Pitch Components
The Ask

State exactly what you want, what it funds, and what it unlocks.

In Pitch ComponentsLast updated

What it is

In a spoken pitch, the ask is where you make the next step explicit. If you are fundraising, say how much you are raising, what it will fund, and what milestone it should unlock. Michael Seibel's advice here is straightforward: make a clear ask. If you are not fundraising, name the exact next step you want, such as pilot customers, design partners, or introductions. The audience should not have to guess how to help.

Before & after

Before

“We're looking to raise some capital to help us grow the business and expand into new markets.”

After

“We're raising $2M on a $10M post-money SAFE. 60% goes to engineering. We need 3 more engineers to ship our enterprise tier by Q3. 25% goes to sales. We'll hire 2 AEs to convert our 40-company waitlist. This gets us to $500K ARR and positions us for Series A.”

When you’ll use it

Closing a pitch deck presentation with a specific funding ask

Answering 'What are you looking for?' in an investor meeting

Writing the fundraising section of an accelerator application

Asking for non-financial support like intros, partnerships, or pilots

Presenting a use-of-funds breakdown to existing investors

Pro tip

Make your ask as concrete as your traction. The room should know exactly what you want by the time you finish.

Questions & answers

What if I'm not fundraising?

You still need an ask. Name the specific next step you want: 'We're looking for 3 design partners in fintech to pilot our product,' or 'We'd love introductions to heads of engineering at Series B+ companies.' Give the audience a concrete way to help.

Should I include valuation in the ask?

At seed stage, it's common to state the instrument (SAFE, convertible note) and terms (cap, discount) rather than a fixed valuation. At Series A and beyond, include the round size and implied valuation. Match the convention for your stage.

Learn more

Michael Seibel - How to Pitch Your Company
OpenVC - Ask Slide Best Practices and Examples

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