Startup Idea Validation Scorecard
Score the evidence behind a startup idea, not your belief in it: the problem, the first customers, the solution, the market and competition, willingness to pay, and the team and runway.
- Free
- No sign-up to try
- Works as you type
Rate the evidence behind your idea, not how strongly you believe in it.
0 of 13 answered
Answer the questions to see your score by area as you go.
Answer at least 11 of 13 questions to save your results as a Room.
How it works
How the Startup Idea Validation Scorecard works
- 1
Answer the questions
Pick the answer closest to where you are today. It takes a few minutes.
- 2
See your score
Your score by area appears as you answer, with the weakest areas first.
- 3
Save your results
Create a Room with your scores, next steps and an adviser to talk them through.
Worked example
What it makes
13 questions across 6 areas. Each answer scores 0 to 3; an area's score is its points as a share of the most it could get.
Problem
- The problem is real and frequent for the people you're targeting.
- People already spend time or money trying to solve it.
- Solving it is a priority for them, not a nice-to-have.
Customer
- You can describe a specific first customer group and how you'd reach them.
- You've spoken to people in that group about the problem, not your solution.
Solution
- Your solution solves the problem better than what people use now.
- People have tried a prototype, demo or manual version and come back.
Market and competition
- You know the alternatives people use, including doing nothing, and why they'd switch.
- The market is big enough for the business you want to build, with workings you can show.
Business model
- People will pay the price you need.
- You know what it costs to win and serve a customer.
Team and runway
- Your team has the skills or access to build and sell this.
- You have the time and money to test the idea properly.
Results bands: Untested (0+), Early signals (40+), Promising (70+), Strong evidence (90+). A self-assessment from your own answers: a starting point for a conversation, not an audit, certification or professional advice.
Who it's for
Who uses it
First-time founders
See which assumptions still need testing before building.
Accelerators
Give founders a common way to show the evidence behind an idea.
Side-project builders
Decide whether an idea is worth more time.
Good to know
What to consider
- The scale rewards what people do (sign-ups, pre-orders, payments) over what they say.
- A high score lowers risk; it doesn't guarantee success.
Questions
About the Startup Idea Validation Scorecard
What counts as strong evidence?
Behaviour: people signing up, pre-ordering, paying for a pilot or coming back to a prototype. Opinions and compliments count for little.
Is this an audit or a certification?
No. It scores your own answers against a written rubric to show where you stand and what to do next. Use it to start a conversation, not as an audit, certification or professional advice.
Make your results now
Free, no sign-up to try. It becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
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