Since there were startup there is the question what a startup is worth. With all the ups and downs in the last years the situation has only gotten more difficult. Peer groups are hard to come by. Funding is difficult (and done with lower valuations) because VC investors have to cut back on capital commitments as well.

Ultimately a startup is worth what a buyer pays for a majority stake but only a minority of startups are sold so valuation is arbitrary. Meet Bob Goodso, CEO of Younoodle:

YouNoodle's promise is both tantalizing and a little crazy: The company claims it can quantify the traits that make for a successful entrepreneur - such as education, work habits, and experience - to predict how much that person's company will be worth three years from its founding. Log on to YouNoodle's website and answer a detailed set of questions, and the program spits out a predicted valuation and a number from 1 to 1,000 that resembles a credit score. (Colourlovers's score was 320.) The test consists of 70 to 100 personal questions, mostly focused on the relationships among founders, advisers, and employees. Entrepreneurs are also asked about their past salaries, work habits, and work experience.

Give it a spin - don't be too concerned Younoodle is not disappointing entrepreneurs with too low valuations. Its approach is certainly interesting - credit score algorithms have helped to create a much bigger lending market in the US that reduces complexity and risk (at least as long as you make many loans). Maybe Younoodle can be at its core such a step forward for the startup industry...