Startup EcoSystem, Inc.

DealIQ™ FAQ

DealIQ™ Versions

DealIQ™ is offered in 3 distinct versions that evolve from one to the next

    • DealIQ™ Lite – is offered at no cost for use by angel groups, accelerators, and incubators and the founders working with these groups. A Founder or Funding Applicant gains access to the DealIQ™ Lite survey and report via an application to an angel group, accelerator, incubator, or other investment organization that is enrolled with Startup EcoSystem™ to use the DealIQ™ Lite survey and report. 
    • DealIQ™ Full – the Full version of DealIQ™ builds upon information entered into a DealIQ™ Survey to accept input from Founders seeking to provide the investment groups to which they have applied with more detailed information about their business and funding request. DealIQ™ Full is available to Founders on a subscription basis, where the initial and renewable subscription is for an initial period of six (6) months, and may be renewed for additional 6-month periods of use. Where the use of DealIQ™ Full is on a subscription basis, the circulation of access to completed DealIQ™ Full reports via the associated secure access link is subject to the controlled release of the subscribing business. Each DealIQ™ Full survey and the resulting report may be updated for the duration of the subscription period.
    • DealIQ™ Due Diligence – the Due Diligence version of DealIQ™ builds upon the Full version of DealIQ™ to allow for the upload of supporting documents by Founders seeking funding. The ability for a Founder to update and manage the circulation of their DealIQ™ Due Diligence survey and report is identical to the controls indicated for the DealIQ™ Full survey and report.
What does DealIQ Provide?

DealIQ™ Lite provides a survey which when combined with the Startup EcoSystem™ database of early-stage and startup funding success produces a report for the benefit of both Founders (funding applicants) and Investors (most often angel and other early-stage investors, accelerators or incubators) with a reliable evaluation as to how ready the proposed offering or “deal” is for funding.

How Many Sections in DealIQ™

DealIQ™ in all forms (Lite, Full and Due Diligence) contains 12 distinct sections. Sections are completed in sequence and may include input from one or more members of your management or founder team.

What are the Sections of DealIQ™

DealIQ™ sections by topic can be reviewed by clicking here.

How much time is required to complete the DealIQ™ Survey?

The amount of time that is required to complete the DealIQ™ survey depends on two factors.

  1. How prepared are you (the Founder or Applicant), to provide factual information concerning your business, your proposed financial investment offering, and your business plan?
    1. Collected metrics indicate that well-prepared applicants can complete the DealIQ™ Lite survey in well under an hour, while less-ready applicants can require up to 3 1/2 hours. 
  2. What version or level of the DealIQ™ survey will you be completing?
    1. DealIQ™ Lite – well-prepared applicants < 1 hour (the record is 42 minutes), less well-prepared applicants up to 3.5 hours (the current maximum time to complete and submit is 3 hours 20 minutes).
    2. DealIQ™ Full – well-prepared applicants < 1 hour 45 minutes, less well-prepared applicants have taken up to 5.5 hours to complete and submit the DealIQ™ Full survey. 
    3. DealIQ™ Due Diligence – where DealIQ™ Due Diligence is a direct extension of the DealIQ™ Full survey, typically the additional time to complete is less than 30 minutes beyond the time required to complete the base DealIQ™ Full survey. 
What Industry Verticals or Sectors do you focus on?

We concentrate our investing activities in the following sectors/industries:

    • Cyber Security & Enterprise Software
    • FinTech E-Commerce & Payment Processing
    • Lifestyle, Social & Mindfulness
    • Logistics & Transportation
    • Healthcare, Medical & Sports-related
    • Saas & WaaS
    • Hospitality, Restaurants & Retail

Visit our Verticals page, or our Member Portfolio companies to learn more and see more definitive areas of investment.

Where does Startup EcoSystem make Investment?

Startup Ecosystem™ and its members make investment in businesses with headquarter location in:

    • United States of America
    • Canada
How does Startup Ecosystem™ add value beyond funding?
    • Introductions to potential Series A+ investors
    • Mentoring/coaching to management
      • We love advising best practices to prepare for future rounds of financing, scaling up governance, hiring and retaining talent,
        go-to-market strategy, etc.
    • Introductions to potential customers/industry contacts in our broad ecosystem of investors and partners. 
What is your application and deal flow process?
  1. Application
  2. DealIQ Survey & Report
  3. Pre-Screening
  4. Screening
  5. Due Diligence – within our due diligence process, we typically provide constructive feedback and advice to the companies with applications under review.
  6. Live or Virtual Presentation or “Pitch” to Startup Ecosystem Members.

Learn more about our deal flow management process by visiting Our Process on this site.