Pitch like a pro: Top tips from Diolog’s Amy Benson and SeenCulture’s Nikki Tugano

It’s something every startup founder does, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. 

So what makes a winning pitch?

Earlier this year, SmartCompany editor in chief Simon Crerar hosted a webinar with Diolog founder and CEO Amy Benson, who won SmartCompany’s the Pitch in 2023, and SeenCulture founder and CEO Nikki Tugano, who was shortlisted for the same competition. 

The two founders shared insights into the key things you need in your pitch deck, how to capture attention and show traction, and how to prepare for a live pitch. 

Here’s what Benson and Tugano had to say. 

What should be in your pitch deck

Tugano’s startup SeenCulture is a decision intelligence platform designed to help companies with pay and performance reviews, team design and succession planning. 

Building on her experience in creating inclusive and high-performing teams, Tugano founded the startup in 2022 and recently raised $1 million in funding from a roll call of prominent investors, including LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund.

In her experience, pitch decks should “always lead with vision”. 

“What is the big grand vision? What impact do you want to have with what you’re building?”, she said. 

Each startup or founder has a “compelling story”, and you should aim to connect your pitch with that...