It's Sunday evening. A new lead investor wants the latest deck, a redacted cap table, and a signed mutual NDA before Monday's call. The current intern is busy and you're it.
Startup paperwork has to happen at startup speed. The founders who scale build the toolkit early.
Pitch decks done right
Build the deck in Keynote, Slides, or wherever you prefer. Export to PDF for distribution — never share decks as live Slides links unless you want comment notifications all night. Convert PowerPoint to PDF for cleanest export. Compress PDF for email-friendly size. Watermark with the investor's name for sensitive sharing.
SAFEs and side letters
Use sign PDF for SAFEs, KISS notes, and side letters. The audit trail is your evidence the investor signed and when — important for cap table accuracy and any future disputes. Same-day execution is normal. Print-sign-scan is dead in startup land.
Data rooms
Build data rooms as organised PDFs — pitch, financials, projections, cap table, term sheet, due diligence responses. Use merge PDF per section. Password-protect sensitive sections. Use a real VDR for high-stakes raises; for early-stage, organised PDFs are usually enough.
Redaction for selective sharing
When sharing the cap table with a new investor but not revealing existing investors' specific terms, redact PDF properly. The text underneath is removed, not just covered. This matters more in startup work than people realise — cap tables get over-shared and existing investors get reasonably annoyed.
Speed beats polish
Investors fund founders who execute fast. The founders who send the materials within hours, not days, signal operational discipline. Pin Flint and the materials go out the same evening they're requested.
FAQ
Should I share my pitch deck as PDF or Google Slides?
PDF. Slides links create comment-notification noise and let recipients see your edits in real time. PDF is the polished snapshot.
Are e-signed SAFEs enforceable?
Yes — SAFEs are simple commercial agreements and electronic signatures are universally valid in both the US and UK.
Can I send a deck without an NDA?
Most VCs won't sign NDAs to see a deck. For angels and corporate investors, NDAs are reasonable to request. Match the practice to the investor type.
How do I prevent decks being forwarded?
Watermark with the recipient's name. Password-protect. Combine for sensitive rounds. Determined recipients can still bypass; you're raising the friction, not eliminating the risk.
Startup paperwork is operational discipline made visible. Pin Flint and the Sunday evening request goes out before bed.