Frequently Asked Questions

What is SeedForge?

Investors decide on two things: is this team real, and is this traction real. SeedForge proves both.

A 30-minute AI evaluation with a realistic avatar pressure-tests what you actually know, not what your deck says, and checks your claims against connected data sources like LinkedIn (with GitHub, Stripe, and more integrations coming soon). Every startup is analyzed through four investor lenses: The Oracle (conviction-stage visionaries), The Hustler (execution-velocity operators), The Architect (systems-and-moat builders), and The Hawk (evidence-driven pragmatists). You learn not just whether you're fundable, but which type of investor would actually back you.

Every founder can use SeedForge as a free data room and feedback tool. You get a Living Profile: your evaluation results, verified metrics, and documents in one shareable link. Investors see verified proof of the founder and the traction before the first call. You get honest feedback instead of silence.

How does the AI evaluation work?

The AI evaluation is a live 30-minute deep-dive with a realistic AI avatar. It asks the same questions VCs ask in the first three meetings, structured across five dimensions: Team, Market, Problem and Solution, Traction, and Vision.

During the evaluation, the AI checks your claims against connected data sources (currently LinkedIn, with GitHub, Stripe, and more coming soon) in real time. The evaluation also runs background checks on your team, market, technology, and competition.

Every startup is then analyzed through four distinct investor lenses. Each archetype applies different weights to what matters. The output is a structured analysis showing which type of investor would actually back you, and why.

What questions does the AI ask?

The AI covers five dimensions that VCs typically explore across the first three meetings: Team (background, co-founder dynamics, why this team wins), Market (size, timing, competitive landscape), Problem and Solution (technical depth, differentiation, defensibility), Traction (revenue, users, unit economics, growth rate), and Vision (where this goes in 5 years and why now).

These questions were designed by David Rakusan, who spent 7 years on the investor side leading 30+ due diligences. The AI doesn't ask surface questions. It pressure-tests logic, resilience, and technical depth, the same way a real VC partner would in a first meeting.

Founders who go through the evaluation know exactly what to expect when they sit across from real investors.

What do I get after the evaluation?

You get verified proof that your startup is real, packaged so investors can see it before the first call.

The Living Profile puts everything in one shareable link: AI evaluation results with diagnostic feedback across all five dimensions. A private Dashboard for tracking your own metrics and progress. A Data Room for your pitch deck and supporting documents. An Evaluation Report showing how your startup looks through four investor lenses. You choose which sections to share with each investor.

You see exactly where you scored well, where the gaps are, and what investors will ask about first. Once three or more investors have opened your Profile, SeedForge surfaces granular, anonymized behavioral intelligence: which specific arguments resonated, which claims investors engaged with most, which sections they likely agreed or disagreed with, and where conviction dropped off. This is not “investor spent 30 seconds on your team slide.” It is argument-level feedback on what investors truly care about.

The Profile updates automatically as you add data, hit milestones, or connect new data sources. Investors always see current signal, not a stale snapshot.

What are the four investor archetypes?

Every startup on SeedForge is analyzed through four distinct investor lenses. This is the answer to “how would different VCs see my company?”

Founders see their startup through all four lenses. They learn not just whether they're fundable, but which type of investor would actually back them. This is unique to SeedForge. No other platform shows founders how different investor types would react to their company.

How much does SeedForge cost?

The top 5% of startups by SeedForge Score get Premium for free, automatically. No application, no waitlist. No hidden fees on any plan. No long-term commitments.

What if I don't score well?

A low score is not a dead end. Every founder gets diagnostic feedback: where you scored well, where you fell short, and what to improve. Once three or more investors have opened your Profile, SeedForge surfaces granular, anonymized behavioral intelligence: which arguments resonated, which claims investors engaged with, and where conviction dropped off. This is argument-level signal from real investor behavior, not guesswork.

You can update your deck, add traction, and run a new evaluation anytime (included in Premium and Ultimate, or available as an add-on). The Dashboard tracks what's improving, where the gaps remain, and what to focus on next.

SeedForge exists to help founders get ready, not to gatekeep.

How is SeedForge different from pitch simulators?

Pitch simulators are chatbots. They simulate a conversation, then it's over. SeedForge is a structured 30-minute AI evaluation with a realistic avatar that pressure-tests founders the way real VCs do. It checks claims against connected data sources in real time.

The critical difference: pitch simulators produce nothing investors can use. After a simulator, you feel more confident. After SeedForge, you have a Living Profile with diagnostic feedback, investor-lens analysis across four archetypes, and a shareable link.

Investors see the founder and the traction, verified, before the first call. No simulator produces that.

How is SeedForge different from a data room?

Traditional data rooms are document storage: folders with decks, financials, and cap tables. A SeedForge Profile is a living data room that starts with verified proof of the founder, not documents.

It includes the AI evaluation output, all your documents, and an Evaluation Report customized to different investor theses. You also get a private Dashboard to track your own metrics and progress. Once three or more investors have opened your Profile, SeedForge surfaces granular, anonymized behavioral intelligence. This goes far beyond basic analytics like “investor spent 30 seconds on slide 3.” SeedForge shows you which specific arguments resonated, which claims investors engaged with most, which sections they likely agreed or disagreed with, and where conviction dropped off.

This is argument-level feedback on what investors truly care about. Founders use this signal to sharpen their pitch, fix weak spots, and understand what matters to real investors. Every founder can use SeedForge as a free data room and feedback tool from day one.

What data sources does SeedForge connect to?

SeedForge proves the traction through connected data. Data connected via API is marked Verified. Manual entries are marked Stated. Investors see immediately which metrics are confirmed and which are self-reported.

LinkedIn is live today: SeedForge connects to team profiles, work history, and professional background. Integrations with GitHub (commit frequency, shipping velocity), Stripe (revenue, MRR, growth rate), Google Analytics (traffic, acquisition channels), Plaid (bank account data), and QuickBooks (financial data) are coming soon.

As more data sources come online, founders can connect them to strengthen their Profile automatically. More connected data means stronger proof and more signal for investors.

Can I update my Profile after the evaluation?

Yes. The SeedForge Profile is a living document designed to grow with your company, not freeze at a single point in time. Update your deck, add traction metrics, and upload new documents at any time. As new data source integrations launch (GitHub, Stripe, Google Analytics, and more), connected metrics will update automatically.

You can also run a new AI evaluation anytime (included in Premium and Ultimate, or available as an add-on) to get fresh diagnostic feedback as your startup evolves. Investors always see the most current version.

How do investors use my SeedForge Profile?

You share your Profile via one link. Investors open it and see what you choose to share: the AI evaluation recording, the Evaluation Report customized to their investment thesis, and the Data Room with all documents. You control exactly which sections each investor can access.

Because the Profile contains verified proof of the founder and the traction, the first meeting starts at “tell me more about X” instead of “so, what do you do?” Investors can also generate customized diligence tied to their specific thesis with a single click. The Profile updates automatically, so investors always see current data.

Is my data safe? Who can see my SeedForge Profile?

Your data is yours. SeedForge never shares your Profile, evaluation recording, documents, or any connected data without your explicit consent.

Founders control sharing at every level. You choose which sections of your Profile to make visible: evaluation results, Data Room, Evaluation Report. You can share everything with one investor and only the Data Room with another. You can send each investor a unique link configured individually.

Investor access is logged. You see exactly who opened your Profile, when, and which sections they viewed. You can revoke access to any investor at any time.

Can I control who sees my Profile?

Yes. Founders have full control over who sees what. You can share your entire Profile or select specific sections: evaluation results, Data Room documents, or Evaluation Report. You can send each investor a unique link, and you can configure permissions per investor.

Want one VC to see your full evaluation recording but only send financials to another? You can do that. You can also revoke access at any time.

Nothing is public by default. Your Profile is only visible to investors you explicitly share it with. SeedForge logs every investor interaction, so you always know who viewed your Profile and what they looked at.

What is SeedForge Link?

SeedForge Link is a custom URL (seedforge.com/your-fund) that you embed on your website, X bio, or LinkedIn. Every inbound pitch is automatically screened, evaluated, and ranked against your fund's investment thesis, 24/7, without analyst time.

As you interact with deals (passing, connecting, spending time on profiles), SeedForge learns your actual preferences and builds a custom evaluation model unique to your fund. The more you use it, the better it filters.

Verified founders. Verified traction. You just decide.