What is a why now slide in a pitch deck?
A 'why now' slide in a pitch deck explains why the current moment is the best time to create the solution the founder is advancing. The slide outlines market developments that could help the solution grow faster.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 propelled Zoom's growth, as people could not meet in person but still needed to interact for various reasons. Uber worked because smartphone adoption was on the rise, creating the perfect conditions for its ride-hailing model.
What problem does the "Why Now" slide address?
The why now slide addresses the specific problem of market timing and opportunity validation. The slide demonstrates to investors that external conditions have aligned to create a unique window for the solution to succeed. The slide identifies market trends, technological shifts, behavioral changes, and competitive gaps that make the current moment optimal for launching and scaling the business.
What are the key components of a why now slide?
The key components of a why-now slide include market trends, technological shifts, behavioral or cultural changes, regulatory or competitive context, and clear, visual logic.
1. Market Trends
Market trends show how broader market dynamics create an opportune environment for your solution. Quantifiable growth uses data to illustrate significant market growth rates (e.g., "Global e-commerce grew 25% in 2024, driven by mobile shopping"). Analogies to past shifts draw parallels to past market disruptions (e.g., how the rise of high-speed internet enabled Netflix, or the iPhone created the app market) to show the magnitude of the current opportunity.
2. Technological Shifts
Technological shifts explain how recent advancements have only now made your solution feasible, efficient, or cost-effective. Cost reductions highlight falling costs of key technologies (e.g., "AI processing costs dropped 40% in two years, enabling profitable unit economics for SMBs"). New infrastructure points to the rollout of new infrastructure or APIs that support your product.
3. Behavioral or Cultural Changes
Behavioral or cultural changes provide evidence that consumer habits or societal norms have evolved to a point where your solution will be readily adopted. New norms refer to lasting changes in behavior (e.g., the sustained shift to remote work underscores the need for collaboration tools). Measurable adoption uses metrics (e.g., "E-learning hours per user increased 3× and stabilized at 2× pre-2020 levels") to prove durable change, not just a temporary anomaly.
4. Regulatory or Competitive Context
Regulatory or competitive context identifies new laws, regulations, or gaps in the competitive landscape that you can exploit. New regulations mention recent policy changes that favor your approach (e.g., "New privacy laws restrict data harvesting, increasing the value of compliant analytics solutions"). Competitive gaps highlight specific weaknesses or market distractions among dominant players, creating an opening for your business.
5. Clear Logic and Visuals
Clear logic and visuals make the slide digestible and credible.
Data-driven approaches back all claims with specific, verifiable data from credible sources to build trust.
Visual storytelling uses timelines, charts, or diagrams to make complex trends easy to understand at a glance. Concise focus on 2-3 major external drivers, and keep the text minimal to make the slide quickly digestible.
What are the common mistakes in why now slides?
Common mistakes in why now slides weaken the pitch and reduce investor confidence.
Failing to Identify Relevant Market Trends
Founders often mention broad, generic trends without explaining how they specifically create a unique opportunity for their product right now.
Using Outdated or Generic Market Research
Relying on general industry statistics or old data (e.g., "$X Trillion Market" statements) without specific, credible sources or an actionable niche approach shows a lack of deep market understanding.
Focusing Solely on the Idea, Not the Timing
A great idea is not enough. The pitch must articulate why this is the optimal moment for it to capture the market, perhaps due to recent technological advancements, regulatory changes, or shifts in consumer behavior.
No Sense of Urgency
The presentation should create a fear of missing out (FOMO) for the investor by highlighting a limited window of opportunity that requires immediate action and funding.
Ignoring Competitive Changes
Failing to mention how the competitive landscape is shifting and how the startup is positioned to capitalize on that change is a red flag. Every market has competition, even if it's an existing workaround or indirect solution.
Lacking Traction as Proof of Momentum
Without some form of early traction (user growth, pilot customers, letters of intent, etc.), the "why now" argument feels like speculative conjecture rather than a validated business on the rise.
Overloading the Slide with Information
Cramming too much text or multiple charts onto one slide makes the key message hard to absorb quickly. The "why now" message should be clear, concise, and impactful.
Making Vague Claims
Using buzzwords and hyperbolic language instead of hard facts and specific differentiators weakens credibility.
Not Tailoring the Pitch to the Investor
A generic "why now" slide for all investors suggests a lack of preparation. The slide should align with the specific investor's interests and investment thesis.
Lack of Founder-Market Fit
The founder should demonstrate their unique expertise and personal connection to the problem, proving they are the right team to execute on this specific, timely opportunity.
Where should the 'why now' slide be placed in a pitch deck?
The "why now" slide should be strategically placed after you have presented the Problem and Solution, but before detailing your Traction/Business Model. This position creates a logical flow and delivers maximum impact by framing your startup as an urgent, timely opportunity.
Which data sources are most credible for a 'why now' slide?
The most credible data sources for a why-now slide include market research from companies such as Statista and search engine trends from Google Trends. These sources provide verifiable, current information that investors can independently verify and trust.
How should founders differentiate between temporary trends and sustainable shifts?
Founders should differentiate between temporary trends and sustainable shifts by checking the trends over a longer period of time. Checking across 5 years rather than 5 months reveals whether a trend represents a lasting market shift or a temporary anomaly.
What role does competitive timing play in the why now narrative?
Competitive timing plays a critical role in the "why now" narrative by establishing the urgency and relevance of a startup's market entry in relation to competitors and prevailing external conditions. Founders need to convincingly explain why the present moment is the ideal time for their solution given factors like technological shifts, behavioral changes, regulatory opportunities, or economic conditions that create a unique opening before competitors could saturate or dominate the market. This timing element significantly influences investor confidence by framing the startup's market opportunity as timely and unlikely to be easily replicated or outdated soon.
How to Address Competitive Timing
Founders should address competitive timing by clearly identifying and articulating specific market tailwinds or changes, making the opportunity particularly unmissable now, rather than in the past or future. Emphasizing how their solution leverages new technologies, shifts in consumer behavior, or regulatory environments that competitors have yet to exploit fully strengthens the narrative. Showing a compelling narrative on how they position their product in the competitive landscape, either by redefining the frame of reference or by targeting underserved niches, creates a defensible market position.
Balancing awareness of competitors with a focus on the startup's unique strengths and vision avoids reactive strategies that merely mimic competitors and risk undermining their distinct value proposition. Demonstrating foresight and readiness by monitoring practical market signals rather than relying only on intuition validates the timing of entry.
Competitive timing in the "why now" narrative is about proving the startup is launching at the most advantageous moment relative to market dynamics and competitors. Founders address this by building a strong, evidence-backed story around external and internal factors that make the timing uniquely favorable and defendable, thereby strengthening the pitch and investor conviction.
How can founders create urgency with the why now slide?
Founders can use the "why now" slide to create urgency or FOMO (fear of missing out) among investors by clearly demonstrating that the current moment offers a unique, time-sensitive opportunity that didn't exist before. This slide should present undeniable evidence of a market inflection point, such as technological advancements, shifts in consumer behavior, macroeconomic factors, or regulatory changes that make the business viable now but not in the past. Founders need to highlight what waiting could cost investors - whether that means missing out on competitors who are raising funds, exclusive deals being secured, or accelerating market trends - making it clear that delay is expensive.
Key Strategies for Creating Urgency
Providing 2-3 compelling data points or visual evidence, such as charts or timelines, shows why this moment is special. Explaining how risks have been removed and how the startup's growth trajectory positions investor returns upward builds confidence. Using specific, verifiable time frames rather than vague or alarmist language makes urgency credible.
Showing forward momentum and why this window will not last, such as competitors raising rounds or market opportunities closing, reinforces the time-sensitive nature. Avoid rehashing market problems and focus solely on why the timing is perfect now to keep the message sharp. Conveying urgency with passion and conviction psychologically transfers the "must act now" feeling to investors.
This approach appeals to investors' fear of missing out by stressing what happens when they pass: losing to competitors, losing access to exclusive partnerships, or missing the rapid acceleration of market shifts. The approach transforms investor curiosity into a strong call to action grounded in evidence and timing rather than hype.
The "why now" slide should make it undeniable that the current timing is a unique inflection point and that not investing now means missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, supported by precise data and visuals to avoid skepticism and build real urgency.
What are real-world examples of successful why now narratives?
Real-world examples of successful "why now" narratives demonstrate how startups effectively communicate market timing. Capsule, an enterprise video editing platform, presented a compelling "why now" slide that leveraged consumer behavior trends. The slide stated: "Consumer behavior always predicts the future of work" and drew clear parallels:
- WhatsApp to Slack (Enterprise messaging)
- FaceTime to Zoom (Enterprise video calls)
- TikTok to Capsule (Enterprise video editing)
The slide included a supporting element highlighting how Gen Z shapes the future. Gen Z communicates differently, with video as their medium of choice, and they expect responses instantly. Some trend forecasters call Gen Z the "Snapchat generation" since Snapchat (and now TikTok) are at the center of their social lives. This example demonstrates how to connect consumer trends to enterprise opportunities, making the timing argument concrete and relatable for investors.
What metrics prove market timing on a why now slide?
The most effective metrics and data points to prove market timing on a "why now" slide include growth rates, adoption statistics, and technology cost curves.
Growth rates such as month-over-month (MoM) growth, annual recurring revenue (ARR), and user acquisition rates highlight rapid market momentum and increasing demand. Adoption statistics demonstrate expanding market acceptance and early traction, especially for new technologies or platforms gaining users or customers. Technology cost curves, such as falling AI inference costs and declining hardware prices, illustrate how recent technological advances remove previous market barriers.
Additional timing factors include regulatory changes, infrastructure shifts, subsidies, or competitive dynamics that open a market window at this time. Quantified metrics focused on market inflection points, like competitor movements, ROI timelines, and cost of waiting, drive urgency for enterprise buyers. Showing awareness of timing risks (e.g., subsidies or temporary trends) and mitigation strategies adds maturity. Metrics like churn rate and retention benchmarks signal sustainable growth and product-market fit.
A compelling "why now" slide uses complex, quantified data to demonstrate that current market conditions, technological innovations, and customer behaviors align to create an optimal window for the business opportunity to succeed, making the case that waiting risks losing momentum or market share.