Project Candle AI is an AI-powered pitch scoring platform designed to help startups and investors evaluate startup ideas and presentations with greater accuracy and speed. By analyzing submitted text or pitch decks, Candle generates real-time scores across key categories such as clarity, team strength, product feasibility, and market opportunity. Its goal is to bring data-driven objectivity into the highly subjective world of startup evaluation. The platform is useful for founders looking to improve their decks, investors vetting deal flow, and accelerators shortlisting applicants—all through automated and explainable AI insights.
| Project Candle AI Review Summary | |
| Performance Score | A |
| Content/Output Quality | Analytical & Investor-Calibrated |
| Interface | Clean, Scorecard-Style Dashboard |
| AI Technology |
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| Purpose of Tool | Evaluate startup pitch quality using AI-based scoring and insights |
| Compatibility | Web-Based |
| Pricing | Free access with limited daily scoring; premium tiers in development |
Who is Best for Using Project Candle AI?
- Startup founders: Looking to test and refine their pitch before investor meetings or demo days.
- Venture capital firms: Seeking fast, data-backed ways to screen early-stage decks.
- Accelerators and incubators: Who need to evaluate hundreds of startup applicants efficiently.
- Business schools and pitch competitions: Using scorecards to benchmark innovation and feasibility.
Project Candle AI Key Features
| AI-Powered Pitch Scoring | Multi-Criteria Evaluation (Team, Market, Clarity, etc.) | Score Breakdown by Category |
| Instant Feedback on Weaknesses | Pitch Comparison Tool | Trend & Market Fit Analysis |
| Explainability Layer | Web-Based Submission |
Is Project Candle AI Free?
Yes, Project Candle AI is currently free to use, with limited pitch scoring access per user per day. A paid version with extended features and enterprise scoring volume is under development.
Project Candle AI Pricing Plans
- Free Plan: Score up to a limited number of pitches/day, full category scoring insights, pitch comparison feature, access to evolving AI model.
- Pro Plan – Coming Soon: Unlimited pitch scoring, historical score tracking, batch uploads for accelerators/VCs, API access and integration tools.
Project Candle AI Pros & Cons
Pros
- Offers unbiased feedback using structured criteria
- Speeds up evaluation for founders and investors
- Great UI with real-time feedback
- No need to upload full decks—text input is enough
- Free to use while in early access
Cons
- Currently in beta with some scoring limitations
- Doesn’t yet support multimedia or visual slide analysis
- Advanced analytics not available until paid tier launches
- Limited integration with pitch platforms (for now)
- Subjectivity still exists depending on how the pitch is written
How does Candle score my pitch?
It uses natural language processing and custom-built heuristics to evaluate content against key investor-focused categories.
Can I submit my pitch deck or just text?
Currently, Candle focuses on text-based input—summaries, blurbs, or written overviews. Deck upload may be added soon.
Is Project Candle AI useful for investors?
Absolutely. It’s a great tool for initial screening, shortlisting, and comparative evaluation across multiple early-stage startups.
