Venture Capital Due Diligence Toolkit — 50 Prompts

Evaluate Startups Like a Tier-1 VC Partner

VC due diligence determines which investments return 100x and which go to zero. These 50 prompts give investors, analysts, and associates the systematic evaluation frameworks used by top-tier firms — from initial screening through deal memo to portfolio monitoring.

Each prompt uses chain-of-thought for investment analysis, tree-of-thought for scenario evaluation, and self-consistency for thesis validation. Variables like {{sector}}, {{stage}}, {{check_size}}, and {{fund_thesis}} ensure relevant, fund-specific analysis.

What's Inside — 50 Expert Prompts

• Market Sizing Validator — Validates {{market}} TAM/SAM/SOM using top-down and bottom-up approaches with assumption stress-testing and bull/bear scenarios.
• Technical Due Diligence Reviewer — Evaluates {{startup}} technology: architecture quality, scalability, technical debt, IP defensibility, and team capability assessment.
• Founder Assessment Framework — Evaluates {{founder}} on 12 dimensions: domain expertise, execution track record, resilience, coachability, vision clarity, and team-building ability.
• Competitive Landscape Mapper — Maps {{market}} competitive dynamics with positioning matrix, feature comparison, moat analysis, and disruption risk assessment.
• Reference Check Script Generator — Creates structured reference check questions for {{candidate}} role with behavioral indicators and red flag detection.
• Deal Memo Generator — Produces investment memo for {{company}} with thesis, market analysis, competitive positioning, financial projections, risks, and terms recommendation.
• Portfolio Reporting Dashboard — Designs portfolio monitoring for {{fund}} with key metrics per company, follow-on decision triggers, and portfolio-level analytics.
• Investment Thesis Builder — Develops investment thesis for {{sector}} with macro trends, value chain analysis, timing rationale, and ideal company profile.
• Unit Economics Deep Dive — Analyzes {{company}} unit economics with fully-loaded CAC, true LTV, payback period, and gross margin trajectory.
• Term Sheet Analyzer — Reviews {{term_sheet}} for founder-friendliness, investor protections, and economic terms comparison against market standards.
• Customer Due Diligence Script — Creates customer interview guide for {{product}} verifying product-market fit, switching costs, NPS drivers, and expansion intent.
• Business Model Stress Tester — Stress-tests {{business_model}} against market downturns, competition, regulation, and customer concentration risks.
• Follow-On Decision Framework — Evaluates follow-on investment in {{portfolio_company}} with milestone assessment, bridge vs round analysis, and signaling considerations.
• Exit Analysis Modeler — Projects exit scenarios for {{company}} with comparable M&A, IPO timing, and return analysis at various valuations.
• ESG Impact Assessment — Evaluates {{company}} for ESG impact with environmental, social, and governance scoring and reporting framework.

Each Prompt Includes

• {{placeholder}} variables for sector, stage, fund thesis, and specific company details
• Expected output: deal memos, analysis reports, interview scripts, or financial models
• Chain-of-thought investment analysis with thesis validation and risk identification
• Anti-patterns: pattern matching bias, FOMO investing, and due diligence shortcuts

Who This Is For

• VC associates and analysts conducting due diligence and writing deal memos
• Angel investors who want institutional-grade evaluation processes
• Fund managers building repeatable investment processes
• Founders who want to understand how VCs evaluate their companies

What Makes This Different

• Based on real VC due diligence processes — not academic frameworks but practitioner tools
• Covers the FULL investment cycle: sourcing, screening, diligence, decision, and monitoring
• Includes India/emerging market context: regulatory considerations, exit landscape, and local market dynamics

Works With

ChatGPT (GPT-4+), Claude (3.5+), Gemini Pro. Best with Claude for complex analytical reasoning.