The Anatomy of the VC Pitch
The Anatomy Of The VC Pitch
Most pitches don't fail because the idea is bad. They fail because founders never hear how their own deck actually lands, or don't know what a pitch even needs to look like as a company grows.
We're starting with a casual, fireside conversation on what a pitch actually needs at each stage, from pre-seed to growth, and how that shapes the deck itself. From there, we move into a live pitch critique: up to three submitted decks get pitched back live, exactly as an investor reading it cold would deliver it, with feedback from both speakers in front of a room of investors. Everyone who submits gets feedback, live or async.
Joining us is Yousuf Khan, Founder & CEO of Clario, Five-Time CIO, and Venture Partner at Ridge Ventures, who has been on both sides of the table. He's raised capital as a founder and evaluated hundreds of pitches as an investor, and he knows what separates the founders who get the second meeting from the ones who don't.
He's joined by Nancy Hilliker, an investor at RPS Ventures, previously with Revolution Growth and with six years in equity research at Citi and Wells Fargo before that. She holds an MBA from Wharton and is a CFA charterholder, and has spent her career evaluating companies from their earliest pitch through growth-stage scale.
Moderated by Benjamin Tu, a serial founder and business operations leader who's built his career as a missional entrepreneur, now working as a startup advisor and coach while building Centerpoint Spaces as a home for founders like the ones in this room.
Want feedback on your own pitch? Submit your deck for the chance to be selected for live feedback from Yousuf and Nancy in front of the room.
How it works
Founders who submit will have the opportunity to receive feedback from Yousuf and Nancy. If selected, that happens live during the event. If not selected, we'll find another way to get their feedback to you.
All submitted decks are held privately. Only the evaluating team will review them, and nothing is shared with anyone else without your explicit permission.
Submitting your deck doesn't give Centerpoint, Yousuf, Nancy, or anyone else any rights to your business or idea. It's shared for feedback purposes only.
If your deck is selected for live feedback, that portion may be included in the event's photos, video, or audio recording, consistent with our standard event recording notice.
Feedback and selection are for educational purposes only and don't represent an offer, commitment, or guarantee of investment from anyone in the room.
Questions or concerns can be sent to hello@centerpointspaces.com.
You'll be asked for some information at registration to help us make sure the right people are in the room.
Who This Is For
Built primarily for aspiring and first-time founders who are preparing to or actively building, whether you're years from raising or getting ready to pitch right now, and want to know what a pitch actually needs to look like at every stage.
This one's also open to founders further along who want real feedback on where their pitch stands today. Since we're covering pre-seed through growth, there's something here no matter what stage you're at.
Investors, operators, and founder-adjacent professionals who want to be in a room where real conversations happen, you belong here too.
Light Refreshments
Provided during the evening. Please register so we have enough for everyone.
About Centerpoint Spaces
Centerpoint Spaces is forming a coworking, coffee, and community space coming soon to Silicon Valley - and alongside it, a growing support system for early-stage founders — from first idea to launch — working to demystify early-stage company building through events, programming, and mentorship. Centerpoint has been featured in the SF Standard and on KPIX/CBS News Bay Area.
The Builder's Table is Centerpoint Spaces' ongoing series for founders and marketplace leaders navigating early-stage building. This is Session 06.
Partners & Sponsors
Presented in part by Vectis Forge.
Interested in partnering or sponsoring this or a future session? Reach out at hello@centerpointspaces.com.
"Proximity changes everything."
Seats are limited.