Idea check

$22M+ raised, 100+ VC pitches, 12 years as startup founder. I've learned a few things about ideas that can get big.

Is your idea worth building in 2025? The answer has changed.

I built an AI idea evaluator to help: ideacheck.dev

My scoring framework (each criteria: 0-2 points, 7/10 to pass):

1. Network Effects: Each new user/data point exponentially increases platform value, creating defensibility that even AI cannot easily replicate.
2. Unfair Advantage: Proprietary access to unique data, partnerships, or distribution channels that provide sustainable competitive edge despite AI democratization.
3. Non-Obvious Insights: Novel understanding of user behaviors or market dynamics that others haven't recognized, enabling first-mover advantage in AI applications.
4. Data as Moat: High-quality, proprietary datasets that improve AI model performance and create compounding advantages over time.
5. Predictable Customer Acquisition: Reliable, repeatable go-to-market strategy with clear unit economics, essential as AI increases market efficiency.

Why traditional factors matter less:

• Technology: AI democratization lowers technical barriers; differentiation now comes from application and data.
• Team: AI tools enable smaller teams to achieve scale, reducing the importance of large specialized teams.

Building is easier than ever. Growing? That's the real challenge.