Question 1

Why did my startup get a low score?

Accepted Answer

Low scores usually reflect weak market fit, crowded competition, unclear differentiation, or high execution risk. Our AI analyzes your idea across these dimensions and explains the main issues in the breakdown. Use the verdict and suggested pivot to refine your concept and re-roast to see improvement.

Question 2

What do the roast score tiers mean?

Accepted Answer

Ship It (85–100): Strong idea, worth validating further. Decent (70–84): Promising but has gaps to address. Needs Work (50–69): Significant issues; use feedback to iterate. Roasted (0–49): Major concerns; consider pivoting or solving the core problem before building.

Question 3

How does DontBuildThis score startup ideas?

Accepted Answer

Our AI evaluates your idea on market fit, competition, differentiation, execution risk, and clarity. It returns a score out of 100, a tier, a verdict, and a detailed breakdown so you know exactly what to improve before spending time and money building.

Question 4

Can I improve my startup idea score?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use the breakdown and verdict to address weak points, then submit an updated idea or pivot. Many founders improve their score by narrowing the problem, clarifying the target customer, or strengthening their unique angle.

Question 5

What is a good score for a startup idea?

Accepted Answer

Scores of 70+ indicate promising ideas worth exploring. 85+ suggests strong potential. Scores below 50 mean the idea likely needs significant rework or a pivot before it’s worth building.

Question 6

What score did "Develop SmartCold, an Arduino (ESP32)-based refrigeration monitoring system for foodservice businesses (restaurants, bakeries, markets, butcher shops, food trucks). Focus on solving the core pains: food waste and compliance fines. Start with a dead-simple, self-install sensor kit: Arduino ESP32 with temperature/humidity + door sensor in an IP65 enclosure with battery backup, sending WhatsApp alerts (official API) and generating automatic compliance PDFs (ANVISA format). Avoid feature bloat—no AI or complex integrations at launch. The MVP must be cheap, reliable, fast to install, and usable without technicians, positioned as a SaaS + hardware kit (subsidized upfront, monthly fee for cloud + compliance). Roadmap: Phase 1 – WhatsApp alerts + compliance PDFs; Phase 2 – dashboard, mobile app, and analytics (after 100 units sold); Phase 3 – integrations and predictive maintenance (once scale is proven). Competitive edge: 70% cheaper, self-install, local compliance focus, Portuguese support. The goal is not selling sensors but delivering regulatory peace of mind and reduced food waste. Prove traction by selling and supporting 100 units before expanding into advanced features." get?

Accepted Answer

"Develop SmartCold, an Arduino (ESP32)-based refrigeration monitoring system for foodservice businesses (restaurants, bakeries, markets, butcher shops, food trucks). Focus on solving the core pains: food waste and compliance fines. Start with a dead-simple, self-install sensor kit: Arduino ESP32 with temperature/humidity + door sensor in an IP65 enclosure with battery backup, sending WhatsApp alerts (official API) and generating automatic compliance PDFs (ANVISA format). Avoid feature bloat—no AI or complex integrations at launch. The MVP must be cheap, reliable, fast to install, and usable without technicians, positioned as a SaaS + hardware kit (subsidized upfront, monthly fee for cloud + compliance). Roadmap: Phase 1 – WhatsApp alerts + compliance PDFs; Phase 2 – dashboard, mobile app, and analytics (after 100 units sold); Phase 3 – integrations and predictive maintenance (once scale is proven). Competitive edge: 70% cheaper, self-install, local compliance focus, Portuguese support. The goal is not selling sensors but delivering regulatory peace of mind and reduced food waste. Prove traction by selling and supporting 100 units before expanding into advanced features." scored 89/100 (🔥 Ship It). This is the rare IoT SaaS wedge that actually solves a budgeted pain—ship it yesterday.