The readiness scorecard is a structured self-assessment that scores how prepared your business is to raise capital. It turns a vague sense of 'are we ready?' into a number out of 100 and a tier, backed by a breakdown of where you are strong and where the gaps are. It is a diagnostic, not a gate — the point is to show you what to fix before you spend an investor's attention.
What it measures
The scorecard looks across the dimensions investors actually weigh: the clarity and evidence of the business case; the state of your financials; your legal, ownership and licensing base; your compliance position on exchange control and sanctions; and how clearly you have thought about structure and use of proceeds. Each dimension contributes to the overall score, so a single weak area can't hide behind strong ones.
How scoring works
- Each question is answered honestly — typically as fully met, partially met, or not yet met.
- Answers roll up into a score out of 100 across the dimensions above.
- The score maps to a tier that summarises your overall position at a glance.
- The breakdown shows which dimensions are dragging the score down — your priority list.
What your tier means
- Raise-ready: the fundamentals are in place. Focus on packaging — information memorandum, data room, term sheet — and start the conversations.
- Developing: a sound business with real gaps, usually in financials, licences or documented ownership. Close those before approaching capital.
- Not yet ready: foundational work is needed first. Treat the raise as a goal to build toward, not an immediate step.
A low score is useful, not discouraging. It is far cheaper to find a gap on your own scorecard than to have an investor find it in diligence and walk away. The score is a to-do list, not a verdict.
Turning a result into a plan
Start with the lowest-scoring dimension and work up. Where the gap is documentation, the templates here close it directly: scope the work with an adviser engagement letter, formalise who runs the raise with a capital raise mandate, and prepare the materials investors will read with an information memorandum cover. Re-run the scorecard as you go to watch the number move — and save each result to your portal to track progress over time.