How to Make a Marketplace Pitch Deck [A Guide]

Todd, one of our clients, asked us an interesting question while we were building his marketplace pitch deck.

He said,

“What’s the one thing investors actually want to see in a marketplace pitch?”

Our Creative Director replied, without missing a beat,

“Proof that both sides actually want to use it.”

Simple, right? And painfully true.

As a presentation design agency, we work on many marketplace pitch decks throughout the year. And if there’s one challenge that keeps showing up like an unwelcome party guest, it’s this: founders often treat both sides of the marketplace as a single story. They try to force-fit buyer logic onto sellers, or seller urgency onto buyers, and the result is usually a confused pitch.

So in this blog, we’ll talk about how to create a pitch deck that actually makes sense to investors and doesn’t just sound good in your head.

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 a Marketplace Pitch Deck Needs a Different Strategy

Most marketplace pitch decks don’t fail because the idea is bad. They fail because the pitch makes it sound like a fantasy.

Here’s the issue. A marketplace is not a product. It’s a behavior engine. You're not just showing off what you've built. You’re convincing investors that two completely different groups of people will not only show up but also keep coming back. Regularly. Repeatedly. Willingly.

That’s not a small ask.

Unlike SaaS or DTC decks, marketplace pitch decks have double the assumptions. Two audiences. Two motivations. Two sets of objections. And if you’re not careful, your deck ends up appealing to no one.

Investors know exactly what breaks in a marketplace model. Liquidity issues. Chicken-and-egg problems. Acquisition costs that spiral out of control. If your deck doesn’t answer these things clearly, they’ll tune out. You’ll lose them not because they didn’t see the potential, but because they didn’t see the proof.

So yes, your idea might be gold. But unless you can frame the pitch to solve a two-sided problem from the start, your marketplace pitch deck won’t get you where you need to go.

How to Make a Marketplace Pitch Deck

Before we dive in, let’s get something straight. A marketplace pitch deck is not about telling your story. It’s about making your story undeniable. The goal isn’t just to explain what your platform does. It’s to make investors see how real this can get, and how fast.

We’ve worked on enough of these to know what separates a “maybe” deck from a “let’s talk next week” deck. Here’s what you need to build, one slide at a time.

1. The Opening Slide Is Not Just Branding

Most decks open with the name, logo, and some trendy one-liner. You can do better. Open with a line that makes people sit up. Think of it like the billboard version of your business. It should tell us what your marketplace is, for whom, and why it’s not obvious.

For example, “The B2B marketplace for industrial surplus” is okay. But “We help manufacturers turn idle equipment into working capital” is clearer, punchier, and instantly gets attention.

The moment someone sees your opening slide, they should feel one of two things: curiosity or FOMO. If you open with fluff, they’ll feel neither.

2. The Problem Slide Must Be Split in Two

If we had to pick one slide that marketplace founders routinely mess up, it’s this one.

Most try to describe the marketplace problem in one bucket. But marketplaces are two-sided. You have two customers. That means two problems. Spell them out separately.

Supply-side problem: What’s frustrating or broken for the suppliers? What are they trying to offload, sell, or earn that they can’t right now?

Demand-side problem: What’s missing or inefficient for the buyers? What can’t they find, trust, or afford through traditional channels?

If you try to blend these into one generic “there’s no efficient platform for X,” you’ll lose nuance and credibility. Keep the problems distinct. That’s where trust begins.

3. The Solution Isn’t Your Platform. It’s the Behavior Shift.

Here’s a hard truth. Nobody cares about your platform until they believe people will use it.

So when you get to your solution slide, don’t just throw in a screenshot and say “We connect homeowners with local handymen.” That’s obvious. The better question is, why would they use you over anything else?

Explain what changes. Are you saving time? Increasing trust? Creating access where none existed? Making the transaction 10x smoother?

Investors want to know what behavior shift your product enables. Your slide should show how that shift plays out for both sides of the marketplace. That’s what convinces them you’re not just another listing site in disguise.

4. The Why Now Slide Is Your Momentum Slide

Timing matters more in marketplaces than most founders admit.

If you're too early, supply or demand doesn’t exist yet. If you’re too late, the incumbents have soaked up all the network effects.

Your “why now” slide should do two things: show cultural or technological shifts that make your model inevitable, and show evidence that your version is getting early traction.

Don’t throw vague trends like “Gen Z prefers digital” or “mobile-first world.” Give specifics. Say, “Freelancer supply on Upwork has doubled in the last 3 years, but 72% of clients report dissatisfaction with niche skill matching.” That shows you’ve done your homework, and your timing is tactical, not hopeful.

5. The Marketplace Dynamics Slide Is Your Credibility Test

Here’s where investors start looking for holes.

They want to know: how do you acquire both sides? What comes first? How do you prevent one side from churning if the other isn’t growing?

This is your chance to show you’ve thought it through.

Use a diagram or short bullets to explain your go-to-market sequencing. For example:

• Start with niche supply in urban centers

• Offer buyers financial incentives for first three purchases

• Suppliers get dashboard insights to drive loyalty

  
  

Avoid vague lines like “we’ll go viral” or “users will invite others.” That’s not strategy. That’s wishful thinking.

And yes, talk about the cold start problem. If you don’t bring it up, they’ll assume you haven’t thought about it.

6. The Traction Slide Should Be Frictionless

If you have traction, show it clearly. Not 10 graphs. One or two that say: “Look. It’s working.”

Some of the best traction slides we’ve seen use one bold number at the center. Something like:

17,000+ bookings made in 6 months across 3 cities

Then you break that down on the side if needed. CAC, retention, repeat usage, GMV. Pick the numbers that actually matter for a marketplace.

If you don’t have traction yet, use this slide to show leading indicators. Supply waitlists. Pilot feedback. Early revenue. But whatever you do, don’t fake traction. Investors can smell it a mile away.

7. The Business Model Slide Isn’t Just a Revenue Line

You’re not just saying how you’ll make money. You’re showing why that model is smart for your category.

Do you charge commission? Flat fees? Subscriptions? Licensing? Be specific.

Then explain why. Maybe subscriptions create predictable revenue from vendors. Maybe take-rate aligns with demand growth.

This slide shows whether you’ve picked a model that supports long-term liquidity or just short-term wins. Smart investors care more about the former.

8. The Competitive Landscape Isn’t for Vanity. It’s for Positioning.

Most founders use this slide to show they’ve read TechCrunch. They toss in every big name and draw a quadrant where they magically sit alone in the top-right.

That’s not helpful.

Use this slide to show strategic differences. What are you doing differently, not just better?

Avoid dumping logos. Instead, say:

• Unlike X, we don’t require upfront supplier onboarding

• Unlike Y, we specialize in hyperlocal delivery

• Unlike Z, we offer built-in financing to reduce friction

  
  

That kind of clarity shows you’re not just aware of the landscape — you’ve planned your route through it.

9. The Team Slide Isn’t Just a Bio Dump

Investors invest in teams, not slides.

Don’t just list names and job titles. Highlight what makes you the right team for this marketplace.

Do you have experience on both sides of the equation? Have you built marketplaces before? Do you have domain insight that newcomers can’t fake?

If your team includes someone who grew supply at Uber, say that loud. If your co-founder sold a logistics startup, spotlight it.

The more the team aligns with the specific challenge of your marketplace, the more investable you become.

10. The Ask Slide Isn’t a Plea. It’s a Plan.

Don’t end your deck with “We’re raising $2M to scale.” That tells us nothing.

Be precise. “We’re raising $2M to hire 3 engineers, expand to 2 new cities, and reduce supplier activation from 10 days to 3.”

When you show a clear use of funds, it builds trust. It signals that this isn’t just your dream — it’s a plan.

You’re not asking for help. You’re offering an opportunity.

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