Great ideas alone are not always enough to attract investors’ attention. Whether crafting a startup elevator pitch or presenting a full investor pitch deck, it’s crucial to make your idea stand out in a sea of similar voices.
Lukas Steindl, Investment Manager at UNIQA Ventures and a jury member of Health Tech Challengers 2024, shares his insights on what separates a winning pitch from one that falls flat — and the startup pitch tips every founder should keep in mind.
UNIQA Ventures’ Mission in Venture Capital Pitching
“Our mission is to back those who dare to make a difference in healthcare. As a pan-European fund supported by an insurance carrier, we aim to invest in startups that have the potential to improve the lives of a billion people through innovative technology.”UNIQA Ventures’ approach reflects a broader venture capital pitch philosophy: investors are not just backing ideas, but scalable solutions that can transform markets.
What Grabs Investors’ Attention in a Startup Pitch Presentation?
“That’s the million-dollar question. A pitch truly stands out when a strong, dedicated team meets a clear market need. For startups at the growth stage, product validation combined with a convincing go-to-market strategy is crucial to grabbing our attention.”
The lesson for founders: a great investor pitch presentation is about showing traction and execution ability – not just vision.
Events like Health Tech Forward play a key role here – bringing the right investors together with the right startups to spark partnerships that can turn a strong pitch into a real opportunity. 👉 Explore ticket options and join the conversations shaping the future of healthcare.
Red Flags That Can Sink an Investor Pitch Deck
“A common pitfall is when detail-oriented founders who are deeply immersed in their product for years fail to communicate effectively to an audience that may not be specialists in their niche. Another red flag is tweaked competitor analysis – everyone is in the right top corner.”
In other words: even the most polished investor pitch deck won’t work if the message isn’t clear and credible.
Essential Elements of a Winning Startup Pitch
“To stand out, a pitch must grab attention and tell a compelling story. Founders should tailor their level of detail to their audience and maintain a clear focus. It’s also vital to showcase the strength and vision of the team, since the people behind the product are just as important as the product itself.”
This aligns with top startup pitch tips:
Emerging Trends Driving Health Tech Investment
“Some of the biggest health tech investment trends making a difference are remote patient monitoring, AI-driven business intelligence (for pharma), compliance for medical software and hyper-personalized healthcare.”
In fact, in H1 2025, U.S. healthtech startups raised $6.4B across 245 deals — with AI and provider tools drawing much of the capital.
Be Part of the Change
New tech solutions can reshape the future of healthcare, but they need the right platform to shine. Don’t let your innovation go unnoticed — apply to Health Tech Challengers for a unique opportunity to pitch your idea to investors and jury members like Lukas.
Increase your product’s visibility, forge essential industry connections, and secure the funding necessary to turn your vision into reality.
👉 Learn more
FAQ: Investor Pitch Decks & Startup Pitch Tips
1. What should an investor pitch deck include?
A strong investor pitch deck should cover the problem, solution, market size, traction, business model, competition, financials, and team. Keep it concise — 10–15 slides.
2. How do you make a startup elevator pitch stand out?
Focus on clarity. In 30–60 seconds, explain what problem you solve, how, and why now is the right time. Avoid jargon and make it memorable.
3. What’s the difference between a venture capital pitch and a general business pitch?
A venture capital pitch emphasizes scalability, growth potential, and ROI. VCs want to see not just a product, but a path to becoming a category leader.
4. What are the biggest mistakes in an investor pitch presentation?
Overloading with technical detail, exaggerating competitor analysis, and ignoring the “team story” are frequent deal-breakers.
5. Where can startups practice and test their pitch?
Competitions like Health Tech Challengers give startups the chance to refine their pitch — and founders can also learn from pitch deck examples used by successful startups to strengthen their presentations.
