Going deeper (for ages 14-18)

Investors have a concept called the "Why now?" question. Every startup gets asked it. The idea: if this is a good idea, why hasn't somebody already done it, and what changed in the world that makes now the time to try?

You don't have to answer this for Module 1. But good ideas usually have a why-now.

AI capability changed in the last three years. App distribution changed when iPhone added one-tap install. Stripe made it possible for a 14-year-old to legally accept payments. The world shifts in specific ways that open specific spaces for specific builders.

Stress-test your candidate by asking: "What about 2026 makes my idea more possible than it was in 2018?" If the answer is "nothing," you might still be in a crowded space. If the answer is "AI just made this 10x cheaper to build" or "this didn't exist as a problem before TikTok," you might have something fresh.