Strategic Shape Diagnostic
Frequently Asked Questions
How the Shape Diagnostic classifies life sciences companies into seven archetypes — and what your classification means for transactions, positioning, and counterparty engagement.
What is the Strategic Shape Diagnostic?
The Shape Diagnostic is a classification tool that identifies how your life sciences company actually transacts. It scores your company across six dimensions and assigns one of seven strategic archetypes, each mapped to distinct deal structures, counterparty sets, and valuation ranges drawn from 2,500+ verified transactions.
How does the classification work?
You answer a structured intake covering your pipeline breadth, capital structure, IP ownership, revenue model, and development stage. The scoring engine evaluates your responses against six classification scores — Platform Evidence, Asset Concentration, Technology Leverage, Market Readiness, Capital Alignment, and Counterparty Signal — then assigns the archetype that best matches your profile.
What are the seven archetypes?
The seven archetypes are SA (Single Asset), ALPA (Asset-Led, Platform Aspiration), TP (True Platform), ET (Enabling Technology), TR (Tool / Research Product), IC (Instrument plus Consumable), and SL (Service Line). Each archetype corresponds to a distinct set of deal structures, acquirer profiles, and term ranges observed across our transaction database.
How long does it take?
The intake takes approximately seven minutes. You receive your archetype classification and confidence band immediately upon completion. If you purchase the full report, it generates within seconds and is available as a downloadable PDF.
What does the full report include?
The $49 report includes your archetype classification with confidence scoring, all six dimension scores with the signals that determined each one, contradictions between your stated identity and the market evidence, comparable transactions for your archetype, a counterparty map, and a ready-to-use company description paragraph calibrated to your actual shape.
How much does it cost?
Classification is free. You see your archetype, scores, confidence band, and frequency distribution at no cost. The full report — with contradictions, comparable transactions, counterparty mapping, and the company description paragraph — is $49.
Who should take the diagnostic?
Any life sciences company preparing for a transaction — licensing, M&A, partnership, or fundraise. Founders, CEOs, and BD leads use it to pressure-test positioning before engaging counterparties. The diagnostic covers biotech, medical device, diagnostics, and convergent companies across all development stages.
Can investors use it to evaluate portfolio companies?
Yes. Investors use the diagnostic in evaluator mode to classify portfolio companies or acquisition targets. The report surfaces contradictions between how a company presents itself and what the transaction evidence supports — exactly the gaps that matter in due diligence and deal structuring.
How is the scoring engine calibrated?
The scoring engine is calibrated against 2,500+ verified biopharma transactions sourced from SEC filings and FTC premerger notifications. Thresholds are stage-adjusted and modality-aware, meaning a preclinical biotech and a cleared medical device are evaluated against different benchmarks appropriate to their market context.
What happens after I get my classification?
You can share your result card directly with advisors, investors, or board members. If the report reveals contradictions — gaps between your stated shape and the evidence — you can use those findings to refine your positioning before entering a formal process. Many companies use the diagnostic as the starting point for an advisory engagement.
How does my shape affect deal structure?
Each archetype maps to specific deal structures that counterparties expect. True Platforms receive 2.3x the median upfront of Asset-Led companies. Single Assets negotiate different milestone structures than Enabling Technologies. The report shows you which structures apply to your shape and what ranges to expect based on comparable transactions.
Can my shape change over time?
Yes. Companies evolve as pipelines advance, partnerships validate platform breadth, and capital structures shift. An ALPA can earn True Platform status by demonstrating independent value across multiple programs. The diagnostic captures your shape at a point in time — retaking it after material milestones can reveal whether your positioning has evolved.
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