What it is, why it matters, and how to write it so investors take your market seriously.
Last updated: 2025-10-08
What is the market slide?
The market slide proves that your idea is not just about solving a real problem. It also needs to be solving one in a space worth betting on.
This slide isn't just about throwing a big TAM number on the screen. It's about showing that:
The market is large enough to matter
You know who your customers are
The market is growing or shifting
You can actually reach those customers
If your market slide is vague or inflated, investors won't believe your upside. If it's small or unproven, they won't see the return.
What investors look for
These are the exact criteria Pitchkit uses to evaluate your market slide:
Market size quantification - What is TAM, and what are your SAM and SOM? Prefer bottom-up logic.
Clear customer segments - Who are you targeting? Be precise.
Market growth potential - Is the market expanding? Any tailwinds or new behaviors?
Market accessibility - Can you reach these customers? Do they have budgets? Do you have a wedge?
Anything less, and investors assume you are guessing or overhyping.
Good vs. bad examples
✅Strong
"Our wedge market is mid-size EU SaaS teams spending $3B annually on CS tools. Our entry segment is 12,000 companies in the €2–20M ARR range. Market growing at 18% YoY."
Precise, reachable segment
Market growth data
Entry strategy
❌Weak
"We're targeting the $400B global software market."
No customer segment
No focus
No relevance
Common mistakes
Top-down only: "We'll take 1% of a $100B market" is a joke. Investors want segmentation.
Too general: If your segment could apply to 100 other startups, it's not focused.
No proof of reach: You can't just say "anyone" and hope CAC makes sense.
Best practices
Start with your beachhead: Who are your first 100 paying customers? Build the market slide from there.