Startup Evaluation Criteria
Verifex evaluates startup ideas using 17 core decision criteria commonly used by experienced founders, operators, and early-stage investors to test whether an idea works in reality.
Problem & Customer Reality
- •Is the problem real, frequent, and painful?
- •Who experiences it?
- •Who actually pays?
Demand Signals
- •Are users actively searching for solutions?
- •Are they already spending money?
- •Are they switching from alternatives?
Solution & Differentiation
- •Does the solution address the root cause?
- •Why would users choose this over alternatives?
- •How defensible is the approach?
Market & Timing
- •Why does this idea make sense now?
- •What technology/regulation has changed?
Economics & Pricing
- •Can this generate sustainable revenue?
- •Is willingness to pay realistic?
- •Is there expansion potential?
Execution & Risk
- •How hard is this to build/operate?
- •Major failure modes?
- •Where are the unknowns?
Ethics & Impact
- •Could misuse cause harm?
- •Does risk increase at scale?
Evaluation Depth by Report Type
How Verifex Helps Founders
Verifex is an AI-powered startup idea validation tool that helps founders evaluate whether a business idea is worth building by analyzing real-world signals, risks, and assumptions.
When to Use Verifex
- • Before building an MVP
- • Before quitting a job
- • Before raising capital
- • When comparing multiple ideas
Who Is Verifex For?
- • Solo founders
- • Early-stage startups
- • Builders & Operators
- • Evidence-based founders
Frequently Asked Questions
What criteria does Verifex use?
Verifex evaluates ideas across 17 structured criteria including problem severity, customer clarity, demand signals, differentiation, competition, pricing, execution risk, and ethics.
Are these based on investor thinking?
Yes. The criteria reflect how experienced founders, operators, and early-stage investors assess opportunity risk.
Does every idea go through the same criteria?
Yes. The framework is fixed to ensure consistency, but depth increases based on the report tier.
Why evaluate ethics and impact?
Because some products introduce risk or harm at scale. Ignoring this early often leads to downstream failure.
Can I identify weak criteria in my report?
Yes. Verifex highlights weak or unvalidated dimensions to guide next validation steps.