Are you a pre-seed founder struggling to create investor-ready financial projections? You're not alone. Most founders waste weeks trying to build complex financial models when they could have an investor-ready ROI analysis in 30 minutes.
The key insight? Pre-seed investors don't need a full 5-year DCF model. They need:
- Clear ROI projections (IRR, NPV, payback period)
- Unit economics that make sense
- A realistic burn rate and runway analysis
- Three scenarios: conservative, base, and aggressive
Here's how to build a simple but effective ROI model in Google Sheets:
Step 1: Start with Basic Inputs
Create a sheet with your key assumptions:
- Investment amount needed
- Monthly burn rate
- ARPU and CAC
- Customer growth rate
Step 2: Build Monthly Projections
Use simple formulas to project 36 months:
- New customers grow at your assumed rate
- Revenue = customers * ARPU
- Costs = burn rate + COGS
Step 3: Calculate Investor Metrics
The three most important metrics for pre-seed:
- IRR - Use XIRR function with monthly cash flows
- Payback Period - When cumulative cash turns positive
- LTV/CAC - Should be 3x+ for healthy unit economics
Step 4: Add Sensitivity Analysis
Show how changes in key assumptions affect returns. This demonstrates you understand the business drivers.
Pro tip: Keep it simple. Pre-seed investors spend 5-7 minutes per deck. Your financial model should be clearly summarized on one page.
Want a ready-made template? I created a complete Pre-Seed Pitch Deck ROI Model with all formulas pre-built. It includes automatic sensitivity analysis, three scenarios, and a PDF-ready executive summary. Check it out on Gumroad: [link]
What financial metrics do you include in your pre-seed pitch deck?
