Pitch Components

The Ask

State exactly what you want, what it funds, and what it unlocks.

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What & why

What it is
In a spoken pitch, the ask is where you make the next step explicit. If you are fundraising, say how much you are raising, what it will fund, and what milestone it should unlock. Michael Seibel's advice here is straightforward: make a clear ask. If you are not fundraising, name the exact next step you want, such as pilot customers, design partners, or introductions. The audience should not have to guess how to help.
Why it works

An unclear request forces the listener to guess what you want and how to help, and that friction usually ends in no action at all. Stating the exact amount, what it funds, and the milestone it unlocks removes that load and gives them a concrete decision to react to. Tying the money to a specific outcome reframes it as an investment in a result rather than an open-ended cost, which feels more justifiable. A precise ask also signals you have planned beyond the raise, reading as competence rather than hope.

Before & after

Before

“We're looking to raise some capital to help us grow the business and expand into new markets.”

After

“We're raising $2M on a $10M post-money SAFE. 60% goes to engineering. We need 3 more engineers to ship our enterprise tier by Q3. 25% goes to sales. We'll hire 2 AEs to convert our 40-company waitlist. This gets us to $500K ARR and positions us for Series A.”

When you’ll use it

Closing a pitch deck presentation with a specific funding ask

Answering 'What are you looking for?' in an investor meeting

Writing the fundraising section of an accelerator application

Asking for non-financial support like intros, partnerships, or pilots

Presenting a use-of-funds breakdown to existing investors

Pro tip

Make your ask as concrete as your traction. The room should know exactly what you want by the time you finish.

Questions & answers

What if I'm not fundraising?

You still need an ask. Name the specific next step you want: 'We're looking for 3 design partners in fintech to pilot our product,' or 'We'd love introductions to heads of engineering at Series B+ companies.' Give the audience a concrete way to help.

Should I include valuation in the ask?

At seed stage, it's common to state the instrument (SAFE, convertible note) and terms (cap, discount) rather than a fixed valuation. At Series A and beyond, include the round size and implied valuation. Match the convention for your stage.

Learn more

Michael Seibel - How to Pitch Your Company
OpenVC - Ask Slide Best Practices and Examples

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