Top Pitch Deck Design Services— Best Ranked Firms 2024
Last Updated: 4/17/2023
Today’s booming entrepreneurial movement has fueled the demand for investor materials for startups, in their journey of raising capital and securing valuable alliances and partnerships.
Pitch decks are a crucial piece of this puzzle, as they communicate key insights of the business to third parties including details about the business model, the team, and the company’s most relevant financial projections.
We have compiled a list of the Top 5 Pitch Deck Consultants in 2024 and other very relevant data that may help you in hiring the best one for your firm.
#1. Pro Business Plans — Top Pitch Deck Consultant
Location: New York, NY | Tel: (646) 866–7619
Their website (business-plans.com)
Overview: Pro Business Plans is a firm comprised of investment professionals with 10 + years of experience in the startup and investment banking sector.
They offer a comprehensive set of products and services including business plans, strategic planning, pitch decks, market research, and capital raising advisory.
The firm’s managing partner, Chase Hughes, has been engaged in $4 + billion worth of business funding transactions, and his experience, along with that of his entire team, positions Pro Business Plans as a top pitch deck consultant for those looking to build persuasive and clean-cut investor materials.
They are also introducing a new service called ‘ProAI’ which will utilizes AI to help startups improve their chances of funding with a set of tools across investor list building and outreach strategy and more.
Ranking Assessment
They claim to have experience in a range of company sizes and industries, but are mostly concentrated on those seeking investment.
They seem to have very strong knowledge of capital raises and analytical skills, but may not be suitable for those exclusively seeking design, branding, or sales decks.
Score: 9/10
Reasoning: (Price: Starts at $2,500) (Pitch Deck Quality: Investor Grade) (Market Research: They claim to have access to both paid reports and proprietary methodologies based on their suite of AI tools) (Team Credentials: According to their website, they have several team members working in coordination to collaborate on the proect.) (Source: Pro Business Plans)
Customer Sentiment (Source: G2): Overall, the sentiment for Pro Business Plans is consistently very strong with many customers citing their professionalism, high quality deliverables, and expertise.
However, come reviews did cite some concerns around speed of revisions and feedback and a preference for them offering more services beside pitch decks.
#2. Cayenne Consulting (Caycon) — Runner Up
Location: San Clamente, CA
Their website (www.caycon.com)
Overview: Cayenne Consulting is a California-based firm that specializes in helping startups in securing funding through carefully researched pitch decks and business plans.
The company was founded in 2001 by Akira Hai after he successfully presented his own business’ investor materials to venture capitalists and saw the opportunity of becoming a valuable investor funding partner for other entrepreneurs like him.
Cayenne Consulting's main products are business plans, slide decks, franchise plans, immigration services, and services such as international business advisory.
They claim to have helped 2,400 + clients in industries such as Elearning, manufacturing, financial services, real estate, and telecommunications, raising $4.3 + B in the process.
Ranking Assessment
Analysis: Cayenne has a diverse network of consultants that contributes to a range of experience and levels of specialization. While their business operates like an ‘expert network’ they may have a pitch deck consultant suitable for your industry.
Score: 8.5/10
Reasoning: (Price: Starts at $6,500) (Pitch Deck Quality: Varies) (Market Research: They don’t mention the sources of their market research explicitly, but the professionals in their network may have access to certain trade publications or their own methodologies.) (Team Credentials: The qualifications of their network tends to be more senior with more executive level experience, however the quality of their analyst team doing the work was unable to be located.) (Source: Cayenne Consulting)
Customer Sentiment (Source: Yelp): The overall reputation of Cayenne is positive, but because they have a network of professionals, it is advisable to do conduct an individual analysis of each pitch deck consultant.
However, one review cited a lack of empathy and consisting with pricing, but this could be a one off case.
#3. DeckWorks — Design
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Their website (www.deckworks.co)
Overview: DeckWorks helps entrepreneurs in designing visually appealing pitch decks that keep investors engaged and interested in the material they are being presented with.
The company offers different design packages that include images, graphics, content, and appropriate branding, along with the possibility of holding a strategy session and a live review to fine-tune specific details of the slide deck o end up delivering a high-quality PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.
DeckWorks promises to deliver the finished piece ~ 14 days after the order is placed, provided that the client sends all the required information promptly.
Ranking Assessment
Analysis: Deckworks is most suitable for startup companies pitching investors, especially for those seeking a more straightforward package. Although their website contains little information, they seem to be focused around early stage startups.
Score: 8/10
Reasoning: (Price: Starts at $2,999) (Pitch Deck Quality: Quality Design) (Market Research: While they do not explicitly state their market research methods and access, they have several testimonials on their site of reputable startup founders suggesting it is VC grade) (Team Credentials: The business appears to be very small and run by a single experienced founder, but this can sometimes be advantageous especially if seeking a highly experienced pitch deck consultant.) (Source: Deckworks, LinkedIn)
Customer Sentiment (Source: Deckworks): Although we could not find any third-party review websites for Deckworks we made an exception because we were unable to find another pitch deck consultant who claimed to specialize in early stage funding with an impressive client list.
If these reviews are accurate, they come from reliable professionals at top early stage companies. Therefore, while the sentiment is limited, it is positive and from reputable professionals.
#4. Unicorn Pitch — On-The-Go Pitch Decks
Location: Munich, Germany | Tel: +49 89 4141 75 888
Their website (www.unicorndecks.com)
Overview: Unicorn Pitch is a pitch deck design and consulting firm based in Munich that provides financial consulting products and offerings including pitch deck services, infographics, and content creation.
Even though they don’t really engage in providing advisory in terms of producing the information required for the slide deck, they help entrepreneurs in structuring engaging pitch decks and presenting their businesses to their target audience in a professional and persuasive way.
Unicorn Pitch offers its clients what’s probably the fastest turnover in the industry through their 1-day delivery Ultra Express alternative.
Ranking Assessment
Analysis: Companies seeking consistent and fast design for pitch decks or other design material for a variety of use cases including sales, business development, and investment. Based in Europe, they may also be a suitable choice for companies in the same region.
Score: 7/10
Reasoning: (Price: Starts at $30 per slide) (Pitch Deck Quality: Investor Grade) (Market Research: As a design focused and general content firm, it is unlikely they have access to advanced market research or methodologies) (Team Credentials: The team appears to be in-house but more concentrated on entry level talent, which can be good for those seeking affordable and quick design if their needs are not as complex for a pitch deck consultant.) (Source: Unicorn Pitch, LinkedIn)
Customer Sentiment (Sources: Trustpilot): Generally, the sentiment for Unicorn Pitch is positive. Some clients are citing the companies efficiency and professionalism with a quick turnaround and reliable service.
There is a negative review which cites the lack of innovation and repurposing of templates for the pitch deck. While this could be a one of case, it may be indicative of a broader work methodology internally.
5. UpWork — Low Budget Pitch Decks
Their website (www.upwork.com)
Overview: Upwork is one of the world’s largest freelancing marketplaces with 12 + million freelancers registered on their platform, serving 5 + million clients who post 3 + million job posts a year.
Among the vast number of job categories offered by Upwork, you can find top professional pitch deck designers, freelancers with presentation skills, business plan writers, financial analysts, and other experienced collaborators who can help you in building a compelling story in a successful slide deck presentation.
One of the key advantages of UpWork is that due to the large number of international freelancers registered on the platform you may find some great candidates who can work for a significantly lower per-hour rate than those who are based in developed countries such as the United States, Australia or the United Kingdom.
Don’t be fooled by their rate, these freelancers can bring a lot to the table, and this is what makes Upwork the go-to place for budget-conscious entrepreneurs looking to build amazing pitch decks.
Customer Sentiment (Sources: Trustpilot): Due to the platform nature of Upwork, the analysis was done on the entire platform rather than individual freelancers considering may of them have widely mixed reviews.
The overall sentiment of UpWork contains many mixed reviews, but most of the complaints with the platform were related to the performance of individual freelancers, or platform related issues such as account bans or payment related issues.
Typically one should advise caution when hiring freelancers and be sure to read all their reviews on the platform to conduct a thorough individual assessment.
Commonly Asked Questions
What Goes into a Pitch Deck?
There are generally two frameworks for great powerful pitch decks used by startups, following these general models is helpful because it articulates the key points to investors.
- Sequoia Pitch Deck Template: Created by the VC firm Sequoia Capital, this is better for later-stage companies that may require more than a simple ten-slide deck.
- Guy Kawasaki Pitch Deck Template: This is created by venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki, it provides key slides to get a meeting based on your business idea, but investors may have further questions, especially if you are pitching beyond a seed stage.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Pitch Deck?
The complexity of your pitch deck usually depends on the stage of your business or startup. An early-stage startup doesn’t usually need a top pitch deck consultant if, for example, you haven’t even reached the proof of concept stage.
At this point, you could hire a pitch deck expert on Upwork on an hourly basis to help you in producing the key information that will go into your proposal, and then you can hire a pitch deck design service such as Unicorn Pitch or DeckWorks to create a professional and attractive presentation for you.
This combination may cost you up to a few thousand dollars if you hire the very best in the industry.
On the other hand, hiring a top pitch deck consultant, such as Pro Business Plans or Cayenne Consulting, who helps you in building your investors’ materials from scratch, will cost you significantly more as you are bringing on board years of expertise and market insight to build pitch decks rather than simply redesigning your original deck.
Depending on the degree of research and work they have to do to build you a successful pitch deck, the cost of doing so will be probably higher than $5,000 and typically ranges between $6,000–8,000 for a pitch deck coach and $12,000–20,000 or more for Series A or later.
Due to the current reduction in startup funding, many of these companies are also offering discounts to prospective customers so it is worth discussing this with them.
Can I use ChatGPT to build my pitch deck?
While ChatGPT and new tools such as ProAI are useful for many things, including the preparation of an investor deck, it has potential pitfalls and may not work for all entrepreneurs. First of which, it doesn’t inherently understand the most compelling narrative to investors.
Second, the content structure is redundant and this doesn’t lend itself well to the design and content balance of an investor deck.
Thirdly, sometimes generative AI software such as GPT models have a tendency to be ‘confidently incorrect’, which may lead to mistakes being made in the pitch deck service entrepreneurs may not be aware of.
However, it can remain a great option for those seeking an intelligent writing or brainstorming assistant.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Pitch Deck from a Top Pitch Deck Consultant?
The due diligence, research, and technical information that will go into your elevator pitch should be delivered in 30 days or less, depending on the complexity of the business model, the industry, the market, or the economic environment.
On the other hand, the design portion of the process is usually the fastest, and there are even services such as Unicorn Pitch, that may be able to deliver a customized beautifully-designed finished investment pitch deck in less than 5 days.
Where Can I Find Pitch Deck Examples?
The best pitch deck examples can be found by looking at some of the most successful companies today because venture capital often tries to find the next unicorns by analyzing how they started. Keep in mind these are a bit outdated since it can take 10 years or more for companies to reach unicorn status.
What Information Should I Have Before I Start Looking for a Pitch Deck Consultant?
If you have already invested some money in constructing the technical aspects of your pitch deck you should go through the following checklist to make sure you have all the information you need to successfully move on to the design stage. These are the key elements of a winning pitch deck:
- A coherent and easy-to-understand description of the problem that your product, service, or technology is trying to tackle.
2. The solution proposed to it. In other words, how your product, business strategy, or technology solves the problem mentioned above.
3. A brief description of the team accompanying you on the journey. Make sure to include their qualifications, skills, and experience.
4. The technical details of your product and service.
5. The competitive advantage of your product/service. What sets you apart from the competition?
6. Thorough research that specifies relevant information about the market and key competitors.
7. The business model. This means, how do you plan to make money and grow the market size of the business both in the short and long term?
8. General idea of how much capital you need to raise and use of funds by category, supported by underlying assumptions such as budgeting.
9. The details of the investment opportunity you are presenting, including your business valuation, financial planning, such as the type of financial instrument you are offering your investors so they can participate in the business.
What Factors Should I Consider When Hiring a Pitch Deck Consultant?
Hiring a top pitch deck consultant is not cheap, but they are easy to screen out once you understand how the industry works.
Most top pitch deck consultants have a proven track record that includes:
- A detailed list of the clients they have worked with and, in some cases, a case study that outlines the most important aspects of the project: Most successful pitch deck consultants are proud of the job they have done for their clients and they do their best effort to showcase it to prospective clients. If your potential pitch deck consultant fails to deliver a real list of past clients and successful case studies, you should second-guess their “top” status.
- A background in finance, investments, entrepreneurship, or business: Most top pitch deck consultants were (or are) successful entrepreneurs or investors as well. The insight provided by their own experiences as founders or Cofounders of a startup company is highly valuable, even more, if they have secured funding for those startups in the past or worked in venture capital.
- A strong team: Top pitch deck consultants rarely work solo. They usually bring a team of investment, design, and business experts who complement their expertise and insights with technical skills essential to building successful pitch decks for their clients.
- Industry experience. It often helps if the team has experience in your industry so they are familiar with the competitive landscape, key metrics of your industry, and target market of your product or service. Investors expect your deck to reflect a deep knowledge of each of these factors and while most teams can research them, having foundational knowledge can be helpful.
Should I prepare my own pitch deck or use a third party?
This is a complex question that depends on several factors. Also, some entrepreneurs opt to have certain components of the startup deck prepared by third parties like the design or financials but prepare the content themselves.
In general, we recommend at least using a consultant to do a review of your deck after you complete it prior to submitting it to investors, especially if this is your first time raising money.
The stakes are simply too high, investors spend only a few moments to review what has potentially taken them months to prepare for, to make a mistake that an investor may find. Some entrepreneurs have dozens of consultants, investors, and advisors review their materials prior to submission.
Will I need anything else to raise funding?
The response to this depends on your company’s stage:
- Pre Seed — Seed: Generally, you will be able to raise money with a startup pitch deck, but if you are raising money from private investors, they may ask for more information which can often be provided in extra slides such as more detailed financial forecasts.
- Series A — PreIPO: For later stages, investors tend to be more institutional (E.g. venture capital firm) and may ask for more detailed documentation, especially about key performance metrics, burn rate, or other historical data. It is helpful to be prepared to provide them with all of this information in an organized data room.
Can a consultant help me find potential investors?
This is a tricky question — because while venture capitalists tend to value referrals, prospective investors want the entrepreneur to demonstrate their own ability to raise funding independent of capital introductions.
Many investors expect that the entrepreneur should not rely on consultants to get introductions and rather build his/her advisory team, and board members, and network with prospective investors and other founders themselves to get a more unique introduction or direct connection rather than relying on third-party service providers.
Bottom Line
We hope this list can help you in the process of evaluating and choosing a top pitch deck consultant and ultimately raising money.
Make sure you understand the value they bring to the table and work with them closely to communicate, in the best way possible, the most attractive features of your startup or business to those who have the money to help you grow to the next level.
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Rankings are based on G2, a reputable provider of top service providers that uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative factors.
