The Scoring System
Startup Idea Scoring: Transparent. Defensible. Mathematical.
Your score is calculated in Python — not generated by an AI model. 5 weighted dimensions. Clear thresholds. A verdict you can audit and defend.
Get Your Score5 Dimensions
How Startup Idea Scoring Works
Each dimension is weighted based on its predictive importance for startup success. The research comes from AI agents. The math comes from Python.
Market Opportunity
25%Measures: TAM validity, growth trajectory, timing assessment
Is the market real, growing, and big enough? Is the timing right? TAM/SAM/SOM calculated in Python with defensible methodology — not top-down guesswork.
Competitive Position
25%Measures: Differentiation strength, moat durability, gap exploitation
Is your differentiation real and sustainable, or easily copied? Are there gaps incumbents have left that you can exploit? What happens when they notice you?
Execution Feasibility
20%Measures: MVP clarity, technical complexity, resource requirements
Can you actually build this? A Cynical Dev rates technical complexity. A Cynical VC asks why you need 8 features when 2 would suffice. Timelines grounded in reality.
Risk Assessment
20%Measures: Kill vector severity, regulatory burden, platform dependency
9 kill vector categories hunted by adversarial agents. Regulatory landmines identified. Platform dependencies flagged. Predecessor failures researched.
Strategic Coherence
10%Measures: Persona-feature fit, messaging clarity, go-to-market viability
Does the product match the audience? Does the go-to-market strategy reach them? Is the messaging clear enough to convert? The pieces need to fit together.
Startup Idea Scoring: Python, Not LLM
The difference matters.
How others score ideas
- Ask an LLM to "rate from 1-10"
- Numbers are approximations
- Same prompt, different results each time
- No methodology to audit
How Verve scores ideas
- ✓Python calculates weighted score
- ✓Numbers are exact and deterministic
- ✓Same inputs produce same score
- ✓Full methodology visible per dimension
Startup Idea Scoring Verdict Thresholds
Three verdicts. Clear thresholds. Specific reasoning for each.
Strong opportunity. Manageable risks. Clear path forward. The report includes specific first steps — what to build, who to target, how to start.
Something's here, but not what you think. A PIVOT isn't a soft no — it's a specific recommendation about what to change: the market angle, the positioning, the business model.
Fatal flaws identified with evidence. This is the most valuable verdict — you just saved months of building and tens of thousands in capital. Redirect to a stronger idea.