Z1 Forge × SBV — Demo Day Judge Scorecard
SBV × Z1 Forge · Cohort 1 · Demo Day
Judge
Scorecard
Dev-to-Founder Edition — Evaluation Instrument
Judge Name
Affiliation / Role
Date
Presenter / Team Name
Product / Startup Name
Presentation Slot #
1Not evident
2Early / weak
3Developing
4Strong
5Exceptional
A Problem & Market Does this solve a real, valuable problem? — / 20
A1
The problem being solved is real and specific — not imagined or over-generalized.Can the presenter name who suffers this problem and how often?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
A2
The target user is clearly defined — a named, reachable segment, not "everyone."Is there evidence they've spoken to real users?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
A3
The market opportunity is plausible and the sizing logic is grounded — not just a TAM slide.Does their estimate reflect realistic penetration assumptions?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
A4
There are credible competitors or alternatives — and the presenter knows them honestly.Acknowledging competition shows market validation, not weakness.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
B Product & Traction Did they actually ship? Is it moving? — / 25
B1
The MVP is live and functional — not a mockup, not "almost ready."Could a stranger sign up and use this today?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
B2
Real users (outside the team's network) have tried the product.At least one uncoerced stranger used it and the team has the receipts.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
B3
There is measurable week-over-week movement in at least one key metric.Direction and slope matter more than the absolute number.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
B4
The presenter can explain why the metrics moved — not just report the numbers.Can they connect decisions made to outcomes observed?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
B5
There is at least one signal of retention or return — users came back without being asked.Even one retained user is meaningful at this stage.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
C Architecture & Build Judgment The Z1 differentiator — did they build to last? — / 20
C1
The presenter can articulate the architecture of their product — not just its features.Context diagram, logical layers, key decisions — not just a demo.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
C2
Key technical trade-offs were made deliberately — and the presenter can defend them.ADRs are evidence. "We just used what we knew" is not.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
C3
There is a credible path from the current MVP to a fully funded product — the roadmap is real.Not a feature wishlist. A phased, investment-backed delivery plan.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
C4
The build reflects business priorities — the right things were scoped for v1, the rest deferred.Over-engineering and under-scoping are both failures here.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
D Founder Quality Would you bet on this person? — / 20
D1
The presenter has clearly grown from developer-thinking to founder-thinking.Do they lead with problems, not features? Value, not code?
Score
1
2
3
4
5
D2
They demonstrate genuine intellectual honesty — about what isn't working, what they don't know.Founders who can't name their risks are dangerous.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
D3
There is evidence of adaptation — they changed something based on feedback or data.A pivot or scope change, documented and explained.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
D4
The presenter knows their role in the startup — and where they need complementary people.4H awareness: Hacker, Hustler, Hipster, Hound.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
E Pitch & Business Case Can they close a room? — / 15
E1
The business model is intelligible — how this makes money is clear, even if unproven.Not a revenue projection. A believable value exchange.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
E2
The ask is specific — they know what they need and what they'll do with it.Investment amount, use of funds, next 6-month milestone.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
E3
The pitch tells a story — it moves from problem to solution to traction to future with coherence.Compare against their Week 1 demo reel, if available.
Score
1
2
3
4
5
Section Subtotals →
A / 20—
B / 25—
C / 20—
D / 20—
E / 15—
Total / 100 —
★ Founder Archetype Select one — based on the overall picture, not just this pitch

Each archetype describes a legitimate founder profile. None is superior to another — they represent different strengths and different paths forward. Select the one that best captures the essence of this founder at this stage.

⬡
The Architect
Thinks in systems. Builds for durability. Strongest on structure; needs help selling.
Build-first Typically scores high on C
⚙
The Operator
Ships relentlessly. Adapts fast. Strong on traction; may under-invest in strategy.
Execution-first Typically scores high on B
◎
The Missionary
Deeply convicted on the problem. Strong storyteller. Needs to close the product loop.
Vision-first Typically scores high on A, E
◈
The Analyst
Data-driven. Knows their numbers cold. Can get stuck optimizing instead of growing.
Evidence-first Typically scores high on B, D
↗
The Navigator
Balanced across all dimensions. No single spike — strength is adaptability and range.
Range-first Scores distributed across all
⬡
The Pioneer
Operating in genuinely new territory. Low comp awareness but high origination. Needs guardrails.
Discovery-first Scores high on A1, low on A4
⇌
The Converter
Most transformed by the program. May not have the highest score — but the steepest growth curve.
Growth-first Delta from Week 1 is the signal
▲
The Specialist
Deep domain expertise; builds for a specific vertical. Knows the customer intimately. Needs to broaden pitch.
Domain-first Typically scores high on A1–A2
Strongest signal from this pitch
Biggest open question / risk
SBV × Z1 FORGE COHORT 1 · DEMO DAY · JUDGE COPY

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