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It’s easy to scroll through social media and feel a rush of excitement at every headline that screams: “African startup secures $22 million in funding!” or “Cameroon’s REasy raises $1.8 million pre-seed.”
From fintech to clean energy, health tech to creative industries, it feels like the continent is on a roll again. After a slow 2024, funding is finally bouncing back — up by almost 78% in the first half of 2025 alone.
But if you’ve ever wondered how these startups actually do it — how founders convince investors to believe in their ideas — it often starts with one thing: a pitch deck.
That humble PowerPoint or PDF can open doors, close deals, and sometimes even tell your story before you ever walk into the room.
Recently, TechCabal sat down with six investors — men and women whose portfolios span Africa’s most promising industries — to find out what makes a pitch deck truly stand out, and where many founders go wrong. Their insights, gathered at Moonshot by TechCabal 2025 in Lagos, offer lessons every founder should take to heart.
Every idea starts with a “why.” Why does your startup exist? Why now? And why you?
For Amara Uyanna, Global Strategy Manager at Schneider Electric, that question is everything.
“Why does this company exist? What problem are they trying to solve? Is there a real market for it — and is it big enough to grow?”
Similarly, Favour Ubaka of Catalytic Africa believes a great pitch deck should be clear, concise, and compelling. It’s not about fancy slides or buzzwords; it’s about storytelling.
Investors want to know that your solution is meaningful — that it has a pulse. Be honest about your purpose and your competitive advantage. Don’t oversell it. Just show them why what you’re building matters.
Ideas are easy. Execution is hard.
That’s why every investor we spoke with emphasized one thing: traction.
Muhammad Abubakar Usman, an analyst with Consonance, put it simply:
“We want to see signs that the solution resonates with the market and has the potential to scale.”
Whether it’s revenue growth, user numbers, or partnerships with credible organizations — investors want proof.
For fintechs, that might mean showing how you plan to earn trust in a tough regulatory climate.
For healthtech, it’s all about collaborations with hospitals and insurers.
And for climate startups, it’s about proving you can make an impact and remain profitable.
Jeffrey Akemu from Launch Africa Ventures adds a human touch: include customer feedback.
“It’s nice to see that validation — who already believes in your product?”
In other words, don’t just tell them you’re solving a problem. Show them people are already paying for your solution.
Africa is not a monolith. What works in Lagos might fail in Kigali.
Akemu explains:
“Each region has its own peculiarities. Mortgages might thrive in South Africa but struggle in Nigeria. Remittances might boom in Nigeria but face capital restrictions in Ethiopia.”
Investors need to see that you know your market intimately — its pain points, culture, and quirks. The best way to learn? Talk to your users early and often. Listen more than you pitch.
Investors are not ATMs — they’re partners.
Samuel Frank of Sahara Impact Ventures is straightforward:
“If I give you $1 million, where will that take you? From $100,000 in revenue to $3 million? I want to see that path clearly.”
Every deck should include a realistic use of funds — a breakdown that shows strategy, not just spending.
When all else fails, it’s the team that investors bet on.
Aishat Hassan of BRB Capital said she looks beyond ideas to the people behind them.
“I need proof that the team can build something people actually want.”
Uyanna agrees:
“The magic sauce is in execution — and that comes down to people who show up, innovate, and don’t cut corners.”
Frank, who focuses on gender-impact investing, adds:
“When I see a deck without any female leadership or workforce representation, it’s a red flag.”
At the end of the day, your team should reflect the diversity and values of the future you’re trying to build.
If your deck feels confusing, you’ve already lost half the room.
Akemu likes decks that “take you on a journey,” showing how a business has evolved step by step.
Ubaka agrees:
“Storytelling matters. If I can understand your problem, your solution, and your business model quickly — that’s a good deck.”
So, tell your story with clarity and soul. Show the scars, the pivots, and the wins. Investors aren’t just buying a company; they’re buying into a journey.
From poorly researched market data to inflated numbers and unclear business models, investors see it all. Here are some of the biggest mistakes they warned against:
As Uyanna bluntly puts it:
“Your pitch deck will enter rooms you’re not in. Make sure it can speak clearly without you there.”
Fundraising isn’t magic. It’s storytelling, strategy, and sincerity woven together.
Africa’s startup ecosystem is maturing fast, but as investors reminded us at Moonshot 2025, good storytelling and good governance still win the room.
So before you hit “send” on your next pitch deck, pause and ask:
Does this tell my story? Does it show why it matters?
And — most importantly — can it speak for me when I’m not there?
Because at the end of the day, your pitch deck is your voice — long before they ever meet you.
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