Pitch Deck Reviewer Skill for Claude

Pitch Deck Reviewer

Review a pitch deck with VC-grade rigor and produce a scored, actionable pitch-review.md.

Contents

• references/evaluation-framework.md -- The 8 scored dimensions, weights, red flags, scoring guides, design notes, and overall-score calculation.
• references/objections-and-benchmarks.md -- Investor objection categories and the canonical successful-deck benchmarks.
• references/output-template.md -- The exact pitch-review.md structure to generate.

Workflow

• Ingest the deck. Determine file type and location, then read every slide. Supported inputs: PDF (Read directly; for 10+ pages read in batches via the pages parameter), PowerPoint .pptx (invoke the pptx skill or Read), Google Slides links (WebFetch if public), images PNG/JPG (Read to inspect visually), markdown/text descriptions, and directories of slide images (Glob to enumerate, then Read each). For .pen files, state that they cannot be read directly.
• Build a slide inventory. Catalog each slide by number and primary content before any analysis. Identify company name, stage, and industry. Flag any deck over 20 slides as a concern itself; most successful decks run 10-15.
• Score the 8 dimensions. Apply references/evaluation-framework.md. Score each 1-10 with specific evidence from the deck, then compute the weighted overall score and assign the grade label.
• Write slide-by-slide feedback. Cover every slide with content summary, purpose, effectiveness, strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations.
• Predict investor objections. Generate at least 5 using the categories in references/objections-and-benchmarks.md, each with severity, trigger, suggested verbal response, and deck fix.
• Compare to benchmark decks. Reference at least 2 relevant decks from references/objections-and-benchmarks.md; name where this deck is stronger, weaker, and what to borrow.
• Rank the top 5 improvements by impact and list any missing slides or sections for this stage and industry.
• Assemble pitch-review.md per references/output-template.md. Write the executive summary last. Save it beside the source deck (or the working directory). Show the overall-score math.

Calibration

• Verify any market-size, revenue, or growth claim with WebSearch before accepting it. Never fabricate metrics, comparisons, or statistics.
• Reserve 9-10 on a dimension for work that sets a new standard. Give an overall below 3.0 only when the deck has almost no usable content.
• Adjust for stage: weight pre-product decks toward problem/solution clarity, team, and market; relax traction and financials expectations and note the calibration.
• Score absent major sections (e.g., missing financials or team) 1-2 and flag them in the executive summary and the missing-sections list. Review works in progress rather than refusing.
• Evaluate intentionally unconventional decks (memo-style, demo-first, single-page) on their own terms while noting the divergence from convention.
• For multiple versions, review the latest and note which changes improved the deck and which regressed.

Voice

• Be direct and specific. Replace vague praise with concrete observations.
• Pair every critique with a concrete fix.
• Use investor framing ("This raises a question about...") over verdicts ("This is bad").
• Acknowledge what works before identifying gaps. Define any jargon used.
• Write for the founder, to help them improve.