Airbnb’s First Pitch Deck with a Teardown for Startups

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for inspiration for your pitch deck, you might want to take a look at Airbnb’s original pitch deck from 2009. It’s considered one of the best pitch decks out there, and for good reason. It’s short, to the point, and hits all the high notes. In this article, we’re going to break down Airbnb’s pitch deck slide by slide, and show you what makes it so effective.

We’ll start with the slide structure, which includes Cover, Problem, Solution, Market Validation, Market Size, Product, Business Model, Market Adoption, Competition, Competitive Advantages, Team, Press, User Testimonials, and Financial. Each slide is designed to provide a clear and concise overview of the business, and to showcase its strengths. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what it takes to create a winning pitch deck.

Cover

The cover slide is the first slide of the pitch deck and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. It should be simple, yet attention-grabbing, and should include the name of the company and any relevant branding. In the case of Airbnb’s pitch deck, the cover slide includes the company name and logo, as well as a tagline that reads “Book rooms with locals, rather than hotels.”

It’s important to note that the look of the slides is outdated, so Slidebean took the liberty of redesigning it using their AI design system. The first 100 people to sign up with the provided link will have access to the redesigned slides for free, as well as a 25% discount on any Slidebean plan.

Remember, the cover slide is the first impression investors will have of your company, so it’s important to make it count. Keep it simple, but make sure it accurately represents your brand and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation.

Problem

Airbnb’s original pitch deck from 2009 is considered one of the most effective pitch decks for new entrepreneurs. The problem slide in the pitch deck is a great example of how to present the problem in a clear and concise manner. The purpose of this slide is to establish the reality of travel with three key points that the company was looking to tackle and solve. The slide includes three clear, direct, and indisputable statements that outline the problems that Airbnb was trying to solve.

When creating a problem slide, it is important to remember that the investor seeing your deck might not be familiar with the inner workings of a specific market niche. Therefore, it is recommended to use undebatable statements. The Problems stated on this slide need to be tackled on the next slide, the SOLUTION.

The purpose of the problem slide is to provide a clear understanding of the problem that the company is trying to solve. The slide should avoid overcrowding with excess industry details. The three statements on the problem slide are simple, direct, and to the point. They establish the reality of travel and highlight the problems that Airbnb was trying to solve.

The three problems that Airbnb was trying to solve were:

Hotels are expensive
Booking a hotel can be complicated
Travelers want to experience a city like a local

By presenting these problems in a clear and concise manner, Airbnb was able to establish the need for their platform. The problem slide is the first slide in the pitch deck, and it is important to start with a statement that will not make investors question your industry expertise.

In summary, the problem slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck is a great example of how to present the problem in a clear and concise manner. The slide establishes the reality of travel and highlights the problems that Airbnb was trying to solve. By presenting these problems in a clear and concise manner, Airbnb was able to establish the need for their platform.

Solution

On the SOLUTION slide, Airbnb chose to answer the problems stated on the PROBLEM slide with three clear, direct, and indisputable statements. Instead of showcasing the product, they opted to keep it simple and straightforward by explaining what their product does in 10 words or less: “A web platform where users can rent their space to host travelers.” This simple headline perfectly paints the picture of the business and provides investors with an undebatable statement that establishes the reality of travel.

Moving on to MARKET VALIDATION, not every pitch deck needs this slide. However, in this case, market validation is essential to demonstrate how people are looking to move away from the hotel model. Airbnb provided validation through over half a million Couchsurfers and Craigslist, a classifieds site that is not optimized for travelers or experiences. These two sources demonstrate the problem statement that people are looking for cheaper travel options and are willing to sleep on a shared space.

The PRODUCT slide is where you showcase your product. If you don’t have product screenshots to show, you are probably not ready to be pitching investors. Airbnb’s slide assumes a bold and ambitious piece of the travel market, but the most significant value on this slide is simplicity: “We take a 10% commission on each transaction.” This straightforward statement provides a number that can be used to estimate business dimensions and highlights the average fee per night as well as actual data on their average room price.

The GO-TO-MARKET slide should lay out a plan to grow the company and the user base. Airbnb’s plan showed how the product is differentiated by setting themselves apart on affordability and online transactions, which would allow them to carve out a piece of the market for their own. They were first to market, and the host incentive, as well as real ease of use, were also incredibly valuable. The motivation for extra revenue from unused home space is hard to beat, and non-tech people could easily list their homes and filter guests.

On the TEAM slide, make sure you only talk about core team members who will be 100% dedicated to the company. Advisors are useless here unless they are incredibly relevant in the space. Also, the team shown on the slides needs to have the capacity to bring the business to its next fundable point.

Finally, the FINANCIAL slide should be simple and to the point, with a clear goal. In Airbnb’s case, the goal was to reach 80,000 transactions. The only detail missing is the use of funds, which could provide a rough estimate of where the round is going. Considering the product MVP was already developed, we could assume that the round would go to growth (validating the business).

Market Validation

The Market Validation slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck is essential to demonstrate how people are looking to move away from the hotel model. The slide highlights how Craigslist and Couchsurfing validate the need for a platform like Airbnb. Craigslist, a classifieds site not optimized for travelers or experiences, still shows how many people are looking to rent out their spaces. Similarly, over half a million Couchsurfers demonstrate that people are looking for cheaper travel options and are willing to sleep on a shared space.

The slide is critical as it provides validation for Airbnb’s concept. It also demonstrates how the company aims to disrupt the traditional hotel industry and offer a unique and affordable travel experience.

Overall, the Market Validation slide is an important component of any pitch deck, as it provides evidence that there is a demand for the product or service being offered. It helps investors understand the potential market size and the opportunity for growth.

Market Size

The Market Size slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck provides an estimate of the potential size of the company’s target market. According to the slide, the total addressable market for budget and online travel was $107 billion in 2008. Airbnb aimed to capture 20% of this market, which would translate to $21.4 billion in potential revenue.

While the slide’s estimate was ambitious, Airbnb’s current success suggests that the company has exceeded its projections. As of 2021, Airbnb had over 4 million hosts worldwide and had facilitated over 1 billion guest arrivals since its founding in 2008. In 2019 alone, the company generated $4.8 billion in revenue.

Airbnb’s success can be attributed to its ability to disrupt the traditional hotel industry by offering a unique and affordable travel experience. By connecting travelers with local hosts who rent out their homes or spare rooms, Airbnb has tapped into a growing demand for personalized and authentic travel experiences.

Overall, the Market Size slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck demonstrates the company’s ambitious goals and its potential for success in a rapidly evolving travel industry.

Product

The product showcase slide in Airbnb’s 2009 pitch deck was not the first slide, but it was still a crucial one. The slide’s purpose was to answer the three problems stated on the previous slide with three simple statements. The headline was straightforward: “A web platform where users can rent their space to host travelers.” This slogan was concise and easy to understand, which is essential when explaining what your product does in just a few words. The slide assumed a bold and ambitious piece of the travel market, stating that Airbnb could potentially reach 20% of the Budget/Online travel market.

The slide also showed the average fee per night and actual data on the average room price, which were not made-up numbers. This information provided a clear number that could be used to estimate the business’s dimensions. The product slide is critical in any pitch deck, and if you don’t have product screenshots to show, you are probably not ready to pitch investors.

Overall, the product slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck was simple and straightforward, which is crucial when presenting a new concept to investors. The slide showcased the product’s functionality and gave investors an idea of what the company was offering.

Business Model

The Airbnb pitch deck from 2009 had a slide dedicated to the Business Model. This slide was simple and direct, providing a clear understanding of how the company planned to make money.

The slide stated that Airbnb takes a 10% commission on each transaction. This straightforward approach provided a number that could be used to estimate business dimensions. The slide also included actual data on the average room price and an average fee per night, which were not made up numbers.

Additionally, the pitch deck included a Go-To-Market slide, which laid out a plan to grow the company and the user base. This slide showed that there was a plan in place to execute solid ideas without having to recruit a larger team or an external agency.

Overall, the Airbnb pitch deck’s Business Model slide was successful in providing a clear understanding of how the company planned to make money and how it planned to grow its user base.

Market Adoption

The Market Adoption slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck shows the company’s plan to grow its user base. The slide highlights the company’s marketing strategy, which includes leveraging Craigslist to reach a wider audience. The slide also shows how Airbnb plans to differentiate itself from its competitors by offering affordable prices and online transactions.

One of the key takeaways from the Market Adoption slide is Airbnb’s use of a bot to automatically re-list its listings on Craigslist. This marketing hack allowed the company to reach a much larger audience and drive traffic to its site. The slide also highlights the company’s first-mover advantage and host incentive program, which helped it carve out a piece of the market for itself.

The Market Adoption slide is a critical component of any pitch deck, as it shows investors that the company has a solid plan to grow its user base and increase revenue. By highlighting its marketing strategy and unique selling proposition, Airbnb was able to convince investors that it had a clear path to success.

Competition

As with any business, competition is a crucial factor to consider. In Airbnb’s original pitch deck, the competition slide was placed towards the end of the presentation. The slide highlighted two main areas of competition: the competitive landscape and competitive advantages.

The competitive landscape was demonstrated through a chart showing the potential number of trips that Airbnb could reach if they owned 20% of the Budget/Online travel market. While this slide may not be the most effective way to demonstrate market opportunity, it is clear that Airbnb has surpassed this metric with over 2 million guests sleeping in Airbnb locations every night.

On the other hand, the competitive advantages slide showcased how Airbnb differentiated itself in the market. The company emphasized its affordability and online transaction capabilities, as well as its unique host incentive program. Additionally, Airbnb was the first site of its kind, offering a game-changing idea that was combined with fantastic execution.

Overall, while the competition slide may not have been the most detailed, it effectively highlighted Airbnb’s unique competitive advantages in the market.

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Competitive Advantages

Airbnb’s pitch deck from 2009 highlights the company’s competitive advantages, which are essential in any business. In this slide, Airbnb’s competitive advantages are listed, which include:

First to market: Airbnb was the first site of its kind, which gave them a significant advantage over their competitors.
Host incentive: Airbnb offers a unique incentive for hosts to list their properties, which is extra revenue from unused home space.
Real ease of use: Airbnb’s system is straightforward to use, which made it easy for non-tech people to list their homes and filter guests.
Protection for both guests and hosts: Airbnb’s system and insurance protect both the guest and the host from scams, which are common on Craigslist.

These competitive advantages have helped Airbnb to carve out a piece of the market for their own. Additionally, the company’s focus on affordability and online transactions has set them apart from their competitors. With these competitive advantages, Airbnb has been able to attract a significant user base and continue to grow its business.

Team

The Team slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck highlights the core team members who will be 100% dedicated to the company. The slide emphasizes the importance of having a team with the capacity to bring the business to its next fundable point. It is advised to avoid talking about advisors unless they are incredibly relevant in the space.

The slide shows the upper-level management team members who would be leading the company for the next few months. The team members listed on the slide need to have the skills necessary to execute the company’s plans successfully.

It is crucial to have a strong team that investors can trust to execute the business plan effectively. The team slide is an opportunity to showcase the experience and expertise of the people who will be leading the company.

Overall, the Team slide in a pitch deck is an essential component that investors will carefully scrutinize before making a decision. A strong team can make all the difference in the success of a startup.

Press

The press slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck highlights the company’s media coverage and mentions. This slide shows investors that the company has received significant attention from the press, which can help with brand recognition and credibility.

The slide includes logos from major media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and TechCrunch, as well as quotes from articles about Airbnb. The quotes are carefully selected to showcase the positive aspects of the company, such as its innovative business model and user-friendly platform.

Including a press slide in a pitch deck can be a powerful tool for startups looking to raise funding. It demonstrates that the company has already generated interest and buzz in the media, which can help attract investors and customers alike.

Overall, the press slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck effectively showcases the company’s media coverage and positive press, which can help build trust and credibility with potential investors.

User Testimonials

One of the key elements in any pitch deck is showcasing the satisfaction of your customers. Airbnb’s pitch deck includes a slide dedicated to user testimonials. This slide is essential because it shows potential investors that people are using and enjoying the product.

The user testimonials slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck includes quotes from actual users who have used the platform to rent out their space or find a place to stay. The quotes are short and to the point, highlighting the benefits of using Airbnb.

Here are some examples of user testimonials from Airbnb’s pitch deck:

“Airbnb made it easy for me to rent out my spare room and earn extra income.”
“I love using Airbnb to find unique and affordable places to stay while traveling.”
“Airbnb’s platform is user-friendly and provides a great experience for both hosts and guests.”

These testimonials demonstrate the value that Airbnb provides to its users and the potential for growth in the future. By including user testimonials in the pitch deck, Airbnb is able to build trust with potential investors and show that the product has already gained traction in the market.

Financial

The Financial slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck is simple and straightforward, with a clear goal of reaching 80,000 transactions. The slide provides a rough estimate of where the round is going, which in this case, considering the product MVP was already developed, we can assume that the round would go to growth (validating the business).

The slide shows the number of transactions on the y-axis and the months on the x-axis. The goal of 80,000 transactions is represented by a red line, and the actual number of transactions is represented by a blue line. The slide indicates that by month 10, Airbnb expects to reach their goal of 80,000 transactions.

The Financial slide is an essential part of any pitch deck as it provides investors with a clear understanding of the company’s financial goals and projections. It is crucial to keep the slide simple and easy to understand, as investors will want to see a clear path to profitability.

Overall, the Financial slide in Airbnb’s pitch deck is a great example of how to present financial information in a clear and concise manner. It shows the company’s financial goals and projections in a way that is easy to understand and helps investors make informed decisions.