Score a startup idea on problem, demand, willingness to pay and go-to-market before you build, and see where it is weakest.
How to use the Validate startup idea
- Describe the idea, the customer and how you'd reach them.
- Answer the scoring questions honestly.
- Work on the weakest area first: often distribution.
What the score is for
It turns gut feeling into a checklist. A low score isn't a no; it shows what to test next, such as talking to ten potential customers or getting a pre-order.
How the score works
There are ten questions in five areas: problem, demand, willingness to pay, go-to-market and your edge. Each answer scores 0 to 3 from left to right, and the total is shown out of 100. Each area also gets its own bar: green from 66, amber from 40, red below. Once every question is answered you get a verdict. 70 or more is a strong signal to build a v1 and launch. 45 to 69 is promising, with the weakest area named so you know what to firm up. Under 45 means validate that weakest area before writing code.
Raising a weak area
Problem: talk to people who have it and ask how they handle it today; if nobody has a workaround, the pain may be small. Demand: count real conversations, not compliments; a waitlist with 20 or more people who signed up from a plain landing page is a good sign. Willingness to pay: ask for a pre-order or deposit; "I'd pay for that" isn't the same. Go-to-market: name the exact community, newsletter or search terms where buyers are. Edge: if you have none, pick a narrower niche where your knowledge counts.