Free Tool for Startup Founders
Evaluate your idea across 10 critical criteria used by top investors. Get an overall score, a radar chart, and actionable recommendations — completely free.
Most founders validate their startup idea by asking friends and family — who almost always say "great idea!" This tool replaces that biased feedback with a structured evaluation across 10 criteria that actually predict startup success. Each criterion is scored 1–5 based on your honest answers to diagnostic questions, then combined into a weighted overall Idea Score from 0 to 100.
The criteria cover the full spectrum of what makes a startup viable: from whether you're solving a real, frequent problem (Problem Clarity) to whether you can actually reach and acquire customers (Distribution and Customer Accessibility). High-weight criteria like Market Size, Monetization, and Problem Clarity have the most impact on your score because they're the strongest predictors of long-term success.
Enter your idea name, a one-liner description, your industry, and current stage. This context frames the scoring for your specific concept.
Evaluate your idea one criterion at a time. Each screen asks 2–4 targeted questions about a specific dimension — from market size to distribution strategy.
See your Idea Score (0–100), a radar chart of all 10 dimensions, strengths, red flags, and prioritized action items to improve your weakest areas.
Understanding what each criterion measures helps you answer honestly and interpret your results accurately.
Can you articulate the problem in one sentence? Do real people experience it frequently? The best startups solve painful, recurring problems. Vague problem statements are the #1 reason ideas fail early.
Is the addressable market large enough to build a meaningful business? A brilliant solution to a problem only 100 people have won't sustain a company. Look for markets above $100M TAM with growth trends.
Healthy competition validates demand. No competitors can mean no market. What matters is whether you can articulate a clear advantage for a specific segment — not whether competition exists.
Do you have a clear path to revenue? Subscription models score highest because of predictable recurring revenue. The key question: have you validated that real customers will actually pay?
What do you have that a well-funded competitor can't easily replicate? Proprietary technology, unique data, deep domain expertise, or an existing audience all count. This is your moat.
Why now? New technology, regulatory shifts, or behavior changes create windows of opportunity. Many great ideas failed because they were too early. Timing is often the difference between success and 'ahead of its time.'
Do you have industry experience, domain expertise, or relationships with potential customers? Founders who deeply understand their market move faster, make better decisions, and earn customer trust.
How will you reach your first 100 customers? Having an existing audience, a clear channel strategy, or organic acquisition potential is critical. Paid ads alone are rarely sustainable for early-stage startups.
Can your business serve 100x more customers without 100x more resources? Digital products and SaaS models score highest here. Services that require proportional headcount growth face scaling limits.
How easy is it to find, reach, and convert your target customer? If your ideal customer is hard to identify or reach, acquisition costs will eat into your margins. Direct customer conversations validate this criterion.
Share your startup on IdeaKiln and get visibility, feedback, and support from a community of builders and indie hackers.