How to Create a Pitch Deck Financial Slide (Step-by-Step)

If you're building a pitch deck, your financial slide is one of the first things investors will look at—and one of the last things they'll forget.

Why? Because it shows how your business makes money, where the money goes, and what the future looks like. It’s not about guessing. It’s about showing a clear path backed by numbers.

According to a DocSend study, investors spend an average of 23 seconds on the financial slide—more than any other part of the deck. That means this one slide can decide whether your pitch moves forward or ends up in the “no” pile.

But here's the problem: most startup founders either stuff it with too much data or don’t give enough. Some slides are full of charts with no meaning. Others throw in big numbers without context. That’s a mistake.

This guide will help you fix that.

We’ll break down what to include, how to structure your financials, and how to present your financial projections in a pitch deck that makes sense. You’ll also learn creative ways to show financial data, even if you’re not great with spreadsheets.

By the end, you’ll know how to build a clean, easy-to-read financial slide in your pitch deck—and tell the story behind the numbers.

Let’s get started.

A financial slide shows your business in numbers. It explains how much you plan to make, how much you will spend, and how fast you can grow.

Investors use it to understand if your business idea makes sense.

This slide is often one of the most reviewed parts of a pitch deck. A 2021 study by DocSend found that investors spend more time on financials than on any other slide—over 23 seconds on average. That’s more time than they spend on your team or your product.

Why does this matter?

Because it gives a quick view of how your business runs. It tells them if your numbers are realistic. It also shows whether you understand your costs, your revenue streams, and your break-even point.

If the slide is confusing or feels rushed, trust drops. If it’s clear and well-structured, it builds confidence fast.

The best financial slides don’t try to impress with huge numbers. They give a clear view of your plan, backed by real thinking. Whether you're pre-revenue or growing fast, a solid financial slide helps people see your potential.

A strong financial slide is clear, honest, and simple. It gives investors a quick look at how your business works and what it might look like in a few years. It’s not about adding every number you have. It’s about showing the right ones.

Let’s break it down into key parts every good financial slide should include:

Your revenue projections should answer one question: How much money will this business make, and when?

Use a 3 to 5-year timeline. That’s what most investors expect. Don’t just throw in big numbers. Show how you got them—use market data, past results, or early traction.

For example, if your startup made $50,000 in its first year and is growing 30% each quarter, show that trend. Use a simple line chart or bar graph. Keep it visual.

Pro tip: If you’re pre-revenue, use industry data to estimate growth. Show your plan and be realistic.

Every business spends money. Show where yours goes.

Break your costs into two parts: fixed costs (like rent, salaries, tools) and variable costs (like shipping, support, ads).

Here’s a basic example of a cost breakdown:

Using a pie chart here works well. It’s easy to read and shows what matters most.

Your P&L tells investors how much money is left after costs.

Here’s what to include:

You don’t need a full spreadsheet here. A clean, 3–5 row table or chart works. Keep it short but clear.

Note: Most startups are not profitable yet. That’s fine. Just explain how you plan to get there.

Cash flow shows how much money comes in and goes out every month. Investors want to know if you’ll run out of money—and when.

Include your burn rate (monthly cash spent) and runway (how long your current cash will last).

Example:

If you’re spending $25,000 per month and have $200,000 in the bank, your runway is 8 months.

Keep it simple. A small bar chart showing monthly cash over time can help.

This is where you show that you know your numbers. Use only 3–5 key metrics, depending on your business model.

Common ones:

If you’re SaaS, show MRR and churn.
If you're selling products, show gross margin and unit cost.
If you're app-based, show active users and conversion rates.

Stick to metrics that match your model. Add a short note or chart to explain them if needed.

A strong financial slide isn’t about filling space. It’s about showing you understand your business and can grow it.

A great financial slide is clear, easy to understand, and based on real thinking. It doesn’t need to be complex. But it should answer the most common investor questions:
How does the business make money? What are the costs? And is this startup financially smart?

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you build a solid financial slide that fits your pitch and keeps investors engaged.

Start by choosing a clear forecast period. Most founders use a 3-year or 5-year projection. Three years is enough for early-stage startups. Five years is common for those with more data.

Focus on high-level numbers like revenue, expenses, profit or loss, and cash runway. Use yearly estimates, not monthly. This makes it easier to read and avoids overloading the slide.

If you’re still early, show how the business will grow based on real inputs—like user growth or customer demand. Back your numbers with data from your traction, market size, or similar companies in your space.

List your main revenue sources. If you sell software, that might be monthly subscriptions. If you’re in eCommerce, it could be product sales. Make it clear how the money comes in.

Next, list where the money goes. Keep it grouped under broad expense types:

A pitch deck financial slide should be simple. You don’t need to list every cost—just enough to show your spending makes sense.

Use a bar graph or pie chart to show revenue vs. costs. Visuals help investors understand your financial story quickly.

Metrics help prove your business model works. Use 3 to 5 numbers that matter most for your type of company.

Here are a few common ones:

These numbers tell investors how efficient and healthy your business is. If you’re just starting out, share your targets. Just make sure they’re realistic.

A clean design makes your slide easier to read. Use one or two fonts. Don’t add too many colors. Use graphs to make trends easy to spot.

One visual per idea is enough. For example, one line chart for revenue growth. One pie chart for expenses. One table for metrics.

Avoid long tables with small text. Most investors won’t zoom in to read them. If you need to include more detail, use a separate document or appendix.

Your financial slide in the pitch deck should be quick to scan, even on a laptop or tablet.

Your projections are guesses based on your plan. But they should be smart guesses.

Write a short note about how you built your numbers. For example:

“Revenue is based on 1,000 users by Year 2, each paying $20/month.”

This shows you’ve done your homework. It also builds trust. Investors want to see how you got the numbers—not just the numbers themselves.

If your assumptions are clear and simple, your whole pitch becomes more believable.

Your financial projections show where your business is going. They help investors understand how you expect to grow and how realistic that growth is. But it’s not just about numbers. It’s how you present them that builds trust.

Let’s break down the best ways to show your projections clearly and make them believable.

Most investors want to see your financial forecast for at least three years. Some will ask for five. This helps them get a sense of your growth path and funding needs. If your startup is still early, focus on year-by-year projections instead of monthly.

Include estimates for revenue, cost of goods sold (COGS), gross margin, operating expenses, and net profit or loss. You don’t need dozens of line items—keep it high-level and easy to scan.

For example, instead of listing every expense, group them under broad categories like marketing, product, and operations. A clean table or line graph works well here.

This simple format makes it easier for investors to follow the story.

Don’t just show numbers—explain where they come from. If you expect to earn $1 million in Year 2, say how. Did you base it on market size? Early sales? User growth?

Assumptions matter more than the final number. Investors want to see that you’ve done your homework.

Use plain language. For example:

“We expect to grow at 20% per month based on our current user growth and marketing reach.”

Be honest about what you know and what you’re estimating. If you’re using third-party data (like industry growth trends), say that too.

Clear assumptions show that you’re realistic, not guessing.

People process visuals faster than spreadsheets. Instead of walls of text or rows of numbers, use simple charts.

Make sure your visuals are clean and easy to read. Avoid clutter and limit the number of elements on each chart.

If you’re showing a pitch deck financial projection, keep each graph focused on one thing. Don’t mix too many metrics in a single slide.

Your financial slide should match the way your business runs. If you’re a SaaS company, show recurring revenue (MRR or ARR). If you’re eCommerce, focus on average order value, number of sales, and shipping costs.

Don’t use a one-size-fits-all template. Customize your data to reflect how your company works.

For example:

“Our subscription model charges $50/month. With 1,000 users, that’s $50,000 monthly recurring revenue.”

This helps investors see how your business model supports your growth forecast.

It also keeps your pitch deck financial slide grounded in how you actually make money.

Even if you’re not making a profit yet, you should show when you expect to break even.

Include a short note or timeline in your projections. For example:

“We expect to reach profitability in Q4 of Year 3 as CAC drops and revenue grows.”

You can also highlight key milestones, such as:

These signals give investors confidence in your long-term plan.

Showing numbers isn’t enough. You also need to make them clear and easy to follow. Good design makes a big difference. If your financial slide looks messy, people will skip it or get confused. If it’s clean and visual, they’ll pay attention.

Let’s look at simple, creative ways to present your financial data in a pitch deck.

Charts make it easier to understand your numbers at a glance. But you have to choose the right type.

Keep the design clean. Use one color per chart if possible. Don’t put too much on one slide. A cluttered chart is harder to read than a small table.

Make sure your labels are large and easy to see. Investors often view pitch decks on laptops or tablets, so everything needs to be clear.

Don’t just post a list of financial figures. Explain what they mean. Walk the reader through what each number shows about your business.

For example:

“Revenue grows from $100K in Year 1 to $1.2M in Year 3, driven by customer growth and monthly subscription gains.”

This is where many founders miss the mark. Your chart may look good, but if you don’t explain what’s behind the data, it doesn’t land well.

Use short captions or titles to tell the story above or below your charts. Make sure every chart has a reason to be there. Connect it to your financial slide in the pitch deck and the bigger business plan.

Avoid long tables and dense spreadsheets. Most investors won’t zoom in to read fine print. Stick to one main idea per visual. That could be revenue growth, expenses, or a summary of key metrics.

White space is your friend. It helps the reader focus.

If you need to include more detail, move it to an appendix or data room. Your pitch deck financial slide should show the highlights, not everything you know.

Remember, design doesn’t mean fancy. It means simple. Use clear fonts, avoid bright colors, and keep your layout clean.

Your design should reflect the kind of business you run.

This helps investors see how your financial projections are built on real, working parts of your business.

Also, it shows that you understand your numbers—not just presenting them, but explaining how they connect.

Your pitch deck financial slide can either build trust or raise doubts. Many founders make small mistakes that cost them investor interest. A great product won't matter much if the numbers look weak, messy, or too good to be true.

Here are the most common errors to watch out for—and how to fix them.

It’s tempting to show big numbers that make your startup look like the next billion-dollar brand. But if your financial projections are too aggressive with no clear path, they raise red flags.

For example, projecting $10 million revenue in Year 2 without a clear user growth plan makes investors question your entire pitch. Keep your growth targets realistic. Use past data, market research, and competitor benchmarks to guide your estimates.

Realistic numbers build more trust than flashy ones. You can show ambition without overpromising.

Some founders skip important financial metrics like CAC, LTV, burn rate, or gross margin. This leaves gaps in your story. Investors need those numbers to judge how healthy your business is and how fast it can scale.

If you're early stage and don’t have full data yet, you can share target metrics or early results. For example:

“Our current CAC is $20. We're working to bring it down to $15 through SEO and referrals.”

Missing these key points makes it harder for investors to compare your business with others. Always include the core numbers that fit your model.

Trying to show everything at once is a mistake. Long tables, small text, and cluttered charts confuse people. Investors often skim decks quickly. If your financial slide looks like a spreadsheet, it’s likely to be skipped.

Stick to one main idea per chart. Use white space to guide attention. Add simple labels. Move extra detail to your appendix or supporting document.

Clear and simple always beats packed and noisy. Let the numbers breathe.

Numbers without context don’t help. If you expect to hit $500K in sales next year, explain how. What’s the plan? How many customers do you need? What channels will drive that growth?

Even a short sentence can help. For example:

“Revenue is based on 5,000 customers paying $10/month by Q4.”

Investors aren’t asking for a full financial model on the slide. But they need to see how your forecast connects to your strategy.

Startups don’t have to be profitable on day one. But you do need to show when you expect to break even. If your financial slide skips this, it may feel incomplete.

Add a simple marker or timeline:

“Break-even expected in Q2 of Year 3.”

This helps investors understand how long their funding will last and what future gains they can expect. Even if you're focused on growth first, always include a path to profit.

A clear and honest pitch deck financial slide can help investors see your business potential fast. You don’t need to show every detail. You just need to show the right numbers in the right way.

Focus on revenue, costs, cash flow, and key metrics like CAC and LTV. Keep your design simple. Use charts that are easy to follow. Back your projections with real thinking—not guesses.

Many founders lose interest from investors because their financials look rushed or confusing. But with a bit of care, your numbers can tell a strong story.

Take your time to build a slide that shows how your business works—and where it’s going. It might be just one slide, but it could decide what happens next.

You’ve got the tools now. Go make it count.