So when Kinnect released a new app aimed at preserving epic family stories and awkward holiday moments for posterity, I knew I had to take a closer look at its Angel Deck.
The app is clever, like a digital family scrapbook on steroids. Not only does it store photos, it also has video and audio recording capabilities and a nifty timeline feature that lets you organize your memories like a pro. Kinnect's grand plan is for the grandkids to hear straight from the source about that time Uncle Bob got stuck in a tree at a family reunion.
In a world where our traditions often get lost in the shuffle of everyday life, Kinnect reminds us that family stories are worth preserving. And, of course, it's all about storytelling. How well did the company tell its story in the form of an angel pitch deck? Let's take a look.
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Slides in this deck
Cover slide Team (Founders) slide Vision slide Problem slide Product slide Business model & market size slide Impact of problem slide Market potential slide Solution slide Why now / Personal story slide Traction slide “Why I can win” slide. Testimonial slide 1 Testimonial slide 2
Three things I like about the Kinnect presentation
Kinnect’s pitch deck really tugs at people’s heartstrings and is a great storytelling approach when talking about a human startup.
Powerful problem slides
[Slide 4] The slide in question is emotive, but a bit blurry. Image credit: Kinnect
The problem slide in the Kinnect pitch deck is compelling and well-written. The team clearly articulates a critical problem that resonates deeply and is immediately relatable. The statistics cited are particularly impactful: approximately 44 million American adults experience severe loneliness, and approximately 30% of older adults feel isolated. This alone paints a grim picture of the epidemic of social isolation.
Even more shocking is the finding that more than half of Americans feel misunderstood or ignored by those around them. The use of emotive and powerful language effectively emphasizes the urgency and seriousness of this issue, making it clear that this is a widespread and pressing problem.
But while the problem you've identified is undoubtedly significant, it also feels a bit vague. It's hard to imagine a single product that can address all the diverse and deep-rooted issues of loneliness and isolation. A more focused problem statement could potentially help you present a more coherent and viable solution. Narrowing and focusing the problem a bit can make your proposal stronger and more compelling.
Explain the impact of the problem
[Slide 7] Explaining how the problem affects people helps amplify things greatly. Image credit: Kinnect
The “Insights” slide from Kinnect's pitch deck is a great example of powerful storytelling: by pairing the problem with its impact, the team effectively highlights how big and important the issue actually is.
Kinnect has vividly depicted the impact of the problem, which helps investors understand the severity of the problem and allows them to dream big about Kinnect's potential market. This makes the problem feel more tangible, sets the stage for a solution, and shows there is a real and urgent need for what they're building.
But I'd like to add that I don't like this slide. Many parts of the slide can be seen as arguments against the app. For example, not knowing about existing solutions means there may not be a real market for this app. Also, it's odd to highlight the difference between family and chosen family as an advantage. If differentiating between the two is important to people, this isn't as much of a competitive advantage as you might think, since competitors can easily address this.
A little more focus and clarity could have strengthened the argument.
A personal touch
[Slide 10] In addition to “why now?” and “why this?”, adding a “why you?” element to your story makes it more compelling. In this case, a personal story helps highlight why the founder is relevant to the problem the company is trying to solve. Image credit: Kinnect
“Why me?” type information is usually included in the founder or team slides, but using it as a storytelling point here can be effective. Including the personal motivation behind the venture can be very powerful because it explains why the founders will never give up on solving this problem.
Omar's personal experiences — he lost his grandfather to Alzheimer's a few years ago and a friend to leukemia a month ago — are poignant and paint a vivid picture of his motivation, showing that this isn't just a business endeavor for him; it's a very personal mission.
Founders, let's be real. Every slide in your pitch deck should scream “Invest in me!” If it doesn't, it's a waste. Sure, personal stories are compelling, but investors aren't here for that. They want to know why your tale of woe will benefit them. The “Why Omar is doing this” slide is appealing, but vague. It's just window dressing unless it's clearly tied to why your company will succeed. Remember, if it doesn't make investors reach for their wallets, it doesn't belong in your pitch deck.
Three ways Kinnect could have been improved
Your presentation is missing a ton of information. It's missing important details like your go-to-market strategy, user acquisition plan, qualifications for specific team members, and specific milestones. Filling in these gaps is essential to delivering a comprehensive, compelling presentation. Use our checklist to make sure you've covered everything.
Doubtful Team
[Slide 2] 10 years of experience and passion is great, but you need to bring proof too. Image credit: Kinnect
The “Founders” slide needs a bit more polish to really shine. While Omar's 10+ years of experience in performance brand and product marketing is impressive on the surface, it's important to tie that specific experience directly to Kinnect. Highlighting past roles and projects that are specifically related to the company's mission would greatly strengthen this slide. Investors want to see how his background directly contributes to Kinnect's success.
Omar does not list his last name anywhere in the pitch deck, which is a red flag. Investors need to be able to quickly research and verify founders' backgrounds. Full names and links to LinkedIn profiles would add credibility and transparency. Speaking of LinkedIn, I'm a bit concerned that Omar's profile does not reflect the 10 years of experience mentioned here. Ensuring his LinkedIn is up to date and matches the information in the pitch deck is crucial. Investors will check, and any discrepancies could erode credibility. It's all a bit murky with no job titles and only vague notions of how the founders' past experience relates to their current venture.
There also seems to be a clear lack of founder-market fit. In your slides you mention your passion for storytelling, human connection and mental wellness, but it's not immediately clear how this translates to a strategic advantage for Kinnect. I mean, I too have a passion for storytelling, human connection and mental wellness, but I wouldn't be a great founder for this particular startup. Can you please connect the dots with specifics?
This slide would be much more compelling if we directly tied Omar's experience to the company's goals. By adding more specific, verifiable information and staying consistent across all platforms, the founder-market fit section would be significantly improved.
Imaginative business model
[Slide 6] This is bottom-up aggressive market sizing. But I don't believe it. Image credit: Kinnect
The “Subscription Model” slide outlines an ambitious goal of $204.8M in annual subscription revenue, which is certainly venture-scale and laudable for aiming high, but there are a few aspects that need further clarification and support.
My immediate thought is that it would be hard to find customers. I'd like to see some premise or comparable examples. This doesn't seem like an urgent need, so showing other types of products or services that families would be willing to pay $80 per year for would strengthen the argument. Showing precedent for this type of spending is essential, but I don't have one readily available.
In this context, the word “family” needs to be more clearly defined. What are we commemorating, and how will that resonate with potential users? It's also unclear whether Kinnect offers something that existing free services like Facebook can't. Essentially, the document doesn't answer the question of why families would pay for Kinnect when there are free alternatives.
Nowhere in this presentation is there a go-to-market plan, which makes me even more concerned about how the founders plan to convince customers to pay them $80 per year. Without a clear strategy, they won't know how to reach and convert their target audience. Providing a detailed plan for customer acquisition and retention would make the entire presentation much more persuasive and would also add credibility to this slide.
Wait, that's not traction.
[Slide 11] This is not actually traction. Image credit: Kinnect
The “traction” slide is supposed to show progress for Kinnect, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Here's why.
Kinnect being backed by TechStars through the Rising Stars Fund may sound impressive, but TechStars isn't exactly in its golden age right now, and getting funding from an accelerator isn't as much of a sure thing as it sounds: investors want to see actual evidence that people care about what's being built, not just accelerator accolades.
The slides claim that the team is 100% committed to Kinnect. What does this mean? Did the founders quit their day jobs and now hustle while eating ramen? At the very least, the founders are fully committed. The slides should explain what this dedication has accomplished.
They also boast that they've hired a great founding team, but only Omar is pictured on the team slide. Where are the rest of this supposed dream team, and what makes them great? Investors need names, roles, and impressive resumes.
There's also a mention of being a member of Chicago's 1871 Innovation Hub. Cool, but what does this actually mean? Why does being part of this hub give Kinnect a competitive advantage? Without context, this is just a buzzword.
None of these points really qualify as “traction.” Investors want real, tangible progress — user growth, revenue, partnerships — not vanity. Now is the time to dig deeper and show hard facts that prove Kinnect is on a path to success.
Complete presentation material
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