Deal Screening Rubric: A 15-Minute First Pass That Scales
A practical deal screening rubric for inbound pitches. A repeatable 15-minute first pass that helps you move fast without missing outliers.
Most funds do not lose great deals because they said no. They lose great deals because they never made it to a real review. The pitch got buried under noise, the first pass was inconsistent, or the team could not explain why something was a fit.
A screening rubric solves that. It gives you a fast first pass that is consistent across analysts, partners, and weeks where the inbox is on fire.
This rubric is designed for the first 15 minutes. It is not a replacement for diligence. It is a way to decide what deserves diligence.
The 15-Minute Rubric
Scoring: 0 = no signal or mismatch. 1 = some signal, needs validation. 2 = strong signal, clear evidence.
Score each category 0 to 2. Total score is useful, but the real value is in the notes. Notes become the seed of your IC memo.
1) Problem and ICP Clarity
Problem is painful and specific
You can name the buyer, the trigger event, and the cost of doing nothing.
ICP is narrow and reachable
Early customers are in a segment you can target repeatedly.
2) Why Now
Timing is real
There is a clear shift: regulation, platform change, cost curve, or new workflow adoption.
3) Team Signal
Founder-market fit
Relevant domain experience or a credible reason this team sees the problem differently.
Execution evidence
Shipping cadence, prior wins, or specific examples of iterating based on customers.
4) Product and Differentiation
Demo shows real value fast
Time-to-value is short. The product is not a slide deck.
Differentiation is credible
Not just features. Think data, workflow lock-in, distribution, or switching costs.
5) Traction Quality
Traction is explained, not just claimed
Clear customer list, conversion funnel, or retention proof. Avoid vanity metrics.
Go-to-market motion is emerging
You can describe how they will get the next 10 customers.
6) Economics and Capital Efficiency
Burn and runway are realistic
Headcount and spend match stage. The next milestone is funded.
Unit economics are directionally sound (if relevant)
Margins and CAC assumptions are not fantasy. There is a path to durable economics.
Decision Rules (To Avoid Analysis Paralysis)
- Auto-advance when there is a 2 in either team or traction and no hard red flags.
- Hold when the story is strong but evidence is weak. Assign one disconfirming test.
- Pass fast when ICP is unclear and the wedge is not specific.
Where Rubrics Fail
A rubric is not a substitute for judgment. It fails when you treat it like a spreadsheet that produces an answer. Use it to structure thinking and to document why.
Operationalize It
The easiest way to make this stick is to embed it into the place where deals live. If your rubric is a doc nobody opens, it will not change behavior.
That is also why we built Flow. It turns inbound pitches into structured reviews, with consistent scoring and clear reasoning.
Next, pair screening with a structured diligence checklist:
Venture Capital Due Diligence Checklist: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
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