Startup Scorecard
Methodology How the scorecard weights each section
What we ignore: founder cult-of-personality, "we're the next [unicorn]" decks, hot-round FOMO, unverified TAM claims, missing cap-table disclosure.
0 paid placements. Quarterly weight calibration based on outcome data (when public). Last full review: May 2026.
1🏢 Company basics
2👥 Founder & market context
Most early-stage scoring fails because it asks only the financial questions. These fields capture what the spreadsheet doesn't — and will weight into the v2 score.
Pick all that genuinely apply. Hover each option to see the honest test it must pass.
3💸 Financials & runway
4📊 Unit economics
5📋 Cap table & your position
6🇮🇳 NRI essentials (if applicable — skip if you're a resident Indian or non-NRI angel)
FEMA, repatriation routes and Indian tax residency only matter for NRI investors. If you're investing as an Indian resident, foreign angel, or via an Indian fund — leave this blank.
7✅ Qualitative checklist
Startup Scorecard
💎 Four ways to use the scorecard
Free to score on screen. $25 to save / share / regenerate. $99 for a 2-page Deal Memo with MCA pull. $500 for a hand-scored review by Amish.
- Full scorecard with weighted score
- RED/AMBER/GREEN verdict + sector benchmarks
- AI analysis in Amish's voice (1 generation)
- Save as PDF
- Print-friendly version
- Sharable link
- Email a copy to yourself
- 3 full scorecards with AI analysis
- PDF download — branded, archivable
- Print-friendly output
- Sharable URL — send to co-investors
- Email copy to your inbox
- Sector benchmarks + comp valuations
- Hand-pulled MCA data, term sheet review
- Everything in Pro Pass
- 2-page Deal Memo — synthesised from your inputs
- MCA pull — directors, charges, latest filings
- Sector benchmark match + comp valuation flag
- 3 questions to ask the founder before wiring
- Hand-written by Amish personally
- 60-min advisory call
- Everything in Deal Memo
- 6-10 page PDF written by Amish personally
- Founder background check
- Comp rounds from public + private sources
- India red flags the algo can't catch
- 60-min advisory call after the review
- 24-hour turnaround
Not investment advice. Scores financial health and due-diligence completeness. A high score means the numbers are clean, not that this is the right investment for your portfolio. Always consult a SEBI-registered RIA for personal advice.
Get your startup listed in the NRI Startup Database — a public directory NRI investors browse, filter and shortlist from. Founder-supplied data, clearly labeled self-reported (we don't sell the independent score). Early-bird ₹3,000/year for the first 50 founders (₹6,000/year standard after).
List my startup → Phase 0 · no payment yet, just confirming demandCommon questions about the Startup Scorecard
Q1 When can I trust this score, and when shouldn't I? A GREEN score means "the math passes basic screening" — not "wire the money tomorrow." A RED score means structural issues you should resolve before investing. AMBER means "needs more work / specific founder-call questions." +
GREEN ≠ buy. A GREEN score means the basic financial + market + cap-table math passes screening. Founder calls, reference checks, and competitive landscape work still need to happen. Most successful investors GREEN-light 2-3 deals for every 10 that scorecard GREEN.
RED = pause, don't pass. A RED score flags structural issues (missing cap-table disclosure, unsustainable burn, founder concentration). The right move is to ask the founder about each RED dimension before investing, not to skip the deal.
AMBER = the most important score. AMBER means "early signal but missing data." Use it as your founder-call agenda. The biggest mis-investments come from AMBER deals where investors asked no questions.
Q2 Why do I need NRI essentials in a generic startup scorecard? If you're an NRI investing in an Indian startup, FEMA + repatriation + your home-country tax overlay materially affects your effective return. Two same-cap-table deals can have very different post-tax outcomes for an NRI angel. +
The NRI essentials section adds 5 questions specific to NRI investors: NRE/NRO routing, FATCA reporting if you're US-resident, FEMA compliance for the issuing structure (CCDs vs CCPS vs equity), TDS at exit, and DTAA-corridor planning.
If you're a resident Indian or non-NRI angel, skip this section entirely (the score will exclude it from weighting).
Q3 Where does the sector benchmark data come from? A mix of public deal data (Tracxn, VCCircle, Inc42 reports), Y Combinator + Sequoia portfolio reviews, my own 20+ angel deals across 8 sectors, and IC committee work on 3 funds. Each benchmark is sourced; click the benchmark for details. +
Benchmark sources are visible inline — click any benchmark range and you'll see the data source + sample size. We don't use anonymous "industry whispers."
Sector coverage: B2B SaaS, D2C, fintech, edtech, healthtech, climate, agritech, mobility, gaming, deep-tech. We update benchmarks quarterly when public deal data refreshes.
Q4 Can I save / share / print my scorecard? Yes. Free version generates the score. $25 unlocks PDF download + email-share + named-link archiving. Useful when 2-3 angels in a syndicate want to compare independent scores on the same deal. +
Free tier: enter the data, get the score, see the breakdown. Refresh the page = lose your work.
$25 one-time: PDF download (formatted for sharing with your CA / co-investors), email-share with a private link, and the scorecard saved to your account if you've signed in.
$500 advisory tier: I personally review your scorecard, walk through the cap-table maths, and run a 60-minute call. Learn more →
Q5 What about deals where I have inside information / personal context? The scorecard is a structural screen — it doesn't replace the soft signals only you can read (founder character, customer love, sector momentum). Use it as a sanity check on what you already think, not as an oracle. +
If a deal scores RED but the founder is a known repeat exit + you have insider conviction → invest with smaller cheque, document your thesis, and revisit at next round.
If a deal scores GREEN but you can't articulate WHY in your own words → don't invest. The score is a sanity check on your thinking, not a substitute for it.
The scorecard exists to slow down enthusiasm, not replace it.