How to Create a Winning Pitch Deck Team Slide (With Examples)

Investors don’t back ideas. They back people.

A strong pitch deck might show market size, revenue projections, and product features. But if the team slide is weak, none of that matters. According to DocSend, investors spend 15% of their deck review time on the team slide. That’s more than any other section.

This slide is your shot to build trust fast. It shows who's running the company, what experience they bring, and why they’re right for the job. Especially in early startup funding stages, where traction may be limited, a solid team can be the deciding factor.

Think of it this way: If your team slide feels rushed or vague, investors might assume the rest of your business is too.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a pitch deck team slide that stands out — with clear roles, real examples, smart layout tips, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you're pitching live or sending a deck by email, getting this slide right gives your startup a better shot at funding.

Let’s get into it.

A team slide shows who is behind the company. It introduces the founders and key people.

It tells investors who is building the product and leading the business.

This slide usually includes headshots, names, job titles, and short bios. Sometimes it also shows logos of companies the team worked at before or lists big wins like previous startup exits.

The team slide is one of the core slides in any pitch deck. It sits next to slides like the problem, solution, product, and business model. But unlike those, this one is all about people.

For early-stage startups, the team matters more than anything else. If your product is still in progress or if you don’t have users yet, investors look at the people. They ask:

A good team slide answers those questions fast.

Many pitch decks fail here. They either list names without context or write long blocks of text that no one reads. A strong team slide is clear, short, and easy to scan.

Most investors decide fast. They don’t read every word. They scan.

And what do they spend more time on than anything else? The pitch deck team slide.

A study by DocSend found that investors spend about 3 minutes and 44 seconds reviewing a deck. Out of that, around 15% of their time goes straight to the team slide in pitch deck presentations. That’s a big chunk for one slide.

Why? Because ideas can change. Markets can shift. But the team is what drives the startup forward. In the early stages, it’s the main thing investors can judge.

They want to know:

If your team has worked in the same industry, that’s a good sign. If someone has built a startup before or worked at a known company, it adds credibility. Even small wins matter — launching a product, growing a user base, or leading a team.

Here’s an example: Airbnb’s early deck showed short bios for each founder. It said what each one did and why it mattered. It didn’t use long text. It got to the point. That helped them raise early money.

Remember, a strong team doesn’t mean having the most people. It means having the right people. A small, skilled team often beats a big one with no clear focus.

If the pitch deck team slide makes investors trust your team, you're already one step closer to a yes.

There’s no single way to build a team slide in pitch deck presentations. But some formats work better than others depending on your stage, audience, and how the deck will be used.

Let’s look at the three most common styles — with examples, benefits, and where they make sense.

This version gives a short summary for each team member. It usually includes:

You can use bullet points or short paragraphs. Some even show logos of past companies.

Best for:
Decks sent over email. This style gives context without needing a live explanation.

Pros:

Cons:

Example:
Fyre’s deck (yes, that Fyre) had full bios with clear job roles. Despite the failure later, the deck helped them raise $26 million early on.

This format skips individual bios. Instead, it shows what the team has done together. It might say:

It highlights team strengths without going person by person.

Best for:
Live pitches where the founder is speaking. You can add more details while talking.

Pros:

Cons:

Example:
Intercom’s early deck used this method. It showed group wins and well-known past companies. It felt strong, even without full bios.

This is the most stripped-down style. It includes:

Sometimes one short line of text.

Best for:
Demo day or fast-paced investor meetings. Clean and easy to read.

Pros:

Cons:

Example:
BuzzFeed’s early pitch deck kept it simple. It just listed names, titles, and where each person worked before. That’s it — and they raised $696 million over time.

Tip: Use the format that fits your context. If you’re emailing your deck, give more info. If you’re presenting live, keep it tight and tell the story yourself.

The goal of every pitch deck team slide is the same: show that your team can build and grow the business. Choose the layout that helps you do that best.

A good pitch deck team slide gets straight to the point. It gives investors the info they need — fast. If they have to guess who’s doing what or why your team matters, you’ve already lost them.

Here’s a simple checklist to help you build a team slide in pitch deck that stands out:

Use sharp, professional photos. No selfies. Everyone should face the camera and use the same background style. If needed, you can edit them for consistency using tools like Canva or remove.bg.

Make it easy to understand who does what. Use short titles like:

Avoid vague titles like "Vision Officer" or "Tech Ninja." Keep it clear.

Add one or two lines about each person. Include:

This shows you’ve done it before or know the field well.

Mention companies that matter. If your team worked at Stripe, Shopify, or other known brands, show their logos. It builds instant trust.

Have your team launched apps? Sold a company? Hit big milestones? Mention it.
Example:
“Co-founded XYZ, acquired by PayPal”
“Led product team that grew to 1M users”

Make it clear why this team fits this problem. If you're building a fintech app, and your CTO worked at a bank or finance startup, highlight that.

If you have well-known advisors, show them. Just one line is enough.
Example:
“Advisor: Jane Doe – Former CMO at Dropbox”

Stick to 3–6 people max. Use a simple grid or column layout. Keep the spacing even and fonts readable.

This checklist helps investors quickly see that your team is real, experienced, and ready to build. If your slide answers the “Why this team?” question, you’re doing it right.

The spot you choose for your team slide in pitch deck matters more than most people think. It’s not just about what you show — it’s also about when you show it.

Depending on your team’s strengths and your startup stage, the best spot might change. Here’s a breakdown:

If your team has strong experience or big names, lead with it. This builds trust early.
Example: “Team includes ex-Google, ex-Y Combinator founders.”

Best for:

This is the most common spot. You’ve shown the problem and how you’ll solve it — now you show who will do the work.

Best for:

This works if your product or traction is your strongest point. You build up momentum, then show the team before the final ask.

Best for:

Whatever order you pick, keep it clear. Use consistent formatting so your pitch deck team slide doesn’t feel out of place.

A good team slide answers the “who” behind the business. Placing it at the right point helps that answer land at the right time.

A strong team slide in pitch deck presentations isn’t just about what you say — it’s about how you show it. If your slide looks messy or hard to follow, investors might skip it. Good design helps people see key info fast, especially when they’re scanning dozens of decks in one sitting.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what makes a team slide look clean, clear, and easy to understand.

Don’t try to fit too much on one slide. A crowded layout can confuse readers. Stick to the core team members, usually three to six people. That’s enough to show your talent without overwhelming the viewer.

Use a grid layout or simple rows and columns. This keeps everything in order. Avoid stacking too much info on top of itself — space things out.

Why this works:
Investors don’t have time to read full resumes. They want a fast, clear view of who’s running the startup.

Headshots are small but powerful. They show the human side of your team. Make sure all photos are:

If someone sends in a selfie while another person uses a studio shot, the slide will look off. You can use tools like remove.bg or Canva to edit and align the backgrounds.

Why this matters:
Consistency builds trust. It shows you care about details. It also makes your deck look more professional.

Use simple fonts like Arial, Open Sans, or Montserrat. Don’t use script fonts or anything that looks “decorative.” Make sure:

Keep your font size between 16–24pt. And make sure the text is easy to read on any screen — laptop, tablet, or even a projector.

Why this helps:
Readable text makes it easier to scan bios quickly. Investors can understand each person’s role without zooming in.

If you’re using columns or rows, keep everything lined up:

Avoid placing bios randomly or stacking photos without structure.

Tip: Use layout guides in tools like PowerPoint or Google Slides to align content.

Why this works:
A clean layout feels easier to process. Messy formatting distracts from the message.

If someone on your team worked at big brands like Google, Meta, or Stripe — add those logos. You can place them next to their bio or underneath the name.

Only include one or two per person. Keep logos small and sharp.

Why it matters:
Logos build instant credibility. They show experience without using extra words.

You don’t need to fill the slide with graphics, but a few icons can help. For example:

These small touches can break up text and guide the reader’s eye.

Why this helps:
Icons make the slide less text-heavy and more visual. That helps with fast reading.

The pitch deck team slide should look like the rest of your deck. Use the same colors, fonts, and overall tone. Don’t switch styles or design themes suddenly.

If your deck uses white backgrounds and blue highlights, do the same here. If your deck is dark-themed, adjust the photos and text for contrast.

Why this works:
Consistency shows attention to detail. It also makes your pitch look like one solid story — not a copy-paste of different slides.

Looking at real team slides in pitch deck presentations can give you solid ideas. These startups raised millions, and their team slides played a big part.

Let’s walk through a few well-known examples. These aren’t perfect, but they show what works.

What they did:

Why it worked:
Investors didn’t have to guess who did what. The roles were clear. The slide showed that the team had design, tech, and business covered.

What you can learn:
Use short bios. Stick to key points. Don’t overload with text. Clean design builds trust.

What they did:

Why it worked:
This showed the structure of the team and who handled which side of the business. It was simple but smart.

What you can learn:
If your team is large, group people by roles. Add past experience to boost trust — especially if they worked at known companies.

What they did:

Bonus:
At the top, they added a line about the team’s combined experience (years in tech, products shipped, etc.).

Why it worked:
This made the team feel experienced without listing too much for each person.

What you can learn:
If you want to save space, highlight group experience. Then add short lines for each person.

What they did:

Why it didn’t fully land:
Too much text. The design felt cluttered. It was hard to know what to focus on.

Still helpful:
The logos helped show credibility fast.

What you can learn:
Be careful with long bios. If you want to share more, save the details for an appendix or follow-up deck.

What they did:

Why it worked (at the time):
It looked sharp. Investors could quickly see who was doing what and what experience they had.

What you can learn:
Even if the company later fails, a strong pitch deck team slide can still raise money. It’s about the story you tell in the moment.

Real slides work because they focus on people, not fluff.

Even a great team can lose investor interest with a poorly made slide. The team slide in pitch deck presentations should help you, not hurt you. But many startups make small mistakes that confuse or distract the reader.

Let’s go over the most common issues and how to fix them.

Writing long paragraphs or full resumes makes the slide hard to read. Investors don’t want to scroll or squint. They need a quick snapshot.

Example mistake:
“John Smith is a software engineer with 15 years of experience in multiple industries, including health, finance, and logistics. He once managed a remote team and also...”

Fix it like this:
John Smith – CTO
Built 10+ apps. Ex-Google. 15 years in tech.

Keep it short and punchy. Stick to highlights.

Every person on your pitch deck team slide should have a title. If the slide just lists names, investors can’t tell who handles what.

Bad:
Sarah, Tom, Alex

Better:
Sarah – CEO
Tom – Product Lead
Alex – Growth Manager

Clear roles show your team has structure and focus.

Some slides skip over past jobs or skills. That leaves questions in the investor’s mind. Even if your team is new, show what you’ve done that matters.

What to include:

If you don’t have startup experience, focus on industry knowledge.

Photos that don’t match. Different font sizes. Uneven spacing. These small things make your team slide look rushed.

Fix it by:

Good design builds trust. Bad design breaks it.

You don’t need to show everyone. Focus on three to six key team members. Listing ten or more names can feel overwhelming — and investors may not remember any of them.

If you want to include others like junior hires, mention them during the pitch or in a follow-up document.

If you have strong advisors, show them. A single line is enough. Leaving them out wastes an easy win.

Example:
Advisor: Mark Chen — Ex-CMO at Shopify

Advisors can help fill skill gaps and add credibility, especially in early funding rounds.

A good pitch deck team slide can give your startup a real edge. It helps investors trust you. It shows your team’s skills, experience, and ability to build something that works.

Keep it short. Use clear photos, real titles, and short bios. Don’t try to impress with long text or buzzwords. Just show why your team is the right one to solve the problem.

Remember, investors don’t fund ideas alone. They back people. A strong team slide in pitch deck presentations gives them a reason to say yes.

If you follow the tips in this guide — and avoid the common mistakes — your team slide will stand out for the right reasons.

Now go build a team slide that tells your story clearly, simply, and with confidence.