How to raise 600K € thanks to your pitch deck: a look back at the “Airbnb method”

Raise 600K € simply with your pitch deck? That seems too much to be true.

However, that's exactly what Airbnb managed to do in 2008, even before becoming the hospitality giant we know today. But what made this presentation attracted investors at the time ? What elements allowed Airbnb to capture attention and get this crucial funding, which was going to launch its adventure? Is this document still a model for entrepreneurs to follow today?

We are lucky to be today accompanied by our specialist Isabela Castro, Project Manager - Pitch deck at mprez, who will guide us through this iconic pitch deck. She will explain to us how a well-designed, simple but powerful presentation can become a real lever to convince investors and obtain the financing necessary to launch a project.

So stay with us to discover the secrets of this pitch deck that made history and how you too can apply these strategies to convince your investors and reveal your business potential!

Back in 2008: why this pitch deck?

Who needs to explain what is Airbnb in 2025? However, in 2008, the company was onlya small startup under the name of “Airbed&breakfast”, made up of Brian Chesky and his team, looking to raise money for an innovative idea: allowing people to rent spare rooms or unused spaces via an online platform.

At the time, the short-term rental market was almost non-existent and confidence in these types of transactions was much lower than it is today. This pitch deck therefore had a double objective: to present this new economic model, but above all Convincing investors that Airbnb would solve a real problem in the short-term accommodation sector.

Objective doubly achieved since at the end of this pitch, a record fundraising of 600K€ allowed Airbnb to take a decisive step forward and start building the empire we know today.

When simplicity meets efficiency: capturing the attention of investors without distracting them

The key message, from the first slide

From the first slide, Airbnb hits hard. “Book rooms with locals, rather than hotels.” A simple sentence, but one that instantly grabs attention by addressing a question that many investors asked themselves at the time: why should travelers continue to limit themselves to traditional hotels?

And they are right not to waste time in their speech, because on a presentation of fifteen slides and twenty minutes, every moment counts.

This is what Isabela confirms to me: “Many of the people we coach in their speech think that the audience should be given time to adapt to get to the heart of the matter: no, it's counterproductive. You have to hit hard from the start”.

Captivating by its simplicity, This hook brings to light the key message and the company's project, while at the same time distinguishing themselves from lengthy speeches that are too complicated to understand and even more so to remember.

Isabela also draws our attention to the design of the slide itself: a single message, two lines, a refined typography, A sober background. All this makes it easy to perceive and understand the message.

Design at the service of the argument, not the other way around

At mprez, we can't say it enough: design supports the discourse and not the other way around. The slides are here to accompany the highlights of a presentation and support the words, no distract your audience's attention with nice animations.

According to Isabela,”the Real challenge of designers PPT, it's to find that balance between a design that accompanies the message and a design that takes precedence over the message and that ultimately distracts more than anything else.”

And that's what Airbnb understood: each visual adds something to the speech. The most relevant visuals are certainly those in the screenshots of the booking funnel. At the same time a simple but brilliant idea, this emphasis on a double effect on investors:

1. Visualize the product effortlessly and without going into technical details, and finally plan on its use.
2. Strengthen That feeling of simplicity in use, established since the start of the pitch.

The presentation is clear, the product is simple and clear: All the lights are green!

10% problem - 90% solution

Where some pitches spend a lot of time on the problem and its cause, Airbnb chose to highlight the solution.

Indeed, the deck follows the following organization: a slide that focuses on the problem, versus the rest of the presentation that focuses on the solution and the relevance of it.

The 10/90 ratio between the problem and the solution makes it possible to turn the situation around and To direct the attention of investors where they need to be : on the innovative response to an existing problem, without risking wasting time convincing that the problem is valid.

It is a presentation strategy that aims to Minimize objections by presenting a viable solution directly. The idea here is not to convince people that the problem exists, but to prove that the solution is the right one

In Isabela's words, it's”just brilliant!”.

Focus on market validation

Moreover, Airbnb goes further than explaining its solution and promising its success: she proves it, and that's what made this pitch so strong.

By showing that the platform was already in use and that it had active users, Airbnb was not just presenting an abstract idea: the startup was showing that its product was responsive at a genuine request. Isabela complements: “we see it with our clients, during the post-pitch debrief: proof through use is the argument that, even today, resonates the most with investors.”

The numbers, they too, came to legitimize this request. By putting forward statistics on the number of users and bookings, Airbnb showed that it was not just a start-up in the making, but that it already had a start of traction in a market in high demand.

Their graphical representation, who respects our perception of things (example: big bubbles for big numbers, small for smaller numbers), of course goes without saying at first glance, but imagine that these simple codes are far from being respected all the time.

”Indeed, we sometimes design certain pitches at the last minute that use graphic representations that go against our natural perception. All these little things put together play into the final decision of investors,” Isabela explains to us.

On the other hand, Airbnb wanted to optimize down to the smallest detail and thus leave no chance to its investors. Successful bet!

What today's entrepreneurs can (should) remember from the 2008 Airbnb pitch

Launching a startup and pitching your idea is never easy, it's not Steve Jobs who wants to! So when we are lucky enough to be able be inspired by concrete examples that worked, you have to take advantage of it and draw from it all the best practices possible to apply to your own content.

This is where Isabela comes in: she shares us The most powerful lessons According to her, what to remember from this pitch, which allowed Airbnb to raise 600K €.

Simplicity, simplicity and... simplicity!

We can't say it enough: simplicity, combined with precision, is the key to captivating your audience. Airbnb understood this perfectly and applied a basic rule to do so: one idea per slide.

Isabela, our design expert, insists on this point:”Clarity is essential. Too much text, visuals, or details, and you're losing your audience, and therefore your chance of funding”.

This principle is especially crucial when presenting your value proposition. It should be immediately understandable, without having to justify it for hours.

An example to remember: Book rooms with locals, rather than hotels. Simple, direct and effective, just as should be your pitch.

Users, not promises

Airbnb didn't just promise a product, it proved thatit was already working and had been adopted. From the start of its pitch, the startup showed concrete figures on the number of users and bookings, illustrating real traction on the market.

However, not everyone is already lucky enough to have an established user base you would say (and rightly so)! Isabela brings us her solution:”if you don't have users yet, show them that you validated your idea in another way : test it with a small group, such as friends or family, and get feedback.”

What we learn from the Airbnb pitch is that you have to prove that there is real demand, even if your product is not yet launched on a large scale. Whether you have active users or not, you can always find a way to demonstrate the interest of the market.

Make the solution speak, not the problem

Airbnb got it: investors want to know How are you going to solve a problem, not just why or how it exists. The Airbnb pitch quickly addressed the problem and then focused on the solution — their platform.

Isabela summarizes this best practice well:”Investors want to know How are you going to change things, not just that the problem is there. Don't get lost in too much detail and take advantage of the maximum attention at the beginning of the pitch to explain why your idea is groundbreaking.”.

The essentials: focus on the solution. Show that you have a clear and simple answer, and don't waste time detailing the problem endlessly.

And the design in all of this?

This pitch deck proves it to us: design is not Not just one A question of aesthetics, it is a real Lever to reinforce your message. In the words of our expert:”Design should clarify, not complicate. He must always be at the service of The story you're telling.”

At mprez, this is also our specialty: we support our customers in the realization By pitch decks who enhance the discourse without ever crushing it.

During a presentation, and this is even more true for a pitch deck, each slide must highlight the main idea, without distracting the audience with unnecessary details.

Simple, refined, striking, a well thought-out design allows you to capture attention and get a stronger message across.

Going further: 2025 trends to take into account

Now that we have identified The keys to start again from 2008 to 2025, let's just look at the recent optimizations and tools at our disposal and their role in creating your presentations.

Because yes, things have changed since then, and we need to adapt (we know that you secretly think that the design of the Airbnb deck is a bit outdated, although effective!).

Interactivity: more than an option, a necessity

A pitch deck today is no longer limited to a classic and static presentation. Investors are looking to be immersed in the experience.

Isabela points it out: “It's no longer just about slides or content, it's A question of interaction. Videos, live demonstrations or even simulations of your product can truly captivate the audience and create a stronger bond.”

Moreover, it is also a way for your business to stand out and stand out from the crowd, so take advantage of it!

Social and environmental impact

Today's investors, especially venture capitalists, are increasingly interested in the**the social and environmental impact of the projects they fund** and want to ensure that their funding goes in the “right pocket.” Without speaking reserved funds only to so-called “green” startups.

Isabela talks about this new dimension for us:”Startups that make a difference are those that discuss social or environmental issues and show how they contribute to their resolutions. It is crucial, today, to show how your project contributes to positive change..”

AI, the new ally of your pitch

Artificial intelligence, whose development has continued to accelerate in recent years, has become a key tool in generating your pitches and pitch decks.

Whether for data analysis, image creation, modeling, modeling, organization of your information or even recommendations for your speech, these tools offer those who know how to use them almost endless opportunities to make an impression on investors.

The competition is definitely using it. So don't be late!

Authenticity: we want to know you

With more than one million businesses created in France between 2024 against 600,000 in 2009 (source: BPI France), there have never been so many requests from investors. This explosion in the number of business start-ups has given rise to fierce competition: in a saturated market, it is becoming essential to stand out.

More than ever, authenticity is a decisive factor. According to Isabela,”Investors are no longer content with numbers and projections; they want to understand who is behind the idea.”.

What seduces them today, It is also and above all the human, the passion that drives the entrepreneur and his vision for the future.

So Show who you are and how you got there, show him who is on your team and why, because these are the elements that will make the difference.

The 2008 Airbnb pitch offers us valuable lessons for today's entrepreneurs: simplicity, solution above all and design at the service of the message, to name only the most important ones.

But 2025 also offers its share of best practices to apply, which our expert Isabela commented and analyzed us in order to guarantee the success of future entrepreneurs in their projects and presentations.

If you want mprez to help you bring your slides to life and refine your speech in order to raise the funds you need for your success, don't hesitate to call on our PowerPoint experts on this link!

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