Startup Analysis Produces a multi-perspective analysis of a startup, examining it through three lenses that each reveal different aspects of company health and potential: VC Investor Lens — Is this a good investment? Market size, unit economics, growth trajectory, team quality, defensibility Job Applicant Lens — Should I work here? Equity value, runway risk, culture signals, career growth, compensation fairness CEO/Founder Lens — How healthy is this company? Product-market fit, burn efficiency, competitive moat, organizational health Each perspective surfaces insights the others miss. A company can be a great investment but a terrible place to work (or vice versa). The goal is to give the user a 360-degree view so they can make informed decisions. Step 1: Gather Information Before analyzing, collect as much public information as possible about the startup. Use web search, the company's website, Crunchbase data, press coverage, and any other available sources. Key data to gather: Category What to find Basics Founded year, HQ location, employee count, what the product does Funding Total raised, last round (size, date, valuation if known), key investors Product What they sell, who buys it, pricing model, key competitors Traction Users, revenue (if public), growth signals, notable customers Team Founders' backgrounds, key hires, LinkedIn headcount trends Market Industry, market size estimates, tailwinds/headwinds News Recent press, product launches, partnerships, layoffs, pivots If certain data isn't publicly available (e.g., revenue for private companies), note the gap and infer what you can from indirect signals (hiring pace, customer logos, web traffic proxies, job postings). When information is insufficient Many startups — especially early-stage or niche ones — have limited public presence. If web search does not return enough information to produce a meaningful analysis (e.g., you can't determine what the company does, who founded it, or how it's funded), ask the user to provide the company's website URL before proceeding. The company website is often the single most information-dense source, and reading it directly (about page, pricing page, team page, blog) can fill most gaps. You can also ask the user for: The company's website or landing page URL A Crunchbase, LinkedIn, or PitchBook link Any pitch deck, job listing, or press article they have Specific context they already know (e.g., "they just raised a Series A from Sequoia") It is better to ask for a URL and produce an accurate analysis than to guess and produce a misleading one. Step 2: Determine Which Perspectives to Cover By default, produce all three perspectives. If the user specifies a particular angle (e.g., "I'm considering joining them" or "should I invest"), emphasize that perspective but still include the others as context — they often reveal relevant information. User's situation Primary perspective Still include Considering investing VC Investor Job Applicant (talent signal), CEO (operational health) Considering a job offer Job Applicant VC Investor (funding runway), CEO (strategic direction) Running the company / advisory CEO/Founder VC Investor (how investors see you), Job Applicant (talent attractiveness) General curiosity / research All equally — Step 3: Analyze from Each Perspective Read the relevant reference files for the detailed framework for each perspective. These contain the specific criteria, metrics, and red/green flags to evaluate. VC Investor Analysis Read references/vc-framework.md for the full evaluation framework. Core areas to assess: Market opportunity — TAM/SAM/SOM, market timing, secular trends Product & traction — Product-market fit signals, growth metrics, retention Unit economics — CAC, LTV, margins, burn multiple, path to profitability Team — Founder-market fit, technical depth, hiring ability Defensibility — Moats (network effects, switching costs, data, brand, regulatory) Deal terms context — Stage-appropriate valuation, comparable exits Produce a clear Investment Thesis (bull case) and Key Risks (bear case). End with a verdict: Strong Pass / Lean Pass / Lean Invest / Strong Invest, with reasoning. Job Applicant Analysis Read references/job-applicant-framework.md for the full evaluation framework. Core areas to assess: Financial stability — Runway, burn rate, funding trajectory, revenue health Equity value — Option/equity package analysis, dilution risk, liquidation preferences, realistic exit scenarios Career growth — Role scope, learning opportunity, resume value, mentorship Culture & work-life — Glassdoor signals, employee tenure data, leadership style Product & market risk — Is PMF real? What happens if the startup fails? Red flags — High turnover, constant pivots, vague metrics, founders cashing out Produce a clear Why Join (pros) and Watch Out For (risks). End with a verdict: Strong Pass / Lean Pass / Lean Join / Strong Join, with reasoning. CEO/Founder Analysis Read references/ceo-framework.md for the full evaluation framework. Core areas to assess: Product-market fit — Retention curves, organic growth, Sean Ellis test proxy Growth efficiency — Burn multiple, CAC payback, magic number Competitive position — Moat strength, competitive dynamics, market share trajectory Organizational health — Hiring pipeline, attrition, team capability gaps Fundraising readiness — Metrics vs. benchmarks for next round, investor narrative Strategic risks — Platform dependency, customer concentration, regulatory exposure Produce a clear Strengths to Double Down On and Urgent Areas to Address . End with a health grade: Critical / Struggling / Stable / Strong / Exceptional, with reasoning. Step 4: Synthesize Cross-Perspective Insights After the three analyses, add a synthesis section that highlights: Where perspectives agree — If all three lenses flag the same strength or weakness, it's probably real Where perspectives diverge — A company can be VC-attractive (huge market) but employee-risky (high burn, low runway). Call these out. The bottom line — One paragraph summary: what kind of company is this, what's its most likely trajectory, and what should the user do based on their stated (or implied) situation Step 5: Present the Report Structure the output as a clean, scannable report:

[Company Name] — Startup Analysis

Summary

[2-3 sentence overview with key verdict]

VC Investor Perspective

Market Opportunity

Product & Traction

Unit Economics (if available)

Team

Defensibility

Investment Verdict: [Strong Pass / Lean Pass / Lean Invest / Strong Invest]

[Reasoning]

Job Applicant Perspective

Financial Stability

Equity Value Assessment

Career Growth Potential

Culture & Work-Life Signals

Risk Factors

Employment Verdict: [Strong Pass / Lean Pass / Lean Join / Strong Join]

[Reasoning]

CEO/Founder Perspective

Product-Market Fit Assessment

Growth Efficiency

Competitive Position

Organizational Health

Strategic Risks

Health Grade: [Critical / Struggling / Stable / Strong / Exceptional]

[Reasoning]

Cross-Perspective Synthesis

Points of Agreement

Points of Divergence

Bottom Line

Adapt section depth to available data — if financials are completely opaque, say so and focus on what's observable. Don't fabricate metrics, but do make informed inferences and state your confidence level. Reference Files references/vc-framework.md — VC due diligence checklist with metrics, benchmarks, and red/green flags references/job-applicant-framework.md — Job seeker evaluation framework with equity analysis and culture assessment references/ceo-framework.md — CEO self-assessment framework with operational metrics and strategic analysis Read these when you need the detailed criteria and benchmarks for each perspective.