Contributors: Olena Petrosyuk
Last updated: June 2025
Is there a real market demand?
That’s the question every investor is asking—and your problem solution slide is where they expect to see the answer.
But many founders don’t clearly explain what problem they’re solving. And that leaves investors thinking: “Why does this matter?” or worse, “Who cares?”
Problem & solution is the part of your deck that sparks urgency and belief. It’s where you prove there’s a pain worth solving—and that you are the one to solve it.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to design a problem solution slide that speaks to investors—clearly, credibly, and convincingly—with real problem statement examples and solution slides.
Let’s dive in!
Why is a problem solution slide so important for your pitch deck?
Your pitch deck isn’t just a business summary; it’s your story. And like any good story, it starts with a problem… and then builds toward a solution.
As investors expect that arc, you’re supposed to show them the pain first. Then, show them why your product is the answer.
The harsh truth is that if there’s no problem→there’s no urgency→there’s no reason to care.
About 21% of startups fail in their first year. The reasons vary, but poor product-market fit and lack of real demand are still among the top causes—at least one-third collapse because of this.
So, when showing your problem & solution, keep in mind that investors aren’t looking for hype. Throwing some big numbers or claims to simply impress them won’t work. VCs are looking for clarity, logic, and real need.
As Edith Yeung put it in a TechCrunch article:
“If you actually are solving a problem, you don’t talk about any of the hype stuff… [investors] just want to know, what are you solving and can you solve it efficiently?”
Your problem solution slide must prove to VCs there’s a real need and that you’re uniquely positioned to meet it.
At Waveup, we’ve built over 500 investor-loved presentations—so we know how critical the investment narrative is to a winning deck. That’s why we help our clients turn their ideas into sharp, investor-ready stories that have both powerful content and stunning design.
Once we’ve dealt with the why section, let’s get to the how part. Below, we’ll speak about how to build a great problem-solution narrative in your pitch deck.
How to present the problem
As a business owner, you may feel the urge to jump straight to the solution—especially since you know and love your product. But in your deck, a solution should come a bit later.
Before you talk about what you’ve built, you need to make investors care. And that starts with the problem statement. Not your internal struggles but the real, external pain your customers face—a pressing issue that’s big, clear, and urgent.
To craft a strong problem statement, ask yourself:
What are the biggest pain points in my industry right now?
What data or real-world examples can I use to show the size and urgency of the problem?
In this example from Waveup, we give a clear stat to show the problem: “65% of owners struggle to…” To support our claim, we use three simple points that explain what’s causing the issue. Then, we touch on why existing solutions haven’t worked—so the need for a better one is obvious.
You can use this problem statement as a template for your own slide—it’s clear, focused, and built to answer the question every investor is asking: Is this a problem worth solving?
As you can see, your problem is your foundation to build a convincing argument for your solution. It gives the context and shows where your product / service fits in the market.
Your problem is the red thread that unites all the elements of your deck into a compelling investment narrative. Otherwise—what have you built, and why?
The problem slide: must-haves
The problem slide is a must-have in your pitch deck—but it includes a few must-have elements of its own:
Facts, figures, and statistics that highlight the scale of the problem
Real stories, use cases, or insights from people who face this problem
A clear explanation of why existing solutions and competitors aren’t solving this problem
The point is that there are three types of people in the world: those who rely on quantitative data, those who trust qualitative data, and those who want both. Your problem solution slide should speak to all of them.
Quantitative data gives concrete proof—the numbers that show this is a real, sizable issue.
Qualitative data offer depth—what users are actually experiencing and why it matters.
Together, they help investors see the problem, understand it, and believe it’s worth solving.
This example from Opendoor illustrates pain points at every stage of the house-buying process. It uses plenty of use-case and qualitative data to support these pain points.
The problem slide: must-nots
At Waveup, we’ve seen the same mistakes show up again and again on problem slides:
Problems that are too broad, too vague, or too many at once
Issues that feel made up to match a market trend that doesn’t really exist
Too many figures and stats on a slide
When your slide tries to tackle too many problems at once, or the problem is too broad and nonspecific, it dilutes the message. At the end of the day, the problem slide needs to make an impact.
The same goes when the problem feels forced as if it’s been imagined just to justify a product-market fit. If it’s not real, investors won’t buy it.
And finally, even if your data is great, less is more. Statistics have a better impact when used sparingly.
The problem slide: examples
How to present your solution
Once you’ve grabbed your potential investor’s attention with a clear and relatable problem, it’s time to introduce your product / service as the solution.
If you’re thinking, “Great, now’s the time to talk about my product—let’s list all the features, tech specs, and all the cool stuff we’ve built,”—not quite. The solution slide isn’t about listing everything your product does; it’s about showing why it matters.
Your job here is to prove your product is the right answer to the problem—simple as that. That’s why focus on the outcome: What value do you deliver? How does your business solve the pain better than your competitors out there?
At Waveup, we see this slide as the moment to deliver the aha! effect—the clear connection between pain and solution. It’s what sets the stage for your value proposition and builds the foundation for everything that follows in your deck.
This is a great example of how simply and clearly you can present your solution on a slide. No fluff—just what it is, how it works, and why it solves the problem.
The solution sits at the heart of your pitch deck. This is where you should:
Frame the product or service as a direct answer to the problem
Share a simple vision of where it’s headed
This is the moment your business starts to sell itself. Because if there’s no solution, this means there’s only the problem. And that’s not a story investors want to hear.
The solution slide: must-haves
Just as in the case with the problem, your solution slide needs to have:
A simple, clear explanation of your product or service—no jargon
A quick overview of the main features that support the solution (not everything—just what truly matters)
A focus on the benefits of the solution and how it improves customers’ lives
A note on whether your solution is built on proprietary or patented tech
If your business is set to shake up an industry, you can draw parallels with those who’ve already done it before in their own space. Show that change is already happening—and your solution is the one leading it in your market.
Also, be concise but informative, provide benefits, not specifications, and be proud of your patent.
The solution slide: must-nots
Creating a solid solution slide is all about balance. That’s why try to avoid:
Wordy, self-indulgent product descriptions
A long list of all the possible features your product offers
A solution that doesn’t clearly solve the problem you just outlined
It’s important not to get too carried away with too long product descriptions, otherwise they lose focus and impact. Keep it simple. There’s plenty of space in the product section of your pitch deck for that.
And, of course, your solution has to solve the problem you just talked about. If it doesn’t, what’s the point then?
Signal AI, a rising PR tech company, raised $50 million—and their solution slide shows how less really is more. It explains the product in just a few words without overloading the slide. But what really makes this slide work is the design—clean, minimal, and focused on what matters most. It’s a great reminder: don’t list every feature, just highlight the ones that help frame your solution in the right way.
The solution slide: examples
Wrap-up on problem solution slides
The problem sets the narrative for your business—the logic behind your product, the reason it exists, and where it fits in the market. The solution is your business—the moment you prove that what you’ve built actually solves something real.
Just remember that if there’s no problem, there’s nothing to solve, and so your business has no purpose.
The problem-solution section of your pitch deck is what gets investors to care. It gives them a quick, clear sense of what you do and why it matters. That’s why if you keep it sharp, relevant, and well-designed—you’re already ahead.
If you need help fundraising or crafting your pitch deck, reach out to Waveup. Our team is here to assist you!
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FAQs
How do you show problems and solutions on a slide?
It’s important to show problems and solutions in a simple and focused way. This means you can use stats, user stories, or a pain point your audience will recognize at once. And then you show how your product / service solves this problem (make sure investors can get your solution quickly and easily).
How can you identify the problem and solution properly?
If you have users or customers—start there. What’s frustrating, inefficient, or costly for them? Their answers will be your problem. And your solution should directly address that pain in a way that’s faster, cheaper, or better than what already exists in the market.
If you’re just starting out and don’t have users yet, look at the market. Talk to potential customers, research forums, reviews, or competitor feedback. Look for patterns in what people complain about or where existing solutions fall short. That’s where your problem lives—and the gap your solution should close.
What are the 4 key points in a pitch deck?
Every strong deck typically includes these 4 aspects:
The problem—what pain exists in the market;
The solution—how you’re solving it;
The business model—how you make money;
The team—why you’re the right people to build this.