How to Validate a Startup Idea in 2 Weeks (Before Writing Any Code)

82% of failed startups built something nobody wanted. They spent 6-18 months coding, burned €100k-€500k, then discovered the market didn't exist. You can validate (or kill) any idea in 14 days for under €500.

The 14-Day Validation Framework

Day	Activity	Goal	Pass/Fail Criteria
1-2	Problem Research	Confirm problem exists	Find 50+ people discussing problem
3-5	Customer Interviews	Understand pain depth	8+ interviews, 5+ confirm "must solve"
6-7	Solution Hypothesis	Define MVP scope	3-5 core features only
8-10	Landing Page Test	Test demand	5%+ conversion to waitlist
11-14	Pre-sell	Get paying customers	3+ pre-orders or LOIs

Days 1-2: Problem Research

Goal: Confirm that real people have this problem and actively seek solutions.

Where to Research

Platform	What to Search	What Validates Problem
Reddit	Subreddits + problem keywords	Posts with 50+ upvotes about the problem
Twitter/X	Complaints, frustrations	Threads with high engagement
G2/Capterra Reviews	Competitor 1-2 star reviews	Repeated complaints = opportunity
Quora	Questions about the problem	Questions with 10k+ views
LinkedIn	Posts from target audience	Professionals discussing pain points

Days 3-5: Customer Interviews

Goal: Talk to 8-10 potential customers. Understand pain depth, current solutions, and willingness to pay.

The Interview Script

1. Tell me about the last time you dealt with [problem] — Listen for emotional language, frustration, time/money lost
2. What have you tried to solve it? — Validates they're actively looking for solutions
3. What's wrong with current solutions? — Reveals your competitive advantage
4. If I could solve this, what would it be worth to you? — Price anchoring
5. Would you pay €X/month for a solution? — Direct willingness to pay

Response	What It Means	Action
"Yes, definitely!"	Strong signal	Ask for pre-order
"Maybe, depends on features"	Lukewarm — needs more validation	Dig deeper on must-haves
"Probably not"	Weak signal	Ask why, learn objections
"We already have a solution"	Saturated market or wrong segment	Pivot segment or problem

Days 6-7: Solution Hypothesis

Goal: Define the smallest possible product that solves the core problem.

Days 8-10: Landing Page Test

Goal: Test if strangers will take action (not just say they're interested).

Landing Page Formula

• Headline: Clear problem statement
• Subheadline: Your solution in one sentence
• 3 Benefits: What they get (not features)
• Social Proof: Even "Join 50 founders on the waitlist" works
• CTA: "Join Waitlist" or "Get Early Access"

Traffic Source	Cost	Expected Visitors
Reddit (organic post)	€0	100-500
Twitter/X thread	€0	50-200
Google Ads	€100-200	200-500
LinkedIn post	€0	50-150

Days 11-14: Pre-sell

Goal: Get 3+ people to pay money (or sign LOIs for B2B).

The pre-sell email:

"Hi [Name],

Thanks for joining the waitlist for [Product]. We're building the MVP now and offering early access to our first 10 customers at 50% off lifetime pricing.

For €X/month (normally €Y), you'll get [3 core benefits].

Interested? Reply and I'll send the payment link.

— [Your name]"

The Validation Decision Matrix

Result	Meaning	Next Step
3+ pre-orders	✅ Validated — people pay for this	Build MVP, fulfill orders
Strong waitlist, no pre-orders	⚠️ Interest but not urgent	Revisit positioning/pricing
Weak waitlist, no pre-orders	❌ Not validated	Pivot problem or audience
Can't find people to interview	❌ Market too small or hidden	Different market entirely

Take Action

Browse validated problems → that already passed this framework.

Take the readiness check → to assess your idea's potential.

Connect with founders → who've validated and launched.

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Framework based on 300+ founder interviews and validation experiments. Success rate: 73% of founders who completed all 5 steps launched successfully vs. 18% who skipped validation.