deck fatigue

Definition

The exhaustion investors feel after reviewing hundreds of pitch decks that all blur together with the same buzzwords and hockey stick projections. It's why your 'revolutionary AI blockchain solution' makes their eyes glaze over.

Example Usage

After developing serious deck fatigue from Demo Day, the VC partner admitted she couldn't remember which startup did what.

Origin

Emerged in the 2010s as pitch deck volume increased exponentially

Fun Fact

Studies show VCs spend an average of 3 minutes and 44 seconds on a first-look pitch deck before deciding to engage or pass.

Source: Venture capital pitch process terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

trademark velocity

The speed at which a startup moves from inception to market dominance within its category. The term is sometimes used when discussing execution speed and competitive moats simultaneously.

🚀 Startup / VC

Beginner

Seed Round

The first significant round of funding, where investors plant money in your startup like seeds in a garden, fully expecting that most gardens will produce nothing but weeds and regret. It's typically between $500K and $5M, which is a lot of money for a PowerPoint presentation.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

SAFE

Simple Agreement for Future Equity—a Y Combinator innovation that lets startups take money now and figure out the valuation later. 'Simple' is debatable; some lawyers call them 'complex convertible debt without the debt.'

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

death spiral financing

A toxic funding structure where conversion price drops as stock price falls, creating a downward spiral that destroys equity value. The financial equivalent of quicksand—struggling only makes it worse.

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

pre-emption rights

The contractual right of existing investors to lead or participate in the next funding round before the company can seek outside investors. It's a first-look deal built into your cap table.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

inside round

A funding round where only existing investors participate, with no new outside investors joining. It's either a vote of confidence from believers or a sign that no one else wanted in.

🚀 Startup / VC

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