A startup one-pager is a short company introduction someone can read, remember and forward. It should explain who you help, what you do, what progress you can support and what conversation you want next.
Use the template below to write the first version. Then check every claim, remove anything the reader does not need and make the next step easy to understand.
Decide what this page needs to do
A one-pager is not a smaller pitch deck. It is a useful first introduction.
For an investor, it may help establish whether a conversation fits their interests. For an introduction partner, it gives them something they can forward without rewriting your story. For a potential customer, it should explain the problem you solve and the kind of conversation you want.
Choose one of those jobs before writing. A document trying to recruit employees, raise money and sell a product at the same time usually leaves its reader unsure what to do.
Y Combinator's pitching guidance emphasizes a clear, concise explanation of what the company does. A one-pager gives you a practical place to apply that principle.
Copy this startup one-pager template
This is an editorial working template, not a required investor format. Adapt the sections to the person receiving it.
Company name
[Name] helps [specific customer] accomplish [specific job] through [plain-language description of the product].
The problem
[Customer] currently handles [job] by [existing approach]. The difficult part is [one concrete problem you have observed].
What we do
A customer uses [product] to [first useful action]. That helps them [next useful result]. Today, the product supports [accurate current scope].
What we have learned
We have [verified progress]. In [period], we observed [specific result or learning]. The supporting record is [source]. If the product is not launched, say so and describe what you have tested instead.
Why this team
[Founder or team] brings [relevant experience] to this problem. Explain the connection, not the full resume.
What we want next
We would like to speak with [type of person] about [specific next conversation]. A useful next step is [meeting, introduction or product discussion].
Contact and supporting materials
[Owner name and preferred contact route]
[Company website]
[Approved supporting page or document, if useful]
[Last reviewed date]
Keep the first sentence understandable on its own. Someone may forward that sentence without the rest of the document.
Worked example: an introduction without invented traction
The following is a fictional example for demonstration. It is not a Finta customer case or evidence of a business result.
ExampleCo
ExampleCo helps small repair businesses keep customer approvals and job updates in one place.
The problem
A repair manager can receive an approval by email, a question by phone and a parts update in another system. The team then has to reconstruct what the customer agreed to before continuing the job.
What we do
Our prototype brings the job's messages and approval status into a shared working view. The current test covers email-based updates. Phone capture and parts-system connections are not part of this version.
What we have learned
We are testing the prototype with repair managers and collecting feedback on the approval handoff. We are not presenting those conversations as paying customers or proven time savings.
Why this team
Our founder previously coordinated repair operations and is building around the handoffs encountered in that work.
What we want next
We would like an introduction to an operator who manages a small repair team and can review our prototype.
Notice what this example leaves out: a made-up market size, a percentage improvement, unnamed customer logos and a claim that the product handles everything. It still gives an introduction partner enough detail to understand the business and the request.
Match the next step to the recipient
| Recipient | What they need to understand | A useful request |
|---|---|---|
| Potential investor | Business, current progress and fit with their focus | A conversation about whether the company fits their investment interests |
| Introduction partner | Who you want to meet and why the introduction is relevant | An introduction to a particular role or organization |
| Potential customer | Their problem, your current scope and the proposed next step | A product discussion or review of a specific use case |
| Advisor | The question you need help answering | Feedback on a defined decision |
Do not make the recipient guess whether you want money, a customer introduction or advice. Write the actual request.
For a fuller investor presentation, use the pitch deck creation guide. Keep that deeper material separate from the forwardable introduction.
Check the evidence before sharing
Read each sentence and ask what supports it.
A product statement should describe what is available now. A progress statement should have a period and a supporting record. Team experience should be accurate. Customer names, quotes and sensitive details should only appear when you have permission to share them.
Use this review log:
| Statement | Supporting record | Owner | Shareable? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What the product does today | Current demonstration or documentation | Product owner | Yes / No / Needs review | Date |
| Progress or traction | Period-specific record | Responsible team member | Yes / No / Needs review | Date |
| Customer example | Approved account evidence | Relationship owner | Yes / No / Needs review | Date |
| Team experience | Confirmed biography | Founder | Yes / No / Needs review | Date |
If a claim is not ready, remove it or explain its current state. A short document with accurate information is more useful than a crowded page that creates questions you cannot answer.
Give the document an owner
Keep an approved version and retire outdated copies from your working process. Record who reviewed it, when it was checked and which recipients should receive which supporting materials.
Before the next introduction, confirm that the ask and contact details still make sense. If you are targeting investors, your investor research workflow can help organize the shortlist and the context behind each conversation.
Put the one-pager to work
Start with one audience and one next step. Write the plain-language company explanation, add only supportable evidence and ask a teammate to explain it back to you.
When the story is clear, keep the approved materials, relationships and follow-up together. That is the useful bridge between writing an introduction and keeping the conversation moving.