What I Would Fix First in Niche Scoring (AI SaaS)

Fix this first: add a sixth criterion called Competitive Crowding. Score 1-10 based on how many other AI startups shipped a similar idea in the last six months.

Why It Matters Specifically for AI SaaS

The AI tooling space ships fast. A niche that was empty six months ago has five startups in it today.

Without crowding as a criterion, you might score a niche high and discover during interviews that customers are already drowning in pitches.

How to Score It

• 10 = nobody else is building this
• 7 = one or two players, all early
• 5 = three to five players, some traction
• 2 = ten or more players, late

One-Sentence Version

For AI SaaS, the standard five criteria miss timing. Add a crowding score and the system catches the niches that are already too late.