck puts four things on one private web link:
- Pitch deck
- Investor memo
- Valuation
- Financial model
The numbers on your slides come straight from your model. When a figure changes in the model, the deck changes with it, so nothing drifts out of line. When you update it, everyone holding the link sees the new version. On a phone it reads as a scrolling page, so nobody has to pinch and zoom a PDF.
The deck says "we have 40 paying customers." The data room shows who they are.
That's the line between the two. The deck gives the headline numbers. The detail that proves them stays in the room.
Your data room
What goes into a data room for investors
A data room is a private folder an investor works through before they sign. It answers one question: is everything in the deck true? Most rooms follow the same sections.
The company
- Incorporation papers
- Shareholder agreement
- Cap table that adds up to 100%
- Board minutes
The money
- Full accounts and management accounts
- The financial model
- Bank statements
- Tax filings
The customers
- Customer contracts
- Customer names and pipeline
- Pricing and discounts
- Supplier agreements
The team and IP
- Employment contracts and salaries
- Share options
- Patents and IP assignments
- Any legal disputes
Some of this only you hold, like your bank statements and signed contracts. We set up the room and tell you what's missing. You supply the documents.
Files
Can I still get a PDF and a PowerPoint?
Yes. You get the PDF and an editable PowerPoint either way, plus your model in Excel. Some investors prefer an attachment, and for a cold first email that's often the better choice. The link is for whoever wants to go deeper after the first call.
Many founders end up with two versions of the deck:
A deck to send
Reads on its own. Full sentences, so it makes sense when you aren't in the room.
A deck to present
Fewer words and bigger numbers. You do the talking.
Privacy
Who can see it
Your deck opens for anyone who has the link, because a password in front of a pitch puts people off. It's set so search engines don't list it. If you want a password on your deck too, ask and we'll add it.
Your home page, data room and published model always sit behind a password from day one. You decide who gets it. We can change the password or switch a link off on the day you ask.
One honest limit. Keeping a page out of search stops Google listing it. It doesn't stop someone you've sent the link to from forwarding it. And a PDF you've emailed can't be called back.
The order
When investors see each one
Most raises run in this order. The deck works early. The room opens late, once an investor is serious.
- TeaserA short one-pager, or an anonymous one if you're selling
- Smart DeckSent before or after the first call
- MeetingsQuestions answered from the deck and model
- NDAThe investor signs before seeing detail
- Data roomDue diligence, document by document
- Term sheetThe offer, once the proof holds up
Your questions
Questions founders ask
What is the difference between a pitch deck and a data room?
A pitch deck tells your story with the numbers that matter, and its job is to get you the meeting. A data room is a private folder of the documents behind that story, like company papers, the cap table, contracts and full accounts. Anyone you send the link to can see your deck. The data room usually opens only to serious investors, after they sign an NDA.
What goes into a data room for investors?
Most data rooms follow the same four sections. The company: incorporation papers, the shareholder agreement, a cap table that adds up to 100% and board minutes. The money: full and management accounts, the financial model, bank statements and tax filings. The customers: contracts, names, pipeline, pricing and supplier agreements. The team and IP: employment contracts, share options, patents and any legal disputes.
When should you share your data room with investors?
Share it late, once an investor is serious. Most raises run in the same order: a teaser, then the deck before or after the first call, then meetings. The investor signs an NDA, and only then does the data room open for due diligence. The term sheet comes once the proof holds up. Opening the room too early hands private detail to people who haven't decided to look closely.
Next step
Tell us who you're sending it to
Let us know which investors you're approaching and when. We'll set up the deck and the room to match, so each investor sees the right thing at the right time.
Want to see how we value a company first? Read the valuation guide.