Pitch deck guide
Why now slide in a pitch deck: purpose, rubric and three fixes
Last verified: October 20, 2026
The why-now slide of a pitch deck names the specific change that makes the company possible or necessary today, such as a new technology, a regulation or a shift in behaviour. It answers the question of why this was not built years ago, and it needs evidence, not a trend word.
What this slide is for
In the rubric, market and why-now share one dimension. A sized market without a why-now, or the reverse, stops at a middle score; both together reach the next one.
What the rubric looks for
The getfund rubric v1 does not score slides one by one. It scores dimensions across the whole deck, and this slide supplies evidence for the ones below.
- Market and why now, getfund rubric v1, score 3: A size for the target segment (sourced or bottom-up) and a stated why-now
- Market and why now, getfund rubric v1, score 5: As 4, with the why-now backed by data and a path from the first segment to a larger market
Three fixes
- Name the change, a named technology, regulation or behaviour, in the headline.
- Add one dated data point that shows the change is real, with its source.
- Say what the change makes possible for your customer that was not possible before.
A template sentence
Fill the brackets with your own confirmed facts. Do not copy the sentence as written, and do not invent a figure to fill a gap.
Since [named change, with its date], [customer group] can [new possibility], which was not possible before because [old barrier].
The check that applies
getfund rubric v1, Words per slide (4 points): Median words per slide at most 50: full points; at most 75: half; above: none
The words-per-slide check takes the median across the deck, so a short why-now slide of a few lines helps the whole deck.
Frequently asked questions
- Is "AI is growing fast" a why-now?
- No. The rubric asks for a specific change: a named technology, regulation or behaviour change, backed by data at the top of the scale.
- Can why-now sit on the market slide?
- Yes. The rubric scores them together, so one slide or two both work if both are present.
- What if nothing has changed?
- Then say what became cheaper, faster or legal for your customer. A true small change is better than an invented trend.
Sources
- getfund rubric v1, published on the pitch deck scorer page
More pitch deck guides
Score your deck free
Upload your pitch deck PDF and see how it scores against this rubric, with your three most useful fixes. No account needed.