The Assesment Framework v2.02
Each dimension is scored independently from 0–100. The shape of the radar tells you where your idea is strong and where it needs work. A lopsided shape means a lopsided business.
Market Demand
Is there real, measurable demand for what you're building? This is the most critical dimension — and the one most leadership teams get wrong. We look for evidence that people want this, not just that you think they should.
We evaluate search volume, existing spending patterns, waitlists, pre-orders, competitor traction, and clear pain points that people are actively trying to solve. Ideas built on assumed demand are the number one reason businesses fail within the first two years.
A high score here means there's existing behaviour you can tap into. A low score doesn't always mean the idea is dead — but it means you're creating a market, which is exponentially harder.
Differentiation
What makes your idea genuinely different from what already exists? If the answer is "nothing much", that's a problem we'll flag immediately. "We'll do it better" is not differentiation — specificity is.
We assess whether your angle is truly unique: a different audience, a better delivery mechanism, a pricing model that changes the economics, technology that wasn't available before, or a geographic focus that incumbents have ignored.
The strongest differentiators are structural — things that are hard for competitors to copy. A prettier UI is not a moat. A proprietary dataset, a regulatory advantage, or a network effect is.
Feasibility
Can this actually be built and delivered with the resources, technology, and timeline you have? A brilliant idea that needs five years and ten million pounds to reach market is a fundamentally different proposition from one that can launch in three months with a small team.
We evaluate technical complexity, regulatory barriers, capital requirements, supply chain dependencies, and operational overhead. We also look at whether an MVP is achievable — can you prove the concept before going all in?
Many ideas score well on demand and differentiation but fall apart here. The gap between vision and execution is where most ventures die.
Revenue Model
How will this make money? We assess whether your monetisation strategy is realistic, sustainable, and aligned with how your customers actually behave and spend.
Subscription, transactional, advertising, marketplace commission, freemium, licensing — each model has trade-offs. We look at willingness to pay, unit economics, customer lifetime value, and whether the revenue model creates the right incentives for growth.
The most common mistake we see: stakeholders who say "we'll figure out monetisation later." By the time they do, the product is optimised for free users who will never pay.
Leadership Fit
Are you the right person to build this? Your skills, experience, network, and circumstances matter as much as the idea itself. A fintech idea from someone with a decade in banking scores differently from the same idea pitched by someone with no financial services experience.
We're not gatekeeping — we're helping you see where your gaps are so you can fill them. Maybe you need a co-founder with technical skills. Maybe you need industry connections you don't have yet. Those aren't dealbreakers, but they are risks you should know about.
The best founders aren't the ones with perfect CVs. They're the ones who understand their weaknesses and plan around them.
Timing
Is now the right moment? Too early is just as dangerous as too late. We look at market readiness, regulatory shifts, technology adoption curves, and competitive timing.
Many great ideas failed simply because they launched before the market was ready — or after a competitor had already locked it up. Webvan had the grocery delivery model right in 1999, but the infrastructure and consumer behaviour weren't there yet. Timing isn't luck; it's a dimension you can evaluate.
We look for tailwinds: new regulations, platform shifts, demographic changes, or technology breakthroughs that make your idea possible or necessary right now.
How Dimensions Combine
No single dimension makes or breaks an idea. It's the combination that matters. Here are two example assessments showing how the same overall process produces very different outcomes.
Pursue: AI Invoice Scanner
Strong across all six — clear demand, unique OCR approach, technically feasible, SaaS pricing, founder with accounting background, perfect timing with Making Tax Digital.
Archive: Luxury Pet Hotel App
High demand and timing, but critically weak on differentiation, feasibility (capital-intensive), and founder fit. Two strong dimensions can't carry four weak ones.
How Scoring Works
Your idea gets a score out of 100, with a clear recommendation.
Pursue
70–100
Strong idea with clear potential. The assessment gives you specific next steps to move forward with confidence.
Pivot
40–69
Interesting kernel but needs significant changes. We tell you exactly which dimensions are weak and suggest specific pivots.
Archive
0–39
Not viable right now. We're honest about why and explain what would need to change for this to work.
Typical Distribution
Based on assessments to date, here's how ideas typically land.
Example Assessment Output
Here's what a real assessment looks like — a Pivot-scored meal-kit idea showing how each dimension contributes to the overall recommendation.
Local Meal-Kit Delivery
Subscription boxes sourced from local farms, delivered weekly to urban areas.