A sharp guide for founders pitching with data, not just dreams.
Here’s the deal,
You’ve got a story. Investors want numbers.
They’re not betting on your passion. They’re betting on your traction.
So when you walk into a pitch meeting, you better know your metrics cold — and know how to present them in a way that builds trust, answers questions before they’re asked, and tells a clear story of growth.
This post breaks down the 15 key startup metrics investors expect you to know, and where and how to present them in your pitch deck.
Let’s get into it.
Business Model & Traction
Start Here (Slide 4–6)
Before you dazzle with charts, you’ve got to prove your business actually works. That’s where these numbers live.
1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
How much does it cost you to get a customer?
Formula:
CAC = Total Sales + Marketing Spend ÷ New Customers Acquired
Why Investors Care:
They want to know if you’re throwing money into a pit or running an efficient growth engine.
Pro Tip:
Present CAC on the Traction or Business Model slide. Pair it with LTV (below). Investors love this duo.
2. Lifetime Value of a Customer (LTV)
How much is a customer worth over time?
Formula:
LTV = Average Purchase × Number of Purchases × Customer Lifespan
Investor Insight:
LTV should be at least 3x your CAC. If it’s not, expect tough questions. If it is — spotlight it.
In Your Pitch:
Use a clean LTV:CAC ratio graphic. Investors will do the math even if you don’t — so lead with it.
3. Churn Rate
How many customers walk away?
Formula:
Churn = Lost Customers ÷ Starting Customers × 100
Why It Matters:
High churn = a leaky bucket. Low churn = sticky product = happy investors.
Slide Placement:
Use your Retention/Engagement slide. If you have negative churn (upsells > losses), say it loudly.
4. Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
How much do you earn every month, reliably?
Formula:
MRR = Total Monthly Subscription Revenue
Investor Use:
Tells them you have predictable revenue. Founders with solid MRR look 10x more fundable.
Where to Show It:
Traction slide. Graph MRR growth month-over-month for visual punch.
5. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)
The annualized version of MRR.
Formula:
ARR = MRR × 12
Why It Matters:
It shows the big picture. Helps investors mentally map their return over time.
Pitch Tip:
Use ARR as a headline figure in your Business Snapshot slide.
Financials & Forecast
The Truth Slides (Slide 7–8)
This is where the grown-up talk happens.
6. Burn Rate
How fast are you spending cash?
Formula:
Monthly Burn = Cash Out Per Month
Investor POV:
They’re not afraid of burn — they’re afraid of reckless burn. Link it to growth.
In Your Deck:
Use it on the Financials or Runway slide. Pair it with your growth milestones to show ROI.
7. Runway
How long before the money runs out?
Formula:
Runway = Cash on Hand ÷ Burn Rate
Why It Matters:
Shows how much time you have to reach the next milestone.
Pitch Strategy:
Always position runway in months. And show how this raise extends it.
8. Gross Margin
How much do you actually keep per sale?
Formula:
(Revenue – COGS) ÷ Revenue × 100
Why Investors Care:
It shows if you have room to scale, reinvest, or die trying.
Where It Goes:
Financials slide. Aim for 60%+ in SaaS; lower is fine if you show improvement over time.
9. Revenue Growth Rate
How fast are you growing revenue?
Formula:
(Current – Previous) ÷ Previous × 100
In Your Pitch:
Use a simple bar chart. Growth speaks louder than adjectives. 40%+ MoM? Highlight it like it’s your cofounder.
10. Profit Margin
How much are you actually making after everything?
Formula:
Net Income ÷ Revenue × 100
Why It Matters:
Even if you’re not profitable yet, show the path. Investors want to see where the margin lives.
Product & Market
Context Is Everything (Slide 9–10)
This is where you prove demand, engagement, and scale.
11. Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV)
Total sales processed through your platform.
Investor Use:
Especially for marketplaces, GMV shows scale, not just revenue.
In Your Deck:
Market Traction slide. Show year-over-year or quarterly GMV growth.
12. Conversion Rate
What % of visitors take action?
Formula:
Conversions ÷ Visitors × 100
Pitch Context:
Tie it into your funnel. CAC is only scary if your conversion rate sucks.
13. Engagement Metrics
Are people actually using your product?
Examples:
DAU, MAU, time-on-platform, sessions/user
Why It Matters:
High engagement = product-market fit. If users are sticking around, investors will too.
Slide Placement:
Product or User Insights slide. Use simple line charts or heatmaps.
14. Retention Rate
How many customers stick around?
Formula:
[(Customers at End – New Customers) ÷ Starting Customers] × 100
Investor Mindset:
High retention proves value and paves the way for LTV. It’s better than flashy growth with churn behind the curtain.
The Ask
Know Your Worth (Slide 11–12)
When you make the ask, your valuation better feel earned.
15. Valuation
How much is your company worth?
How It’s Set:
Usually through funding rounds. But you must justify it with metrics.
Example:
You raised $1M for 10%? Your post-money valuation is $10M.
Investor Concern:
Too high = unrealistic. Too low = red flag. Be able to defend it with your metrics, your growth, and your market.
Make the Metrics Tell a Story
(Final Slide)
Numbers don’t close rounds. Narratives backed by numbers do.
The best founders use these metrics like puzzle pieces — assembling a picture of a growing, scalable, fundable company.
Tip for Pitch Deck Design:
Don’t dump 20 metrics on one slide. Spread them across the story:
CAC/LTV → Business Model
MRR/ARR → Traction
Burn/Runway → Financials
Retention/Engagement → Product
GMV/Growth → Market Fit
Valuation → Ask
Keep the layout clean. Highlight your best numbers. If a metric isn’t flattering yet, omit or provide context (“churn is high due to pivot last quarter — now improving 20% MoM”).
Need help making your pitch deck investor-ready?
We help founders not only understand these numbers, but design pitch decks that make them shine.
We consult, build, and design decks that actually get read — and remembered.
