The FundingDx Diagnostic
A forensic audit of your Series A investability.
I pinpoint the structural risks investors won't tell you about—and provide the remediation plan before you burn your leads.
You have strong metrics. You are still a risk.
You have product-market fit. Your revenue is growing. But investors keep passing with vague excuses: "Not right now," or "Come back with more traction."
The problem is rarely the business execution. It is the business logic.
Investors are finding structural flaws in your asset value that you cannot see from the inside.
This diagnostic exposes those flaws before you enter the diligence room.
The Diagnostic Protocol
I audit your startup using a forensic framework built on 30 years of deal flow and $75M+ in raised capital. This is not a "deck review." It is a diligence simulation designed to break your thesis so we can rebuild it stronger.
1. The Series A Stress Test
I apply the rigorous 7-Point Risk Protocol (Category Physics, Venture Thesis, Unit Economics, etc.) to your business. You receive a weighted "Diligence Score" that predicts your probability of passing an Investment Committee vote.
2. Identifying the "Silent No"
Investors rarely tell you the truth. They say "market too small" when they mean "low exit ceiling." They say "too early" when they mean "linear growth costs." I translate polite rejections into structural reality.
3. Remediation, Not Advice
You do not get "feedback." You get a Remediation Roadmap.
- Wrong: "Refine your story."
- Right: "Shift from Service Revenue to Platform Lock-in to fix the valuation cap."
The 7-Point Audit Framework
Your Diligence Score is calculated across seven structural dimensions.
1. Category Physics
Does the market allow for a venture-scale outcome, or are you fighting gravity?
What I Audit: Market liquidity, valuation ceilings, and competitive density.
2. Right to Win
Do you have a structural moat, or just a temporary lead?
What I Audit: Data assets, distribution monopolies, and defensibility.
3. Operator-Market Fit
Are you the "inevitable" winner, or just a "capable" participant?
What I Audit: Founder "earned secrets," proprietary networks, and execution velocity.
4. Venture Thesis
Does the math lead to a 10x return, or just a good business?
What I Audit: Exit logic, fund-return math, and internal "spreadability."
5. Product-Model Integrity
Does the product mechanism actually drive the revenue promise?
What I Audit: Demo-to-Deck alignment and technical feasibility.
6. Structural Lock-in
Why can't customers leave? (Retention Architecture).
What I Audit: Switching costs, data gravity, and expansion health (NRR).
7. Compounding Velocity
Does growth get easier over time? (Unit Economics).
What I Audit: CAC decay, LTV expansion, and growth loops.
Common Diligence Red Flags
Here are the structural gaps I routinely identify and fix:
The "Linear Growth" Trap
The Symptom: Strong revenue, but high headcount.
The Diagnosis: You are pitching a "Platform" but building a "Consultancy."
The Fix: Restructure the revenue model to prioritize high-margin recurring revenue over service-heavy growth.
The "Feature" Valuation
The Symptom: Investors compare you to small tools, not big outcomes.
The Diagnosis: You are winning on "Efficiency" (small budget) instead of "Infrastructure" (large budget).
The Fix: Shift the "Category Physics" to force a comparison with legacy enterprise software, not modern point solutions.
The "Thesis Void"
The Symptom: Investors like the meeting but ghost you afterwards.
The Diagnosis: Your story is logical but not "spreadable." Your internal champion cannot sell it to their partners.
The Fix: Engineer a "Venture Thesis" simple enough to survive a game of telephone inside the VC firm.
The Audit Timeline
From intake to final report in exactly two weeks.
Step 1: Intake & Data Room (Days 1-3)
You submit your pitch deck, financial model, and current metrics. I perform a "Cold Read" analysis—auditing your materials exactly as a cynical Associate would, looking for reasons to say "No" immediately.
Step 2: The Diligence Simulation (Day 5)
120-Minute Live Session.
We meet via Zoom. This is not a chat. I interview you as a General Partner, probing your weak points, challenging your assumptions, and stress-testing your answers.
Focus: Gap analysis between your perception and investor reality.
Step 3: Forensic Reporting (Days 6-12)
I compile the Series A Readiness Report (25+ pages).
- • Scored breakdown of all 7 Dimensions.
- • "Red Flag" identification.
- • Structural remediation plan.
Step 4: The Debrief & Remediation Strategy (Day 14)
45-Minute Strategy Call.
We review the findings. I walk you through the fixes. We prioritize the "Killer Risks" that must be resolved before you send a single email to investors.
Audit Deliverables
The Series A Readiness Report
- • Diligence Score: Weighted 0-100 assessment of fundability.
- • Gap Analysis: Precise identification of where the deal falls apart.
- • Investor Perception Map: Exactly how they will view your current state.
- • Remediation Roadmap: The specific changes (Logic, Metrics, Narrative) required to pass.
One-time fee. 14-day turnaround.
- Pre-Audit Data Room Review
- 120-Minute Diligence Simulation
- 25+ Page Forensic Report
- Remediation Strategy Session
Why FundingDx?
30 Years of Pattern Recognition.
I do not guess. I recognize patterns. I have seen hundreds of deals succeed and fail. This diagnostic systemizes that experience into a repeatable framework.
Forensic, Not Friendly.
Your advisors are too close to tell you the truth. I am paid to be the "Red Team"—finding the flaws in your logic before they cost you millions in lost capital.
Stop guessing. Start closing.