# Scoring System

IdeaTwister scores every option it produces 0 to 10 across five commercial dimensions, then blends them into one headline **Confidence Score**. But the five dimensions are not the same for everyone, because the question is not the same for everyone.

There are two rubrics:

## Founder scoring (a new idea)

If you bring one new idea, the engine rewards a fast standing start: can you reach the first real dollar quickly and keep it once you do? The five dimensions are **Buyer Urgency, Revenue Speed, Defensibility, Market Proof, and Distribution Edge**.

See the full [founder scoring system](/docs/scoring/founders) for the 0 to 10 bands, examples, and a worked example.

## Business scoring (an existing business)

If you run an existing business and want growth opportunities, the engine rewards reuse of what you already have: how much new revenue an opportunity adds on top of today, and how realistic it is for your current team. The five dimensions are **Revenue Expansion, Customer Demand, Distribution Leverage, Execution Complexity (higher = simpler), and Competitive Risk (higher = safer)**.

See the full [business scoring system](/docs/scoring/business) for the 0 to 10 bands, examples, and a worked example.

## Shared rules

- Scores spread across roughly the 4.0 to 9.0 band so the headline number is an honest discriminator, not everything parked near 7.
- A score of 7.0 or higher promotes an option to your Top Picks.
- Any single dimension below 4.0 is a Red Flag worth fixing first, even when the average looks good.
- The internal weighting that blends the five into the Confidence Score is part of the engine and is not something you set.
- Every option carries an honest Weaknesses section. High scores do not mean no risk.