1. Presentation Deck Instructions
If you are interested in applying to to the Davis Roots Accelerator program, please provide an executive summary and pitch deck and send it to
We would like you to provide a series of slides that explains your company/concept, then we can determine if what you want and what we can provide are a good fit. We view the creation of a slide deck as a way of communicating both your long-term objectives and your short term milestones and needs.  Certainly this is a tool for gaining admission, funding, and other support. It is also a planning tool that can be used to guide and measure the progress of your new venture.
We review all submissions that we receive and accepted applicants are enrolled year round.  You may experience several rounds of feedback and revision before meeting with the directors and then a few more rounds of feedback before receiving a final acceptance decision. 
We consider your ideas and our discussions with you as confidential and we will keep your materials confidential.

2. Your Business in 10 Slides*
The template
This template has been designed to help you both define your venture and hone your application presentation.
When you have completed this presentation it is our intention that you will have answered most of the questions that investors will have about your business, and in the order they will ask them.
The purpose of this template is to quickly communicate your venture to, and quickly learn from, your audience. Please be concise but also comprehensive.
Use the slide template to create a slide deck that you will present from. Please use just a small number of words on each of your slides.—you’ll add those in your talk.
A second document (or slide deck) can contain the same set of slides, but also serves as a placeholder for notes and/or something that you can leave behind or send to someone. This second deck should be able to stand on it’s own - telling the reader the full story unaided. (This second deck is not typically required by Davis Roots - it is for your own use.)
Try to use images where possible to convey your message.
Keep it simple.
Slides
0. Title Slide
1. Introduction (elevator pitch)
2. Problem & Solution
3. The Market
— 4 P’s
— Competitive Matrix
— User Scenarios
4. Business Model and Pricing
5. Technology
6. Competition
7. Milestones
8. Team
9. Financial Projections
10. Summary & Next Steps
* Try no more than slides give or take 1-2 absolutely essential slides 2

3. We expect that you will change the graphics, tables, and fonts.
This template was designed and tested over countless presentations. We hope you find it of benefit. It is organized both to describe the most important aspects of your new business venture, while at the same time being concise and accessible.
We expect that you will change the graphics, tables, and fonts. 3

4. [your company here] Include company website (if established)
Your contact information here
Include all names/ s/phone of the founding team

5. The introduction Elevator pitch
In approximately 50 words or less, describe what the company does, for whom, and why it’s important (i.e., valuable to that customer).
You can also very briefly mention any significant accomplishments/milestones reached so far, e.g. have license to patent, proof of concept completed, prototype completed, tested with name brand customers, etc. This can attract interest for the remainder of the presentation.

6. Problem, Solution & Value Proposition
The Problem & Solution
On this slide, you want to define three things:
The problem your venture will address. Be sure to clearly identify the consumer (or customer) who has that problem.
Your solution, described in terms of its benefits to the consumer (or customer). Avoid describing the technical features of your solution here.
The value proposition, which refers to the balance of total costs and benefits that your customer will experience. What are the costs of buying, installing, and operating your solution (relative to what they currently use)? What are the benefits it provides to the consumer? Be as specific (and if possible, quantitative) as you can about the relative value of your solution.

7. The Market
The market
On this slide(s), describe the particular market segment(s) you are pursuing, which you will pursue first, current and emerging competition, and how your offering differs (positively).
1. Clearly identify the customer and market segment(s). If it’s a corporate customer, name 3 specific examples of ideal customers.
2. How big is this market? Is it growing—and if so, how?
To develop your concept further, use the accompanying slides
1. Describe the 4 P’s: product, price, promotion, and place of your marketing plan. If you are not familiar with the 4 P’s explanations can be found on the internet.
2. Describe the current and emerging competition, use the accompanying Competitive Landscape Matrix to define the critical features that your customers care about, and the differences (based on these features) between your offering and the competition’s.
3. You may also want to add a User Scenario slide to describe the typical customer and their preferences. 7

8. Product, Price, Promotion, Place
The 4 P’s
On this page, you can describe the four cornerstones of marketing:
1. What is the product (tangible) or service (intangible) or combination that you are offering. If there is a product mix, describe the differences among the mix.
2. What is the price the customer will pay for the product/service? What is the perceived value proposition that justifies that price?
3. What is the promotion plan? What are the methods of communicating the relevant information about the product to each of many different parties (including customer, distributors, etc.): advertising, direct mail, word-of-mouth, public relations, coupons?
4. What is your place? Place describes your distribution strategy: where will customers get access to your products/services? How will you distribute your products to these locations?
Product
Price
Promotion
Place 8

9. Competitive Landscape
Feature 1
Feature 2
Feature n
Your Company ✓
Company 1
Company 2
Company n
The Competition
List any direct competitors as well as competing alternatives (including the status quo). Do your research here. Who are they? List them. What makes you different? What gives the company an advantage?
Depending on the product and competitors it is sometimes easier to depict the competitive landscape in terms of specific features that add substantial value compared to your competitors. This can be shown using row and column headings in the illustrated table. 9

10. User Scenario(s) User Scenario 1010
On this page, offer a User Scenario that describes a typical customer (or 2 or 3), their demographics, and what they are looking to do with your solution (ie, what is their problem and how does your solution solve it?)
We suggest that these descriptions are narratives, not bullets, and demonstrate that you understand the typical customer and their needs.
1010

11. The Technology The technology 11
On this page, describe how your solution works (without revealing any enabling information and definitely in language a non-technical investor/advisor would understand). Answer the following questions in your description.
1. Define your core technology
2. Describe what makes this solution effective, unique, and/or defensible from competitors?
— Is it robust and scalable?
— Is it difficult to duplicate? Is there any IP protection?
— How mature (dependable) is it?
3. Describe the supply chain: who will provide the critical elements of your core technology?
4. What are the costs of your core technology 11

12. Revenue and Pricing The revenue model 1212
Describe how your company will make money solving the customer’s problem. Make sure to answer the following questions.
1. What existing businesses are good analogs for your business?
2. How will you get paid (per unit, subscription, transaction fee, advertising, etc...).
3. In a table, show how much you expect to get paid for each unit you sell, how much it will cost, and how many you will sell?
1212

13. Financial Projections
Provide a simple table that sets out your best guess of the financial performance of the company over the next five years. Don’t worry about being right—this is your best guess. Include the following:
What you believe will be the financial metrics of the business: revenue; gross profits, operating expenses; net income.
Add in what you think will be the main predictors of your revenue and expenses (particularly when these drivers will change over the time frame): for example, the number of customers, the number of employees (headcount), number of retail partners, or costs of goods sold (COGS)
The primary role of this table is to reflect how much money the company will need, how much it will make, and how other key metrics (like customers or employees) line up with the financials. The numbers should be your best guess. Neither “conservative” or “upside”—just what makes sense as you see it.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
revenue (000)
$ 60
$ 401
$ 1,555
$ 2,401
$ 3,000
net income
$ -325
$ -858
$ -85
$ -625
$ -1,500
customers 5 13 30 40 43
headcount 10 14 15 27 34
** All $ are in 000
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14. Milestones Milestones For example (find your own milestones)
Your milestones represent the most important objectives of your business your first 9-12 months.
Each of these milestones should be designed to increase the value of the company (by reducing the uncertainty surrounding your assumptions).
Note that, for each milestone, you’ll need the right team members and amount of investment/grant money. Thus the milestones are connected to the Team and Financials slides.
Typical milestones might be:— Completing a prototype— Getting a first customer— Shipping your first product (or getting your first 10,000 users)— Cash flow break even. Just include the top (try to keep it to 5 or less) milestones that you expect will enable you to eventually become financially self sufficient.
For example (find your own milestones)
Proof of Concept – 6 months
Win SBIR Phase 1 grant
Build Prototype – 12 months
Win SBIR Phase 2 grant
Secure Angel Round ($500K) in 12 months
Get 2 Reference Beachhead Customers
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15. The Team The Advisory Board The team 1515 picture name (or TBD)
On this page, describe your current and planned management team and advisors. For each of the founders and advisors, describe the skills and experiences that are meaningful to the venture.
Don’t put someone on your team just to fill a spot or because they helped you with the presentation. Only list the people who are moving forward with your venture.
We want to know the skills and experiences you need - if there is a need to fill a position- just say so. Be realistic about your needs, and be ready to ask for help in identifying the right people to fill out the team.
Advisory boards and outside directors are important to help you grow your network, credibility, and knowledge. Only name people who have committed to helping you, as they will likely be contacted about your venture.
picture
name (or TBD)
relevant skills and experiences
The Advisory Board
picture
name (or TBD)
relevant skills and experiences
1515

16. Summary and Next Steps Summary and Ask
Summarize your venture and status, and be clear in what you are asking for from this audience. If you are pitching to investors, tell them again what funding you need now and whether it is for equity or a convertible note. If you are pitching to potential advisors or employees – be clear about what you’re asking of them.
your contact information here
1616

17. Additional Slides
1717

18. Cap Table and other obligations
Individual
Shares
percentage
vested/vesting schedule
Cap Table
On this page, describe the ownership structure of the company.
Are you incorporated already? If so, briefly describe the ownership of the company in both percentage and numbers of shares. This is known as the “cap table” (as in capitalization).
If you are not incorporated, describe the proposed ownership of the company across the founders and anyone else.
Also note any outstanding debt obligations: have you borrowed any money, or had work done with an expectation of future payment (as cash or stock)?
Describe any outstanding debt and other obligations