YC Startup Problem Validator

Cur Síos

Validate your startup problem like YC partners would before writing any code or sending pitches. Runs you through 5 structured validation gates using battle-tested frameworks from Y Combinator, The Mom Test, and real founder patterns. Gate 1 Hair-on-Fire Test (burning problem vs nice-to-have using magnitude and frequency quadrants), Gate 2 Specificity Test (surgical ICP definition with persona sentence), Gate 3 Mom Test Gate (honest interview questions that reveal real pain vs polite complaints), Gate 4 Why Now Gate (market shift, technology unlock, behavior change, timing argument), and Gate 5 Willingness-to-Pay Test (7-day smoke test without building). Each gate includes diagnostic prompts, strong vs weak answer indicators, and pass/warning/kill verdicts. Get clear validation or refine before investing months building. Perfect for first-time founders, YC applicants, accelerator candidates, pre-seed entrepreneurs, and anyone with a startup idea who needs to prove the problem is real before building, pitching investors, or raising capital. ⚠️ IMPORTANT! This is a validation framework that runs entirely in Claude. No additional tools needed. Just describe your startup idea and Claude will guide you through all 5 validation gates with specific diagnostic questions and verdict criteria. Pass all 5 gates and you have a validated problem worth building on.