Most companies raise capital in the dark. I change that. I do the analysis, give you a real score, and tell you exactly where you stand and why, before you walk into any room.
A founder submits a deck to 50 investors. Over the following weeks, they hear back from a handful. Most responses are silence. The few that do reply say some version of "not a fit right now," with no explanation of what "fit" actually means or what would need to change.
That feedback is not useful. It does not tell you whether the problem is the team, the market, the financial model, or how you are articulating your capital needs. It does not tell you whether you were close or miles away.
The investor is not being unkind. They simply do not have time to give substantive feedback to every company they review, and that is understandable. But it leaves founders with nothing to work with.
What Most Founders Hear
"Thanks for reaching out. This isn't the right fit for us at this time."
"We're going to pass. Good luck with the raise."
[No response]
None of these tell you what to fix, what to sharpen, or whether you were 5 points away from a yes.
Every company that completes the full evaluation receives a scored report with category breakdowns, strengths, concerns, and a clear explanation of where you stand and why. That report is yours regardless of the outcome.
Your company is evaluated on a 100-point rubric across four categories. You receive the full scored report: not a summary, not a vague impression. A number, category by category, with the reasoning behind it.
I tell you what is working and what is not. A 74 is a 74. I do not soften scores to win business. You get the same assessment an investor would form on their own, except I show you the reasoning and they never would.
The report tells you what to address, not just where you landed. Companies that fall below the introduction threshold receive specific feedback on what would need to improve before going to funders.
Every company that completes the full evaluation receives two core deliverables: a Scored Evaluation Report and a Value Drivers Assessment. For companies above the introduction threshold, I also build an Executive Summary and Financial Model Overview.
Document 1: Scored Evaluation Report
Document 2: Value Drivers Assessment
Each of the four categories reflects a different dimension of company readiness. Here is what I am actually assessing, and why it matters to sophisticated investors.
What I Evaluate
What I Evaluate
What I Evaluate
What I Evaluate
The single highest-weighted item in the entire evaluation is the Value Drivers assessment. It comes down to one question, and whether you can answer it clearly:
"If given $X, we will spend it on Y, which will produce Z: a specific, measurable outcome that creates this much revenue or value within this timeframe."
The Value Drivers Standard: Required for a Strong Capital ScoreA polished financial model matters less than rigorous thinking about cause and effect. Investors hear this question answered vaguely every day. The founders who stand out are the ones with a specific, defensible answer.
I work with you to build that answer as part of the evaluation process, before you speak to a single investor.
Weak Answer
"We need $3M to grow the business, hire some key people, and expand into new markets."
No specifics. No measurable outcomes. No timeline. This scores poorly and raises red flags with experienced investors.
Strong Answer
"We need $3M. $1.4M funds 3 regional sales hires, which at our current 28% close rate will produce $2.8M in new ARR within 18 months. $1.1M expands production capacity, reducing COGS by 12% and clearing our $900K backlog."
Specific. Measurable. Defensible. This is what the Value Drivers standard looks like in practice.
The Value Driver Framework does not just serve companies. It directly improves the quality of every deal that reaches your desk from Ironwood.
Every company has already been scored before you see it. You receive the full evaluation report, not just a pitch deck. The analysis is done. Your first conversation starts from a much higher baseline.
Companies that pass my threshold have already worked through their Value Drivers. You will not spend the first meeting asking what the capital is for. They have a specific, defensible answer ready.
The evaluation report surfaces strengths, flags concerns, and discloses knockout items before any introduction is made. Your diligence process starts from an informed position, not a blank page.
Start with a free read. It takes 10 to 15 minutes, and I respond personally within 5 business days.
Questions first? Contact me directly.