How to Make a Co-Working Space Pitch Deck [Storytelling & Design Guide]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Feb 4
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 16
Our client, Daniel, asked us an interesting question while we were building his co-working space pitch deck.
“Why does every pitch deck in this industry feel like a brochure pretending to be an investor document?”
Our Creative Director answered, “Because most people forget a pitch is a story, not a sales flyer.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on many co-working space pitch decks throughout the year. And in the process, we’ve observed one common challenge: Founders often try to sell the space, not the story.
In this blog, we’ll talk about how to make your pitch tell a compelling business story with the design doing half the talking.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
Why Your Co-Working Space Pitch Deck Isn’t Working Yet
Most co-working founders we work with have the right intentions. They care about community. They’ve scouted the perfect location. Some even have an architectural layout ready to go. But when it’s time to pitch, things start to fall apart. Not because the business idea is weak, but because the deck doesn't do justice to it.
Here’s what we’ve learned after working on pitch decks in this space: investors aren’t investing in your square footage. They’re investing in your differentiation.
And unfortunately, most decks fail right here.
They start with “what we offer” instead of “what problem we’re solving.” They list amenities before addressing market demand. They talk about beanbags and high-speed internet before talking about what makes their community different from the one across the street.
Here’s the thing. Investors see a hundred decks a month. Many of those are co-working spaces. If your pitch looks like every other one, you’ll get filed in the mental recycling bin before slide three.
The ones that actually land the meeting? They know how to make their pitch about people, not property.
They position the co-working space as an outcome of a problem that needs solving. They understand that design is not decoration. It’s structure. It’s emphasis. It’s a cue that tells the investor what to focus on, and when.
So, if your deck doesn’t show that you get the business, the market, and the story—no amount of terrazzo flooring or kombucha taps will save it.
How to Make a Co-Working Space Pitch Deck
Let’s be real. The idea of a co-working space isn’t new. Investors have heard it all before. “Flexible workspaces,” “community-driven hubs,” “productivity-enhancing environments.” Yawn.
If you want your deck to cut through that noise, you’ve got to stop pitching a physical space and start pitching a movement. And you’ve got about 10 to 12 slides to do it.
We’re going to walk you through exactly how to structure your co-working space pitch deck so it tells a story investors want to hear, and see. Because here’s the hard truth: it’s not just what you say, it’s what you show.
Let’s break it down, slide by slide.
1. The Hook Slide (Not Your Logo)
This isn’t your “Welcome to XYZ Spaces” slide. This is your opening line. The hook. If you don’t grab attention here, you lose momentum before you even start.
You need to say something bold and true. Something that creates tension and curiosity. For example:
“Remote work isn’t the future. It’s the present—and cities aren’t ready for it.”
“WeWork isn’t the problem. It was just the wrong solution to the right question.”
Use this slide to frame the issue. Not your name.
And visually? Minimal design. One sentence. High contrast. No fluff.
2. The Problem Slide
What’s broken in the world of workspaces? Why does your co-working space need to exist?
Here’s where most people fall into the generic trap. They say things like “people need flexibility” or “office leases are expensive.” Sure, but that’s table stakes. You need to be more specific.
If you’re targeting freelancers in mid-sized cities, the problem might be: “Talented creatives are stuck choosing between noisy cafés and overpriced offices.”
If you’re targeting startups post-COVID, the problem could be: “Teams need collaboration, not commitment to 10-year leases.”
Make it human. Make it relatable. Use real phrasing your ideal customer might use.
Design-wise, use icons or bold typography. Think impact, not paragraphs.
3. The Solution Slide
Now introduce your co-working space. But again, not like a brochure.
Don’t start with square footage or seating capacity. Start with your point of view. What do you believe about how people should work? What’s your philosophy?
For example:
"We designed a space around conversation, not cubicles.”
“We built a model that grows as teams grow, not one that traps them.”
Then, and only then, support that idea with features and layout. Show how the space brings your philosophy to life.
Include 3 to 5 key highlights. Not a wall of text.
4. The Market Opportunity Slide
This is where the investor brain clicks on.
Show them the size of the opportunity without bloating the slide with stats they’ve already seen. You don’t need to educate them on the co-working industry’s growth unless you’re saying something new.
The best way? Narrow it down.
Instead of saying “The global co-working market is projected to reach $30 billion,” say:
“There are 18,000 remote-first companies in the US alone. Less than 10% have a dedicated space for hybrid teams.”
Or:
“In our target city, there are 3000 freelancers, 1200 solopreneurs, and 800 remote workers. No flexible space designed for them.”
Keep charts clean. Avoid dense graphs. Tell a story with numbers.
5. The Business Model Slide
This slide should do one thing: make your model look logical and sustainable.
Skip the fancy diagrams. Investors care about how you make money and how often.
Start simple:
Monthly memberships
Day passes
Event rentals
Private offices
Virtual mail services
Add-ons (podcast booth, meeting rooms, etc.)
Then show scalability. Will revenue increase as members grow? Is there a cap? What’s the occupancy breakeven?
Keep it clean. Use a table layout if needed. But don’t overexplain.
6. The Traction Slide (Or What You’ve Done So Far)
Even if you’re pre-launch, you need something to show.
Have you secured a location? Built a waitlist? Run a pop-up? Signed letters of intent? Conducted customer interviews?
Whatever progress you’ve made, list it here. And don’t make it sound like a victory lap. Just state facts.
Example:
Pre-sold 42 monthly memberships
Signed lease for 3000 sq ft in downtown Miami
Surveyed 250 freelancers. 87% said they'd consider joining.
Use numbers where possible. Show signals, not assumptions.
7. The Community Slide
This is the soul of your co-working space. And frankly, it’s the one area where you can’t fake it.
If you don’t know who your community is, don’t try to force it.
But if you do—this is where you shine.
Are you building for designers? Tech founders? Women entrepreneurs? Creative professionals?
Show faces. Quotes. Real names. Or mockups that feel real. Not stock imagery.
The goal is to help the investor see that your space is more than a building. It’s a home base for a tribe.
8. The Competitive Landscape Slide
Don’t pretend you don’t have competition. Instead, show you’ve thought deeply about where you fit.
Use a 2x2 matrix or a comparison table. Keep it sharp.
For example:
WeWork: High cost, enterprise focus
Local cafés: Low cost, no privacy
Home: Free, but isolating
Us: Flexible, affordable, curated for X community
If you’re truly first in your city or niche, show indirect competitors (café chains, libraries, or other third spaces).
And don’t trash others. Just be clear about your edge.
9. The Team Slide
No long bios. No photos unless they add trust. Just quick hits.
What has your team done before that makes you believable?
Even better if you’ve run a physical space, a community, or scaled operations.
If not, highlight advisors, partnerships, or early believers.
Don’t oversell. But don’t undersell either. Investors bet on teams more than ideas.
10. The Financials Slide
This is where a lot of decks get lost in the weeds.
You’re not expected to show your entire P&L. But you need to show you understand the math.
Forecast for 2–3 years
Occupancy assumptions
Revenue streams
Cost breakdown (rent, salaries, ops)
Breakeven timeline
Use a simple chart or table. Make it clean. Don’t fudge numbers. And if you’re pre-revenue, focus on realistic projections tied to market demand.
11. The Ask Slide
This is your close.
State how much you’re raising, what it’ll be used for, and what you plan to achieve.
Example: We’re raising $500,000 to launch our first space, build our founding community, and reach 70% occupancy within 12 months.
Break down use of funds:
Space buildout: $300K
Ops and staff: $100K
Marketing: $50K
Buffer: $50K
Avoid vague terms like “growth” or “scale.” Be specific. Show you’ve thought this through.
Design Notes Across the Board
We’d be lying if we said content is everything. In the pitch world, design is half the battle.
Here’s what we apply to every co-working space pitch deck we build:
One idea per slide. No clutter. No visual overload.
Typography with intention. Bold headlines. Clear hierarchy.
Color that reflects your brand. Not a rainbow. Not grayscale. Pick a palette and stick to it.
Real imagery where possible. Mockups of your space. Moodboards. Avoid stock unless it’s well-chosen.
Data that’s visual. If it’s a number, show it with space around it. If it’s a chart, make it legible in 2 seconds.
Every slide should feel like a conversation, not a lecture.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.
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