Pitch Deck Teardown: Qortex’s $10M Seed deck

This week’s Pitch Deck Teardown involves you from the PCB-laden confines of CES in Las Vegas. At the moment, we’re wanting on the slide deck that video analytics agency Qortex used to boost a $10 million seed spherical. Qortex makes use of AI to assist manufacturers, media firms and creators establish the suitable moments in a video to insert an advert and maximize engagement, so that is going to be a enjoyable one.

So, with out additional industrial interruptions or preamble, let’s get to it. 

We’re on the lookout for extra distinctive pitch decks to tear down, so if you wish to submit your personal, here’s how you can do that.

Slides on this deck

Qortex has shared its 13-slide deck in full with simply its consumer checklist redacted.

As you’ll be able to see from the checklist beneath, the deck is lacking fairly a number of of the slides that you simply’d look forward to finding in a totally fleshed out deck. There’s no “ask” or “use of funds” slides, no downside assertion, no go-to-market technique, and no enterprise mannequin or pricing slide, amongst others. To be sincere, I’m somewhat stunned the corporate managed to boost cash in any respect with this pitch deck, however the truth that it did handle to boost $10 million is an efficient reminder that the deck is just part of the puzzle. The conversations you’ve got and collateral you share outdoors of the deck itself are all a part of the fundraising course of. 

The slide deck contains:

1. Cowl slide
2. Mission assertion
3. Staff slide
4. Market measurement slide
5. Interstitial slide: ‘Focus on the media sector’
6. Answer slide
7. Product slide
8. Traction slide
9. Future plans slide
10.   Advisors slide
11.   The way it works slide
12.   Entry into related TV area slide
13.   Shoppers

Three issues to like

Apart from the omissions talked about above, Qortex’s deck has some weak slides, too. I needed to dig deep to search out issues that I really love or admire about this deck, however I did discover some slides price celebrating:

A stellar workforce of advisors

A big a part of the fundraising course of entails answering questions on edge circumstances and situations, and even probably the most skilled founders can really feel somewhat caught. That’s when it’s useful to have a unprecedented checklist of sources to attract on — and your board, whether or not it’s an advisory board or your board of administrators — is an efficient group of individuals to have in your again pocket.

And Qortex has certainly collected a formidable group right here:

[Slide 10] That’s the way you advisory board! Picture Credit: Qortex

Qortex is being strategic by spotlighting the media experience on its board, notably the previous president of ABC Tv and ABC Studios. This isn’t nearly flaunting an business titan’s backing; it’s a transparent sign of Qortex’s entry to invaluable insights and strategic steerage.

Featured prominently on the ten slide, this roster underscores the corporate’s savvy in leveraging high-profile confidence in its imaginative and prescient. This advisory board additionally options the brains behind Common Sports activities Community and different seasoned startup advisors, making for a veritable mind belief.

Certainly, it may be a powerful aggressive benefit to have the ability to say, “I have access to a deep bench of folks who have done this before and have a big rolodex to connect us with the right people.”

The most important takeaway from this slide is that you simply don’t need to do all of it by your self. Fill the gaps in your data and expertise with a board, and lean on them to inform the suitable tales.

Present, don’t inform

[Slide 6] Exhibiting your product in motion makes for stable storytelling. Picture Credit: Qortex

Qortex demonstrates it is aware of the right way to talk a narrative by quietly leveraging the facility of video to point out off its cutting-edge product. It’s a masterstroke in visible storytelling, showcasing not as soon as, however thrice, the capabilities of its video analytics know-how.

Slide 6 has a video providing a real-time glimpse into how the corporate discerns viewers engagement and tailors advertising and marketing methods accordingly. Slide 7 ups the ante with one other video, this time illustrating the seamless integration of adverts into the person expertise. And slide 12 options one more video cementing Qortex’s dedication to revolutionizing the intersection of know-how and advertising and marketing.

Is it a bit a lot? Perhaps, nevertheless it successfully solutions many questions on how nicely the product works and the use circumstances it addresses.

A rising tide…

[Slide 4] No person desires to put money into shrinking markets, so Qortex did nicely to point out that its market is rising. Picture Credit: Qortex

Qortex does job of exhibiting that the worldwide video analytics market is rising and will show profitable. That’s necessary: All VCs need to see {that a} startup is working in an area brimming with alternative.

Sadly, the corporate solely tells a part of the story right here. Sure, the market is rising, however Qortex leaves out some necessary bits: How a lot of that market it may possibly count on to seize, and what the corporate’s progress trajectory may appear like.

In the remainder of this teardown, we’ll check out three issues Qortex may have improved or carried out in a different way, together with its full pitch deck!

Three issues that may very well be improved

Above, I famous the obvious absence of a number of key slides that traders normally wish to see in a pitch deck. However with this deck, it’s not solely about what’s lacking; the prevailing slides desperately should be refined as nicely. Let’s check out how Qortex can revamp a few of these slides to raise its pitch to the subsequent stage.