startup-problem-inventory

Startup Problem Inventory

When to use

Use when the user asks for startup ideas, wants to run an ideation sprint, has several domains to explore, or needs to turn founder experience into a list of problem candidates.

Do not produce a list of polished product ideas by default. First identify arenas where the founder has access, then collect raw problems and choose candidates worth putting into startup-problem-ledger.

Core rule

Treat a strong startup idea as a painful problem noticed from an unfair vantage point, made newly solvable by a change in technology, regulation, behaviour, cost, or distribution.

Use this mental model:

Strong candidate = painful problem + specific customer + founder insight + recent enabling change + cheap validation path + expansion option

Inputs to request if missing

Ask only the 3-5 questions that most affect the inventory:

Founder background:
Domains worked in:
Communities or customer groups reachable:
Tools, workflows, or industries personally suffered through:
Recent technology, regulation, or market changes noticed:
Ability to build or manually deliver a first solution:

If the user provides little context, still produce an inventory from stated experience and mark assumptions as Unknown.

Workflow

1. Identify 3-5 idea arenas where the founder has unfair access.
2. For each arena, list concrete workflows, recurring manual work, hated tools, compliance burdens, messy handoffs, spreadsheets, support complaints, or expensive services.
3. Capture raw problem candidates without designing products.
4. Screen each candidate for whether it is painful, specific, timely, underserved, founder-fit, and expandable.
5. Prefer boring, specific, reachable problems over broad market narratives.
6. Pick the best 3-5 candidates for startup-problem-ledger.
7. Create an evidence packet seed for the top candidate.

Opportunity properties

Use these properties as a fast screen, not as false precision: