vc-deal-screener

# VC Deal Screener v1

Transform inbound deal flow into structured investment evaluations — from a quick-pass screen to a comprehensive deal assessment.

## Two Output Tiers

| | Quick Screen Card | Full Deal Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| **What it is** | 1-page pass/consider/deep-dive recommendation | 8-15 page investment evaluation |
| **Who it's for** | Partners triaging 50+ inbound per week | Investment team preparing for partner meetings |
| **What it enables** | "Should I spend time on this?" | "Here's the full picture for the IC" |
| **Time to generate** | Single response | Multi-step (classify → research → assess → synthesize) |
| **Input requirements** | Pitch deck OR cold email OR intro blurb OR 1 URL | Card inputs PLUS web research OR data room access |

The Card is always generated first. The Full Assessment builds on it.

---

## Workflow Overview

**Steps 1-6: Quick Screen Card** (always executed)

1. **Gather inputs** — Collect pitch deck, email, URL, or description
2. **Classify deal archetype** — Identify business model type + stage signals
3. **Confirm approach** — Present plan, ask Card or Full Assessment, get approval
4. **Screen with framework** — Apply archetype-specific screening criteria
5. **Generate Card** — Output structured screen with recommendation
6. **Validate Card** — Confirm accuracy with user

**Steps 7-9: Full Deal Assessment** (only if selected)

7. **Deep research** — Web research on company, founders, market, competitors
8. **Generate Assessment** — Produce 8-10 sections as a document
9. **Validate Assessment** — Present for section-level refinement

---

## Step 1: Gather Deal Inputs

Request one or more input types:

**Pitch Deck** (most common, most informative)
- PDF or slides with company overview, team, market, traction, financials, ask
- Extract: problem, solution, market size, business model, traction metrics, team bios, raise amount

**Cold Email / Intro Blurb**
- Forwarded email from founder or referral source
- Extract: company name, one-liner, stage, raise, referral context, any metrics mentioned

**Company URL**
- Use web_fetch to retrieve content from provided URLs
- Focus on homepage, about page, product pages, pricing, team page, blog

**Verbal Description**
- GP or associate describing a deal from a meeting or call
- Extract: key facts, initial impressions, concerns, excitement signals

**Prompt template:**
> To screen this deal, please provide at least one of:
> - **Pitch deck**: PDF or slides (most useful for thorough screening)
> - **Email/blurb**: The inbound message or intro you received
> - **Company URL**: Website to research
> - **Description**: What you know about the company so far
>
> Optionally, share your **investment thesis** or **screening criteria** if you have specific parameters (stage, sector, geography, check size, traction thresholds).

## Step 2: Classify Deal Archetype

Analyze inputs to identify the primary deal archetype. Look for signals:

| Archetype | Key Signals |
|-----------|-------------|
| **SaaS / Software** | MRR/ARR metrics, subscription pricing, NRR, seats/users, enterprise vs. SMB, API/integrations |
| **Marketplace / Platform** | GMV, take rate, supply/demand dynamics, liquidity metrics, network effects language |
| **Deep Tech / AI-Native** | Model performance metrics, research papers, PhD founders, IP/patents, technical moats |
| **Consumer / DTC** | CAC/LTV, retention curves, brand/community, social following, unit economics per order |
| **FinTech** | Regulatory status, AUM, transaction volume, compliance language, banking partnerships |
| **HealthTech / BioTech** | FDA pathway, clinical data, HIPAA, payer relationships, CPT codes, evidence-based claims |
| **Climate / Energy** | Carbon metrics, regulatory tailwinds, hardware/infrastructure, project finance, offtake agreements |
| **Developer Tools / Infra** | Open-source adoption, GitHub stars, developer community, usage-based pricing, API calls |
| **Hardware / IoT** | BOM costs, manufacturing partners, certifications, supply chain, hardware margins |
| **Services / Agency-to-SaaS** | Revenue per employee, gross margins, productization roadmap, customer concentration |

Also classify the **Stage Signal**:
- **Pre-seed**: Idea/prototype, no revenue, founding team forming
- **Seed**: MVP live, early customers, <$1M ARR, proving PMF
- **Post-seed / Pre-A**: Growing but below Series A benchmarks, $500K-$2M ARR
- **Series A**: Clear PMF signals, $1M-$5M ARR, scaling go-to-market

**If signals are ambiguous**, ask the user:
> Based on the inputs, I see elements of [Archetype A] and [Archetype B]. Which best describes this company?
> - **[Archetype A]**: [brief description]
> - **[Archetype B]**: [brief description]
> - **Hybrid**: Combine both frameworks

## Step 3: Confirm Approach (REQUIRED)

**ALWAYS present the screening plan and wait for user confirmation before proceeding.**

```
## Deal Screening Plan

**Company:** [Name]
**One-liner:** [What the company does in 1 sentence]

**Detected Archetype:** [Primary Archetype] (+ [Secondary] if hybrid)
[1-2 sentence explanation of why this archetype fits]

**Stage Signal:** [Pre-seed / Seed / Post-seed / Series A]
[1 sentence justification based on traction/team/raise signals]

**Screening Framework:** I'll evaluate this deal using the [Archetype] framework, focusing on:
- [Key screening dimension 1]
- [Key screening dimension 2]
- [Key screening dimension 3]

**Inputs I'll Analyze:**
- [List of deck/email/URL/description provided]

**Investment Thesis Applied:**
- [If user provided thesis criteria, list them here]
- [If no thesis provided: "General early-stage screening criteria — provide your thesis for customized evaluation"]

**Output Tier:**
Would you like:
- **Quick Screen Card** — 1-page pass/consider/deep-dive with rationale (good for triage and quick decisions)
- **Full Deal Assessment** — 8-15 page investment evaluation (includes market deep-dive, team assessment, comparable analysis, risk matrix, and key questions for founder meeting)

[If Full Assessment: I'll research the company, founders, market, and competitors via web search to produce a comprehensive evaluation.]

**Reply with your preferred output tier to proceed.**
```

**Wait for explicit confirmation before proceeding to Step 4.**

## Step 4: Screen with Archetype Framework

Load the appropriate framework from `references/frameworks/`:

| Archetype | Framework File |
|-----------|---------------|
| SaaS / Software | `references/frameworks/saas.md` |
| Marketplace / Platform | `references/frameworks/marketplace.md` |
| Deep Tech / AI-Native | `references/frameworks/deep-tech.md` |
| Consumer / DTC | `references/frameworks/consumer-dtc.md` |
| FinTech | `references/frameworks/fintech.md` |
| HealthTech / BioTech | `references/frameworks/healthtech.md` |
| Climate / Energy | `references/frameworks/climate.md` |
| Developer Tools / Infra | `references/frameworks/devtools.md` |
| Hardware / IoT | `references/frameworks/hardware.md` |
| Services / Agency-to-SaaS | `references/frameworks/services.md` |

For **hybrid archetypes**, load both frameworks and blend screening criteria.

Apply the framework's screening dimensions to all inputs, evaluating:
- Archetype-specific traction benchmarks for the detected stage
- Team-market fit signals specific to the archetype
- Business model viability indicators
- Competitive moat assessment
- Red flags and yellow flags specific to the deal type
- Thesis alignment score (if thesis criteria provided)

## Step 5: Generate Card

Use the output template from `references/output-template.md`.

**Standard sections (all archetypes):**
- Company name + One-liner + Archetype classification with rationale
- Stage Signal with justification
- Verdict (PASS / CONSIDER / DEEP DIVE) with confidence level
- Verdict Rationale (3-5 bullet synthesis)
- Thesis Fit Score (if thesis provided)
- Traction Snapshot (key metrics extracted, benchmarked against stage)
- Team Assessment (founders, experience, team gaps)
- Market Quick-Take (size, timing, tailwinds/headwinds)
- Red Flags (dealbreakers or serious concerns)
- Yellow Flags (concerns worth probing)
- Green Flags (signals of strength)
- Key Questions (3-5 questions to ask if taking a meeting)
- Archetype-specific additions

## Step 6: Validate Card

After presenting the Card, ask:
> Does this screening capture your read on the deal? I can:
> - Adjust the verdict based on additional context
> - Re-screen with different thesis criteria
> - Dive deeper on a specific dimension (team, market, traction, competition)
> - Generate a founder response (pass or meeting request)
>
> [If Full Assessment was selected]: Once you approve the Card, I'll proceed to deep research and full assessment generation.

**If Card-only was selected, stop here.**

---

## Step 7: Deep Research (Full Assessment Only)

**Goal:** Gather comprehensive information on company, founders, market, and competitors.

**If user provided URL:**
Use web_fetch and web_search to research:
- Company website (product, pricing, team, customers, blog)
- Founder LinkedIn profiles and prior ventures
- Competitor landscape (direct and adjacent)
- Market sizing reports and industry analysis
- Recent press coverage or funding announcements
- Product reviews or user feedback (G2, Product Hunt, app stores)

**If user provided deck only:**
Use web_search to research:
- Company name + key founder names
- Market and competitive landscape mentioned in deck
- Validate any claims made in the deck (customer logos, metrics, partnerships)

**If insufficient material:**
Ask:
> To build a comprehensive assessment, I need more signal. Could you provide:
> - **Company website URL** — I'll research product, team, and positioning
> - **Founder names** — I'll research backgrounds and track records
> - **Both** — URL for research + any insider context from your interactions

**Extract and catalog:**
- Founder track records and domain expertise
- Competitive landscape with 5-10 comparable companies
- Market sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM with methodology)
- Customer evidence and product-market fit signals
- Recent funding activity in the space
- Regulatory or macro factors affecting the market

## Step 8: Generate Full Assessment

Generate the Assessment as a `.docx` document using the docx skill. Read `references/assessment-output-template.md` for the master document structure.

The Assessment contains 8-10 sections organized in three groups. Read the section template for each before generating:

**Group A — Deal Overview**

| Section | Template File | What It Produces |
|---------|--------------|-----------------| 
| A1: Executive Summary | `references/assessment-sections/executive-summary.md` | 1-page verdict, key metrics, investment highlights, and concerns |
| A2: Company & Product | `references/assessment-sections/company-product.md` | What they do, how it works, differentiation, product maturity |
| A3: Traction & Metrics | `references/assessment-sections/traction-metrics.md` | Revenue, growth, engagement, unit economics with benchmarks |

**Group B — Market & Competition**

| Section | Template File | What It Produces |
|---------|--------------|-----------------| 
| A4: Market Analysis | `references/assessment-sections/market-analysis.md` | TAM/SAM/SOM, timing, tailwinds, macro factors |
| A5: Competitive Landscape | `references/assessment-sections/competitive-landscape.md` | Competitor map, positioning, moat assessment, comparable exits |
| A6: Team Evaluation | `references/assessment-sections/team-evaluation.md` | Founder profiles, team gaps, domain expertise, advisory board |

**Group C — Investment Decision**

| Section | Template File | What It Produces |
|---------|--------------|-----------------| 
| A7: Business Model & Economics | `references/assessment-sections/business-model.md` | Revenue model, unit economics, margin trajectory, capital efficiency |
| A8: Risk Matrix | `references/assessment-sections/risk-matrix.md` | Categorized risks (market, execution, team, regulatory, financial) with severity |
| A9: Deal Terms & Comparables | `references/assessment-sections/deal-terms.md` | Valuation context, comparable rounds, ownership math, return scenarios |
| A10: Founder Meeting Prep | `references/assessment-sections/meeting-prep.md` | Key questions, diligence items, reference check suggestions, 30-min meeting agenda |

**For each section:**
1. Read the section template file
2. Apply the archetype's Assessment Dimensions (found in each framework file)
3. Ground analysis in real data from Step 7
4. Generate section content
5. Check against quality criteria in the template

**Use the archetype framework's "Assessment Dimensions" section** for archetype-specific guidance on each assessment section.

## Step 9: Validate Assessment

Present the completed Assessment document and offer:
> Your Deal Assessment is ready. You can:
> - Request changes to any specific section
> - Add founder meeting notes for a revised assessment
> - Run comparable analysis against specific portfolio companies
> - Generate a founder response based on the assessment
> - Export key questions as a meeting prep doc
> - Flag this deal for partner meeting discussion

---

## Thesis Customization

If the user provides investment thesis criteria, apply them as weighted filters throughout the screening. Common thesis parameters:

**Stage & Check Size:**
- Stage focus (pre-seed, seed, series A, flexible)
- Check size range ($100K-$10M+)
- Follow-on strategy and reserve ratio

**Sector Focus:**
- Vertical preferences or exclusions
- Technology preferences (AI-first, blockchain, etc.)

**Traction Thresholds:**
- Minimum ARR or MRR for the target stage
- Growth rate expectations (MoM, YoY)
- User/customer count minimums

**Team Criteria:**
- Technical co-founder required?
- Domain expertise preferences
- Prior founding experience preference
- Diversity considerations

**Geographic Focus:**
- HQ location preferences
- Market focus (US, global, emerging markets)

**Deal Structure:**
- Preferred instruments (SAFE, priced round, convertible)
- Ownership targets
- Co-investor preferences (lead, follow, solo)

If no thesis is provided, use the general early-stage benchmarks in `references/general-benchmarks.md`.

---

## Reference Files

### Core
- `references/output-template.md` — Quick Screen Card output format
- `references/assessment-output-template.md` — Full Assessment document structure
- `references/general-benchmarks.md` — Stage-specific traction benchmarks (Seed through Series A)
- `references/example-outputs.md` — Complete Card examples across archetypes
- `references/red-flags-catalog.md` — Universal and archetype-specific dealbreakers and warning signs

### Archetype Frameworks (each includes Assessment Dimensions)
- `references/frameworks/saas.md`
- `references/frameworks/marketplace.md`
- `references/frameworks/deep-tech.md`
- `references/frameworks/consumer-dtc.md`
- `references/frameworks/fintech.md`
- `references/frameworks/healthtech.md`
- `references/frameworks/climate.md`
- `references/frameworks/devtools.md`
- `references/frameworks/hardware.md`
- `references/frameworks/services.md`

### Assessment Section Templates
- `references/assessment-sections/executive-summary.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/company-product.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/traction-metrics.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/market-analysis.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/competitive-landscape.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/team-evaluation.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/business-model.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/risk-matrix.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/deal-terms.md`
- `references/assessment-sections/meeting-prep.md`