The Proof-First Method

Validate your idea before you risk your savings.

A 6-stage validation of your business idea, run like an investment committee: every stage ends in a plain-English report built on vetted, graded, dated sources — and the circuit ends in a clear GO / PIVOT / KILL verdict. It will tell you to build. It will also, when the evidence says so, tell you to walk away.

Graded evidence · Honest verdicts · Frameworks taught at top business schools · No subscription

How your idea moves through the circuit
Six checkpoints. Each one gates the next — you never pay for a stage your idea hasn't earned.
  1. Stage 0

    Timing Window

    AMBER

    Is now a good time?

    Report delivered

  2. Stage 1

    Problem Validation

    GO

    Is it a real, painful problem?

    Report delivered

  3. Stage 2

    Market & Competition

    Can we win a defensible spot?

    In progress…

  4. Stage 3

    Business Model & Finance

    Can it make money?

    Unlocks after Stage 2

  5. Stage 4

    Prototype Brief

    What is the cheapest test to prove it?

    Unlocks after Stage 3

  6. Stage 5Bonus

    Design & Prototype

    A design report with rendered prototype screens

    Unlocks after Stage 4

Sample shown: a demo validation mid-circuit.

Graded evidence

Every report opens with the sources reviewed — each graded A/B/C for credibility, with full links. No verdict ever rests on weak sources alone.

Stage-gated

Timing, problem, market, money, test plan — in order. A weak stage stops the circuit early and saves you the rest.

Ends in a design package

Ideas that survive get a design brief and rendered prototype screens — a live, clickable prototype comes with the Founder Sprint.

A serious tool for a serious decision

It's high-conviction, not high-volume. Here's who gets the most from it — and who shouldn't buy.

Built for you if…

  • You're about to commit real money, time, or savings to an idea — and you want to be sure first.
  • You want an unbiased GO / KILL decision before you build, not after.
  • You'd rather pay for certainty now than lose 6–12 months finding out the hard way.
  • You're serious enough to act on a hard verdict — including walking away from a bad idea.

Not for you if…

  • You want a cheerleader or a rubber stamp for a decision you've already made.
  • You're after a $19 “idea score” or a quick dopamine hit.
  • You won't change course even if the evidence clearly says stop.
  • You're not ready to invest real resources in the idea at all yet.

The six questions every idea must answer

In this order, on purpose — the cheap questions come first, so a weak idea fails fast and cheap.

  1. 0

    Timing Window

    Is now a good time?

  2. 1

    Problem Validation

    Is it a real, painful problem?

  3. 2

    Market & Competition

    Can we win a defensible spot?

  4. 3

    Business Model & Finance

    Can it make money?

  5. 4

    Prototype Brief

    What is the cheapest test to prove it?

  6. 5

    Design & PrototypeBonus

    A design report with rendered prototype screens

The rigour of an MBA strategy team, applied to your idea

This isn't a chatbot opinion. Each stage applies established frameworks from the strategy and entrepreneurship canon taught at leading business schools — including HEC Paris — the same tools used to pressure-test ventures before capital is committed. Then it grounds every claim in live, dated, graded market evidence.

Innovation-timing & first-mover research

Is now actually the moment — or are you early, or late?

Real-Win-Worth-It (R-W-W) screen

Is the problem real, can you win it, and is it worth it?

Porter's Five Forces

Is the market structurally winnable — or a margin trap?

Blue Ocean / ERRC value curve

Where is the uncontested, defensible wedge?

VRIN resource test

Can a competitor simply copy you next quarter?

Entrepreneurial-finance unit economics (LTV:CAC)

Does the money actually work at scale?

Design-Thinking prototyping

What's the cheapest test that proves it before you build?

Built on frameworks taught at leading business schools, including HEC Paris. Proof-First is an independent product — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by HEC Paris.

Why you can trust the verdict

A high-ticket decision deserves proof, not vibes. Here's what stands behind every report.

Honest to a fault

Most “AI validators” are flattery machines. This one returns KILL when the evidence says so — telling you the truth early is the entire point.

Graded, traceable evidence

Every material claim traces to a named, dated, linked source, graded A/B/C for credibility. No verdict ever rests on weak sources alone.

Your idea stays private

Your submission is visible only to you. It's never shared, published, or reused. Reports are delivered privately to your dashboard.

You only pay for delivered work

Stage 0 is free. Paid stages spend a credit only when they actually run — and if a run ever fails, its credit is refunded automatically.

Simple pricing — pay once, per idea

No subscription for founders. Stage 0 costs nothing; paid stages run on credits (1 credit = 1 stage), spent only when a stage actually starts — validate at your own pace.

Stage 0 — Timing Check

Free

See if now is even the right moment for your idea.

  • Full Stage 0 report, not a teaser
  • Graded, dated, linked sources
  • Clear GREEN / AMBER / RED read-out
Start free
Most popular

Full Circuit

$4975 credits · one idea

All six stages as documents, ending in a verdict.

  • Stages 0–5, each an evidence-graded Word report
  • Final GO / PIVOT / KILL verdict
  • Add your own sources — stages re-run on them
  • Bonus: Stage 5 design report with rendered prototype screens
Start with free Stage 0

Founder Sprint

$1,2005 credits + human review

The Full Circuit plus a live prototype and human review.

  • Everything in Full Circuit
  • A fully clickable, interactive prototype
  • Expert review of every stage report
  • 1:1 call to walk the verdict · priority turnaround
Start with free Stage 0

Studio

Customfor incubators & agencies

Run the circuit across your whole portfolio.

  • Multiple ideas per month
  • Shared dashboard for your team
  • Portfolio-level reporting
Talk to us

Launch pricing. Payment is taken only when you continue past the free Stage 0.

Questions founders ask

Who is this actually for?

Founders and operators who are about to put real money, time, or savings behind an idea and want an unbiased, evidence-backed GO / KILL decision first. It is deliberately not a $19 idea-scorer or a cheerleader — it's built for people serious enough to act on a hard verdict.

Will you really tell me to kill my idea?

Yes — and that's the point. Most tools are built to make you feel good. This one is built to protect your capital. If the evidence says the timing is wrong, the problem is weak, or the market can't be won, you'll get a clear KILL or PIVOT with the reasons and, where the evidence points to one, a sharper angle to consider instead.

What's behind the method?

Each stage applies established strategy and entrepreneurship frameworks taught at leading business schools, including HEC Paris — innovation-timing research, Real-Win-Worth-It, Porter's Five Forces, Blue Ocean / ERRC, the VRIN resource test, entrepreneurial-finance unit economics, and Design-Thinking prototyping — then grounds every claim in live, dated, graded market evidence for your specific idea. It is an independent product, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by HEC Paris.

Can I see a sample before I pay?

Yes. You can read a full illustrative Stage 0 report — the exact format, depth and evidence-grading you receive — before spending anything. And Stage 0 on your own idea is free.

What exactly do I get?

A real Word document at every stage — plain English, with every claim backed by named, dated, linked sources graded A/B/C. You can read each report inside the app or download it. At the end: a clear GO / PIVOT / KILL verdict, plus a bonus Stage 5 design report with rendered images of your prototype screens. A fully clickable interactive prototype comes with the Founder Sprint.

How long does it take?

Each report is researched and written for your specific idea. Most reports are ready in minutes; during busy periods allow longer. You control the pace: each stage is gated, so the next one only starts when you're ready.

What if my idea fails an early stage?

Then you just saved months and your savings — cheaply. A KILL or PIVOT comes with the reasons and a sharper angle where the evidence supports one. You never pay for stages that never run.

Is my idea confidential?

Yes. Your submission is visible only to you. It is never shared, published, or reused, and reports are delivered privately to your dashboard.

The cheapest mistake is the one you never make.

Submit your idea today and get the Stage 0 timing report free — evidence before investment.