Your Competition Slide Still Sucks
Most founders botch the competition slide. Not because they don’t know who’s out there— But because they don’t know why they’re different.
We’ve all seen the usual suspects:
The grid of logos
The table with checkmarks
The quadrant chart that magically places your startup in the top-right corner
These visuals aren’t inherently bad. But they often miss the point.
The Real Purpose of the Competition Slide
Your competition slide isn’t about proving you’ve done your homework. It’s about showing investors how you think.
It’s not a catalog of who exists. It’s a narrative about why you exist.
Investors care less about other fish in the sea than they do about the attributes that make you a great catch. They want to know:
What makes you different?
Why does that difference matter?
How does it compound over time?
Common Mistakes Founders Make
Here are a few ways competition slides go sideways:
1. Listing Without Positioning
Founders often list competitors without explaining how they’re different. It’s a missed opportunity to show strategic clarity.
2. Overuse of Checkmarks
The “we have more features” table rarely impresses. It’s not about quantity—it’s about relevance and defensibility.
3. Quadrant Chart Abuse
If your perceptual map always places you in the top-right corner, it starts to feel like wishful thinking. Investors want insight, not self-congratulation.
4. Ignoring the Customer POV
Your competition slide should reflect how customers perceive the market—not just how you want to be seen.
What to Do Instead
Here’s how to make your competition slide actually work:
🔹 Tell a Story of Differentiation
Don’t just say “we’re better.” Say how and why. Is it speed? UX? Data ownership? Community? Show the strategic wedge.
🔸 Highlight Defensibility
What makes your advantage hard to copy? Is it network effects, proprietary data, unique partnerships, or a brand moat?
🔹 Show How You Win Over Time
Investors want to know your edge isn’t just a moment—it’s a movement. How does your differentiation compound as you grow?
🔸 Use Visuals That Reinforce Strategy
If you use a chart, make sure it tells a story. If you use a table, make sure it’s not just a feature dump. If you use logos, make sure they’re grouped meaningfully (e.g., incumbents vs. challengers).
A Better Framing: From Competition to Defensibility
The best competition slides don’t just compare. They position. They differentiate. They defend.
So next time you pitch, skip the logo collage. Tell me what you do differently, why it matters, and how it compounds.
That’s not competition. That’s defensibility.
Final Thought
Your pitch deck is a strategic narrative. Every slide is a signal. And your competition slide? It’s a chance to show how you think, how you win, and how you scale.
So don’t just name names. Name your edge.