Methodology

How the Eisen Fundability Score Works

The Eisen Fundability Score (EFS) measures how likely a pre-seed, seed or Series A startup is to attract multiple competing term sheets. It is based on the Invisible Game methodology developed by Leon Eisen, which treats fundraising as a system of signals that investors read long before a founder pitches.

Founders answer 24 questions grouped into five weighted forces of fundability, plus an Offer Power Index scored out of 10. The weighted forces add up to a score out of 100:

Process: Founder-Investor Dynamics (30%): How deliberately you run the raise: a defined close window, a sequenced investor list, and the momentum that creates competition instead of one-by-one meetings.
Proof: Traction to Conversion (25%): The traction, retention, revenue and customer evidence that turns investor curiosity into conversion. It is the hardest signal to fake.
Positioning: Narrative Power (20%): Why your company wins, why now, and why this team. Strong positioning makes your round feel scarce and category-defining rather than interchangeable.
Packaging: Deal Architecture (20%): How clearly your deck, terms and round structure communicate the opportunity, so an investor can understand and forward your story in minutes.
Planning: Capital Planning (5%): Use of funds, milestones and runway. Investors back founders who know exactly what the next round of capital will unlock.

Founder Score, Deck Signal Score and Verified EFS

Self-assessment alone is optimistic, so every answer is checked against the founder's uploaded pitch deck. The report produces three outputs: the Founder Score (self-reported), the Deck Signal Score (what the deck alone demonstrates) and the Verified EFS (a blended score that penalizes claims the deck contradicts).

The Perception Gap, the difference between the Founder Score and the Verified EFS, shows where a founder believes they are stronger than investors will see. Scores fall into five bands, from High Fundability (85 to 100) down to Build Before Raising (below 50), each with prioritized actions to close the distance.