Applications open — Edition 3 · 15 August 2026
Before you build, test your idea.
A feedback format for early-stage founders who want the truth early — hard questions, clear risks, practical direction, before you spend months building a product without a market.
- Edition
- 03
- Deadline
- 15.08.2026
- Cost
- Free
- Format
- Online / In person
We do not promise validation. We promise better questions, clearer risks, and feedback that helps you think better before you build.
What is BYB
BYB Ventures (Before You Build) is a feedback format for startup ideas at the beginning. You bring an idea, concept, MVP, or early-stage project, and we analyze it together with people who build, launch, grow, or evaluate products.
The goal is not to destroy ideas for entertainment. The goal is to quickly uncover what is unclear, what is not validated, where the real risks are, and what should be tested before you invest too much time, money, or energy.
Honest feedback before wasted months.
Why BYB exists
In early-stage, the most dangerous feedback is polite feedback.
- "Sounds good."
- "Cool idea."
- "This could work."
The problem is that these answers rarely help you make better decisions. BYB exists for people who want to hear the hard questions earlier, not after they have already built too much.
We want to help founders think more clearly about the problem, customer, market, distribution, pricing, MVP, and execution risks.
Who it is for
- Wannabe founders with an idea they want to explore
- Early-stage founders working on an MVP
- People who launched something but still lack clarity on market, customer, or positioning
- Builders who started coding but need feedback before going further
- Founders from Romania or the regional startup community who want direct feedback, not just encouragement
What you leave with
You do not leave BYB with a certificate, investment, or a guarantee that your idea will work.
You leave with something more useful at this stage:
- Better questions about your market and customer
- Clearer risks
- Assumptions you need to test
- Practical feedback on positioning, MVP, and distribution
- A more realistic perspective on your idea
- More concrete next steps
- Sometimes, the courage to simplify, change direction, or not build yet
What we analyze in a startup idea
We do not analyze ideas to grade them. We analyze them to understand whether there is a real problem, a clear customer, a realistic path to distribution, and a strong reason why the product should be built now.
Problem
We look at whether the problem is real, frequent, painful, and important enough for someone to actively look for a solution. Weak ideas often start with vague problems.
Target customer
We analyze how clearly the customer is defined: who they are, where you can reach them, how often they have the problem, and whether they have budget, urgency, or motivation to solve it.
Market
It is not enough for the idea to be interesting. We look at whether there is a large enough market, whether the timing makes sense, and whether the problem exists beyond one isolated case.
Positioning
We check whether people can quickly understand what you do, who it is for, and why it matters. Strong positioning makes a product easier to explain, sell, and recommend.
Distribution
One of the biggest early-stage mistakes is building before knowing how you will reach customers. We analyze possible channels, acquisition difficulty, and how realistic the go-to-market path is.
Pricing
We look at whether the pricing model makes sense for the customer, the value delivered, and the type of business. Pricing can quickly reveal whether the idea is a product, a service, or just a feature.
Business model
We analyze how the idea could become sustainable: who pays, how often, why they would pay, and what costs or dependencies may appear over time.
MVP scope
A good MVP is not a smaller version of the final product. It is the simplest way to test an important assumption. We look at what needs to be built now and what can wait.
Execution risks
Some ideas are good but hard to execute. We look at complexity, dependencies, resources, timing, competition, legal, operations, and what could block the project in reality.
How we analyze
BYB is not a sales pitch and not a session where you need to impress anyone. It is a structured conversation.
We look at what you say, but also at what is missing:
- what assumptions you made
- what you already validated
- what you still do not know
- what you built or want to build
- how you define your customer
- how you would reach your first users
- what needs to be tested before the next step
The feedback is direct, but the goal is constructive: you should leave with more clarity than you came in with.
How it works
1. You apply with your idea
You fill in the form and tell us what you are building, who it is for, what problem it solves, and where you need feedback.
2. We select a few projects
We choose ideas where feedback can be useful and where there is enough context for a good conversation.
3. We decide the edition format
The edition can happen online through a video call, or in person. The format depends on participants, location, availability, and context.
4. You present the idea briefly
You do not need a perfect pitch. You need clarity: problem, customer, solution, current stage, and your questions.
5. You receive direct feedback
We discuss risks, assumptions, unclear points, and next steps. The feedback is opinion, not legal, financial, or investment advice.
Online or in person, depending on the edition
- Online · Video call
- In person · Live
BYB can happen online, through a video call, or in person, as a live session. Not every edition will look the same. Some editions may be better suited for video calls, especially if participants are based in different cities. Others may be organized physically if the context makes sense. The format will be communicated before each edition, so participants know clearly what they are applying for.
Is BYB a fit for you?
You should apply if
- You have a startup idea and want feedback before building
- You are working on an MVP and want to test the direction
- You need better questions, not just encouragement
- You are open to direct feedback
- You can explain the problem, customer, and solution simply
- You want to understand what to test next
This is probably not for you if
- You only want validation or promotion
- You are not open to critical feedback
- You want legal, financial, or investment advice
- You do not want to discuss the risks of the idea
- You need the information to remain fully confidential
- You are not comfortable receiving direct questions
Want to participate in BYB?
Fill in the form and tell us what you are building, who it is for, what problem it solves, what stage you are at, and where you need feedback. We select the projects that best fit the goal of each edition.
Applications for Edition 3 close on 15 August 2026
The edition is held at the end of August. The exact date is confirmed with the selected participants.
Applying does not guarantee participation. We will contact you if your project is selected for a future edition.
Frequently asked questions
What is BYB Ventures?
BYB Ventures (Before You Build) is a feedback format for startup ideas at the beginning. Early-stage founders and people with ideas present their project to people who build, grow, or evaluate products. The goal is to quickly identify real risks: market, positioning, business model, distribution, pricing, and execution.
Who is BYB for?
BYB is for early-stage founders and wannabe founders who want honest and practical feedback before investing months or years into an idea. You do not need to have a launched startup.
Do I need to have a launched startup?
No. You can apply with an early-stage idea, as long as you can explain the problem you want to solve, who it is for, and why you think it is worth building.