Pitch Deck Teardown: Kinnect’s $250K angel deck


When Kinnect dropped a brand new app that’s all about preserving epic household tales and awkward vacation moments for generations to return, I knew I wanted to take a better take a look at its angel deck.

The app is intelligent and will be regarded as a digital household scrapbook on steroids. This app isn’t nearly stashing images; it’s additionally acquired video and audio recording, plus a nifty timeline characteristic to arrange your recollections like a professional. Kinnect’s grand plan is to verify your grandkids get to listen to straight from the supply about that point Uncle Bob acquired caught in a tree on the household reunion.

In a world the place our heritage can get misplaced within the shuffle of on a regular basis life, Kinnect is right here to remind us that household tales are value saving — and, in fact, that’s all about storytelling. How properly did the corporate inform its personal story within the type of its angel pitch deck? Let’s have a look.


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Slides on this deck

  1. Cowl slide
  2. Crew (founder) slide
  3. Imaginative and prescient slide
  4. Downside slide
  5. Product slide
  6. Enterprise mannequin and market dimension slide
  7. Downside influence slide
  8. Market potential slide
  9. Answer slide
  10. Why now / private story slide
  11. Traction slide
  12. “Why will I win?” slide.
  13. Testimonial slide 1
  14. Testimonial slide 2

Three issues to like about Kinnect’s pitch deck

The Kinnect pitch deck is taking part in on the center strings in an enormous manner, which is a superb strategy to storytelling if you end up speaking about startups that supply a human contact.

Highly effective drawback slide

[Slide 4] The issue slide is emotive, however somewhat fuzzy.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The issue slide in Kinnect’s pitch deck is compelling and well-executed. The group has clearly articulated a major ache level, one which resonates deeply and is instantly relatable. The statistics cited are notably impactful: Roughly 44 million American adults are considerably lonely, with about 30% of older adults feeling remoted. This alone paints a stark image of the social isolation epidemic.

Much more highly effective is the revelation that over half of Individuals ceaselessly really feel misunderstood or unknown by these round them. The usage of emotive and highly effective language successfully underscores the urgency and magnitude of the problem, making it clear that this can be a widespread and urgent drawback.

Nonetheless, whereas the issue recognized is undeniably important, it additionally feels considerably nebulous. It’s onerous to think about a single product that may handle all these various and deeply rooted problems with loneliness and disconnection. Tightening the main target of the issue assertion may assist in presenting a extra cohesive and actionable resolution. A barely narrower and extra targeted drawback may make the pitch even stronger and extra plausible.

Clarify the influence of the issue

[Slide 7] Explaining how the issue impacts individuals can assist amplify issues drastically.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The “Insights” slide in Kinnect’s pitch deck is a superb instance of highly effective storytelling. By combining the issue with its influence, the group has successfully highlighted how huge and necessary this drawback actually is.

Kinnect has painted a vivid image of the issue’s results, which helps buyers perceive the depth of the problem and dream huge concerning the potential marketplace for Kinnect. It makes the issue really feel extra tangible and units the stage for the answer, exhibiting that there’s an actual and pressing want for what they’re constructing.

Nonetheless, I additionally want so as to add that I don’t love this slide. Many components of it may be seen as arguments in opposition to the app: Being unaware of present options, for instance, implies that there may not be an actual marketplace for this. And the differentiation between household and chosen household is an odd factor to spotlight as a bonus. If distinguishing between the 2 is necessary to individuals, the competitors may simply handle this, so it isn’t as a lot of a aggressive benefit as you may suppose.

Slightly extra focus and readability may assist strengthen the argument.

A private contact

[Slide 10] Along with “Why now?” and “Why this?” including a “Why you?” component to the story will be highly effective. On this case, the private tales assist spotlight why the founder has a connection to the issue the corporate is fixing.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The “Why me?” kind of data is usually included within the founder or group slide, however utilizing it as a storytelling level right here works properly. Together with the private drive behind the enterprise will be extremely highly effective, because it explains why the founder won’t ever hand over on fixing this drawback.

Omar’s private experiences — shedding his grandfather to Alzheimer’s just a few years in the past and a buddy to leukemia a month in the past — are heart-wrenching and paint a vivid image of his motivation. It reveals that this isn’t only a enterprise endeavor for him. It’s a deeply private mission.

Founders, let’s get actual. Each slide in your deck ought to scream, “Spend money on me!” If it doesn’t, it’s lifeless weight. Certain, private tales tug on the heartstrings, however buyers aren’t right here for that. They need to know why your sob story makes them cash. The “Why Omar is doing this” slide? Candy, however obscure. If it doesn’t clearly tie again to why your organization will crush it. It’s simply fluff. Keep in mind, if it doesn’t make an investor attain for his or her pockets, it doesn’t belong in your deck.

Three issues that Kinnect may have improved

There’s a ton of data lacking from the deck. Essential particulars just like the go-to-market technique, consumer acquisition plans, particular group member credentials, and concrete milestones are absent. Filling in these gaps is important to offer a complete and convincing pitch. Use a guidelines to be sure you have the whole lot lined!

Doubtful group

[Slide 2] 10 years of expertise and keenness is cool, however you’ve acquired to convey the receipts.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The “Founder” slide wants some sprucing to essentially shine. Omar’s 10+ years of expertise in efficiency model and product advertising and marketing is spectacular on the floor, nevertheless it’s essential to tie that particular expertise on to Kinnect. Highlighting previous roles or tasks which are notably related to the corporate’s mission would strengthen this slide considerably. Traders need to see how his background immediately contributes to the success of Kinnect.

Omar doesn’t point out his final identify wherever within the deck, which raises a pink flag. Traders want to have the ability to shortly lookup and confirm the founder’s background. Together with his full identify and a hyperlink to his LinkedIn profile would add credibility and transparency. Talking of LinkedIn, it’s a bit regarding that Omar’s profile doesn’t mirror the ten years of expertise talked about right here. Guaranteeing that his LinkedIn is up-to-date and in line with the knowledge within the pitch deck is essential. Traders will verify, and inconsistencies can undermine belief. With out job titles and only a obscure concept of how the founder’s previous expertise maps to the present enterprise, it’s all a bit fuzzy.

There additionally appears to be an absence of clear founder/market match. The slide mentions a ardour for storytelling, human connection and psychological wellness, nevertheless it’s not instantly apparent how this interprets right into a strategic benefit for Kinnect. To wit: I, too, have a ardour for storytelling, human connection and psychological wellness, however I in all probability wouldn’t be an important founder for this explicit startup. Get particular, join the dots.

Drawing a direct line between Omar’s expertise and the corporate’s objectives will make this slide way more compelling. Including extra particular, verifiable data and ensuring it’s constant throughout all platforms would considerably enhance the founder/market match a part of the story.

Pie-in-the-sky enterprise mannequin

[Slide 6] That is an aggressive bottoms-up market sizing. However I don’t imagine it.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The “Subscription Mannequin” slide presents an formidable purpose: a possible yearly subscription income of $204.8 million. That’s definitely venture-scale, so kudos for aiming excessive. Nonetheless, there are a number of elements that want additional clarification and help.

My speedy response is that it’s going to be onerous to seek out clients. I need to see predicates or comparable examples. This doesn’t really feel like an pressing want, so exhibiting different varieties of services or products that households are keen to pay $80 per 12 months for would strengthen the argument. It’s important to exhibit that there’s a precedent for this sort of spending — and I can’t consider any offhand.

The time period “household” wants extra definition on this context. What are we memorializing, and the way does it resonate with potential customers? It’s additionally unclear what Kinnect gives that may’t be achieved by present free providers like Fb. Mainly, this deck doesn’t reply why households would select to pay for Kinnect after they have free options obtainable.

Nowhere within the deck is there a go-to-market plan, which implies that I’m additional apprehensive how the founders plan to persuade clients to shell out $80 per 12 months. With no clear technique, it’s tough to see how they are going to attain and convert their target market. Offering an in depth plan on buyer acquisition and retention would make the deck much more compelling general and this slide extra plausible.

Wait, this isn’t traction

[Slide 11] This isn’t actually traction.
Picture Credit: Kinnect

The “Traction” slide is meant to showcase Kinnect’s progress, nevertheless it doesn’t fairly hit the mark. Right here’s why:

Stating that Kinnect is backed by TechStars by the Rising Stars Fund may sound spectacular, however TechStars isn’t precisely in its golden period proper now. Plus, elevating cash from an accelerator isn’t the slam dunk of traction it’s being made out to be. Traders need to see precise proof that folks care about what’s being constructed, not only a pat on the again from an accelerator.

The slide claims the group is 100% engaged on Kinnect. What does that even imply? Have the founders give up their day jobs and are actually residing on ramen whereas they hustle? Founders being totally dedicated is the naked minimal; the slide ought to clarify what this dedication has achieved.

There’s additionally the boast about recruiting an outstanding founding group, however the group slide reveals just one particular person, Omar. The place’s the remainder of this supposed dream group, and what makes them phenomenal? Traders want names, roles and spectacular backgrounds.

Then there’s the point out of being a member of Chicago’s 1871 innovation hub. Cool, however what does that really imply? Why does being a part of this hub give Kinnect a aggressive edge? With out context, it’s simply one other buzzword.

None of those factors actually screams “traction.” Traders are in search of actual, tangible progress, like consumer development, income, partnerships — not fluff. It’s time to dig deeper and present the onerous details that show Kinnect is on the trail to success.

The complete pitch deck


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