Mastering the Fundraising Pitch: New best-practice fundraising pitch deck workshop for B2B Climate Tech and AI Startups

Founders of AI startups in climate tech know the challenge all too well: How do you structure your pitch deck to convince investors truly – and what exactly are they looking for? 

Together with the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, the MIT Martin Trust Center, and TUM Venture Labs, UVC Partners has developed a unique best-practice fundraising pitch deck workshop: Fundraising Pitch – For Seed & Series A stage B2B climate tech/AI Startups.

Built on insights from MIT, UVC Partners and other top VCs around the globe

The paper is based on more than 25 years of hands-on experience building successful hardware and software startups and validated by interviews with 50 leading investors from Europe, the United States, and China, all specializing in early-stage Climate Tech and AI investments. It consolidates their expectations and best practices into a practical guide, explicitly tailored for founders in the Climate Tech and AI spaces.

Why this paper is a must-read for founders

The best-practice fundraising workshop provides hands-on guidance on structuring a pitch deck – not just in content, but also in design, formatting, and overall consistency. It explains how VCs look at a pitch deck and what questions they want to get answered. A key feature is that the recommended order of slides is flexible and can be adapted to suit the audience and situation.

Content, structure, and storytelling that resonate

Beyond just structure, the workshop delves into the essential components of a strong pitch deck, including mission, problem definition, solution, product, and market landscape, all clearly explained with actionable recommendations. Founders will also learn how to address key VC topics for due diligence in intellectual property defensibility, market potential, competitive positioning, business models, proof of product-market fit, financials, and use of funds.

Practical tips for every pitching situation

Whether it's an elevator pitch, an initial intro meeting, or a deep-dive due diligence session, the paper offers practical guidance for different types of pitches. Startups receive actionable advice on how to deliver their story, compellingly, and in an investor-ready format.

Conclusion: A comprehensive, free toolkit for startup success

The Fundraising Pitch workshop provides everything a founder needs to start building a winning pitch deck – structured, full of practical tips, and designed for real-world use. Without becoming overly complex, it gives founders a strong foundation to present their startups effectively and convincingly.

Download the free fundraising workshop now and take your fundraising to the next level!

“For me, the pitch deck answers the overwhelming question, 'How do I build a valuable company?”. This task is highly complex, while the pitch deck is a simplification focusing on the main factors, making it comprehensible for investors. As every company and market is different, use this workshop as a flexible guide you can tailor to your audience and situation.” – Johannes von Borries, Managing Partner at UVC Partners.

About the Authors

Dr. Oliver Gottfried
Oliver Gottfried is a postdoc at the MIT Sloan School of Management conducting his postdoctoral research on developing this best-practice fundraising pitch deck among other projects like best practices customer discovery, go-to-market, and exit strategies for AI startups in climate tech. He has over 10 years of hands-on venture capital investment experience across Europe, the U.S., and China, focusing on AI and climate technologies.

Anthony Haake
Anthony Haake is a Research Affiliate at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He focuses on international finance, investment, and sustainability, and is an expert on the European venture capital perspective.

Johannes von Borries
Johannes von Borries is Managing Partner at UVC Partners and one of Europe’s leading early-stage investors. With over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, he has supported numerous startups from inception to successful exits. Johannes is particularly passionate about Climate Tech, Deep Tech, and helping founders scale breakthrough innovations.

Dr. Jason Jay
Dr. Jason Jay is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Sustainability Initiative at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research focuses on leadership, strategy, and innovation for sustainable business, and he serves as a renowned advisor to startups and corporations alike. Jason is also the co-author of the influential book Breaking Through Gridlock.

Lars Eiermann

Lars Eiermann is Chief Sustainability Officer at TUM Venture Labs and Managing Director of its Sustainability & Circular Economy Venture Lab. TUM Venture Labs are a joint initiative by UnternehmerTUM and the Technical University of Munich to build globally leading deep tech startups from science, establishing TUM’s role as a European DeepTech powerhouse. He focuses on building a high-performance ecosystem at the intersection of research, talent, and venture creation. Lars has over 20 years of experience in industry, academia, entrepreneurship, and the public sector.

Tod Hynes
Tod Hynes is a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a recognized entrepreneur in the Climate Tech space. He founded XL Fleet, a leading provider of electrification solutions for commercial vehicles. Tod brings decades of hands-on experience in building and investing in clean technology ventures.