EVERY DEAL GETS SCORED THE SAME WAY.
Not gut feel. Not vibes. A structured, documented evaluation of every company that reaches the data room stage. Every completed evaluation makes the model stronger.
BRINGING CONSISTENCY TO EARLY-STAGE
- ✕ Evaluate companies in isolation
- ✕ No consistent framework across deals
- ✕ Comparing opportunities is difficult
- ✕ Decisions lean on gut feeling
- → Same framework, every company, every time
- → Structured, documented, comparable
- → Built for consistency across the portfolio
- → Decisions backed by data, not impressions
The Gate34 Scorecard was built to bring structure, consistency, and transparency to early-stage investing, enabled by our focused thesis and deep specialization in sports and sports tech.
SEVEN CATEGORIES. WEIGHTED BY STAGE.
Each category is scored 0 to 10. At pre-seed, Team carries 40 to 50 percent of the total score. At this stage, the team is the thesis.
[YOUR COMPANY]THIS IS NOT A PITCH DECK REVIEW.
We go through everything. Every scorecard is a full company evaluation. That is why the number stays low.
After 50+ evaluations through the same framework, clear patterns emerge. The companies with a real edge stand out every time. But the model also catches what humans miss, even after deep diligence. It finds the risks that don't surface any other way. Uncomfortably honest. That is exactly the point.
Only companies that reach the data room stage or join The Locker Room cohort go through this level of evaluation.
THE FRAMEWORK IS INTENTIONALLY UNFORGIVING.
At pre-seed, every company has weaknesses. The question is not whether risks exist, but whether the opportunity is strong enough to justify them.
A SCORE ABOVE 8.5 IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE. THAT IS BY DESIGN.
If a company scores over 8.5, it usually means the valuation cap is no longer sub $10M.