StartValid
We ensure project success through early intervention – quick, hands-on, and results-driven.
The Decision-Making and Early Warning System for Strategic Projects
Why?
Despite established methods and tools, the success rate of strategic projects has remained at only 30–40% for years (Sources 2023–2025: PMI, KPMG, McKinsey).
The root causes are systemic: over 70% of project risks emerge during the early planning phase – not during implementation.
Yet existing governance structures often intervene too late. PMOs, steering committees, and portfolio boards operate too close to execution, rather than during the crucial stage of strategic pre-assessment.
The StartValid - Solution
Before project initiation, a clearly defined and organizationally neutral decision-making layer is established within the company. This consists of:
- SPO - Assesses project readiness, strategic alignment, resource availability, and risks.
Provides a documented and transparent decision-making basis.
The SPO acts in a neutral and fact-based manner, with the sole focus on creating business value.
No IT tools are promoted, and no individual interests are pursued. - SPB - Based on the SPO’s assessment, this board makes a strategically sound and objective decision: Go / Hold / Stop – in a way that is audit-proof and independent.
StartValid forms the missing decision-making layer between strategy development and project initiation.
The process ensures independent assessment and transparent decision-making – before projects become costly, ineffective, or politically driven.
Key Benefits
- Sustainably increases the success rate of strategic projects
- Prevents costly false starts
- Protects against politically motivated decisions
- Ensures strategic alignment
- Identifies risks and resource constraints at an early stage
- Adds critical competence to the organization
- Relieves the top management (C-level) from operational pre-evaluation
- Provides audit-proof documentation of all decisions.
This solution ensures transparency, audit security, and protects the management.
It closes the gap between strategic planning and operational execution.
Expected cost savings and value gains
- 30–50% more projects succeed
- 50% of project misinvestments are avoided
- 50–70% fewer escalations during project execution
- 100% documented and controllable decision-making
- 5–10% workload reduction for top management.
Modular Starting Points
StartValid - SMEs Portfolio Health Check:
Within just a few days, we analyze your project initiatives in terms of structure, strategic fit, and readiness to launch – neutral, transparent, and immediately effective.
Client effort (document provision): approx. 2–4 days.
Duration: approx. 2 weeks.
Cost: CHF 7,000 – 12,000 (indicative, depending on portfolio size).
StartValid - SMEs Quick Check:
We analyze your processes and governance structures from strategy, ideation, and project evaluation through to project initiation and project controlling.
Client effort (interviews and document provision): approx. 2–4 days.
Duration: approx. 2 weeks
Cost: CHF 5,000 – 10,000 (indicative)
StartValid-Solution SPO:
We take on the role of the Strategic Project Officer (SPO) as external consultants within your organization. We guide project ideas from strategic alignment all the way to readiness for execution.
Duration: minimum 6 months (recommended).
Cost: CHF 60,000 – 120,000 (indicative, depending on portfolio size).
StartValid-Solution SPB:
We organize and facilitate the Strategic Project Board (SPB) together with internal stakeholders, acting as external consultants within your organization.
Project start decisions are made systematically, based on the assessments provided by the SPO.
Duration: minimum 6 months (recommended).
Cost: CHF 60,000.
StartValid-Solution SPB-Tracking:
We extend the role of the Strategic Project Board (SPB) to include neutral project progress monitoring. All ongoing projects are periodically evaluated by an independent party – not by those responsible for execution. Required actions are submitted to the SPB for decision-making.
Duration: minimum 1 year (recommended).
Cost: CHF 120,000.
StartValid-Solution Capability Building/ Coaching:
We would be happy to make ourselves redundant by enabling your organization to independently and efficiently staff and manage the SPO and SPB roles internally.
Ideally, this follows a period of SPO or SPB consulting provided by us.
The training is tailored to your SMEs context, your industry, and your specific project portfolio – using real examples.
Duration: 2–3 days of training plus 2–3 days of follow-up coaching.
Cost: CHF 10,000 – 15,000.
Contact
We would be happy to introduce StartValid to you in a personal meeting.
Telephone: +41 79 826 44 44
E-mail: contact@startvalid.ch