pre$premoneyvaluation.com
Ohio TechAngels · 2010s

Risk Factor Summation

Founder takeaway

Founder reading: read this as the angel's risk-shopping list. Whichever factor they score -2 on is where they think they can negotiate you down. Pre-empt the conversation: identify your bottom-3 risk factors and lead the meeting with how you've mitigated them.

Best for

Sanity check against 12 risk dimensions.

Formula
Base ± (Σ risk scores × $250K), each factor -2 to +2

Inputs

  • Base valuation
  • 12 risks: management, stage, legal, manufacturing, sales, funding, competition, technology, litigation, international, reputation, exit

Caveats

  • 12 dimensions are broad
  • $250K/score is convention
  • Best as triangulation check

Source

https://eqvista.com/risk-factor-summation-method/

Verified 2026-06-03.

Other methods
VC MethodBerkus MethodScorecard / Bill PayneDCF (early-stage adapted)Comparables (market multiples)