Build a 3-year financial model for a Series A SaaS startup
Closes in
06
Days
14
Hrs
23
Min
41
Sec
The Brief
Read carefully before startingWe're evaluating a Series A investment in a B2B SaaS company ("ProjectCo") that sells workflow automation software to mid-market professional services firms. The company has been operating for 3 years and is approaching product-market fit. We need a financial model to help us assess the investment case.
You'll receive a simplified data pack below. Your task is to build a 3-year financial model that a Vertex analyst could use to inform an investment decision. We want to see your thinking, not just your output.
Company context (provided)
- Current ARR: $2.1M, growing at 8.5% MoM over the last 6 months
- Gross margin: 71% (SaaS-standard)
- CAC: $8,200 per customer (blended, all channels)
- LTV: $41,000 per customer (based on 24-month average contract value and 4.2% monthly churn)
- Headcount: 34 FTEs. Sales (8), Engineering (14), Customer Success (7), G&A (5)
- Current burn: $280K/month. 14 months runway.
- Funding ask: $8M Series A. Primary use: sales team expansion (12 new AEs over 18 months)
What we want to see
- A 3-year P&L with monthly granularity for Year 1, quarterly for Years 2–3
- Revenue model built from unit economics (not just top-down % growth)
- Headcount plan reflecting the proposed team expansion
- At least 2 scenarios: base case and downside (define your own assumptions)
- A clear assumptions tab — we want to see your thinking, not just the outputs
- A summary of the key risks you'd want to diligence further
What we're evaluating
- Structural soundness — does the model hold together under stress?
- Assumption quality — are your inputs grounded and well-reasoned?
- Judgment — do you flag the things that matter, not just the numbers?
- Clarity — could a partner read this without a 30-minute walkthrough?
Financial model file
Excel or Google Sheets. Fully unlocked — no password protection. All tabs clearly labelled.
Written commentary (optional but valued)
Up to 300 words on your key assumptions, risks, and what you'd want to know before making an investment decision.
Challenge rules
4-hour cap — enforced
This challenge is scoped to approximately 3 hours. If it's taking significantly longer, that's a signal to simplify, not to keep going.
Blind review — always on
Vertex sees your model before they see your name, photo, or background. You reveal your identity only if you choose to after review.
Real salary: $95,000
This is the actual salary on offer for the Senior Financial Analyst role. No bait-and-switch. What you see is what you get.
Decisions within 14 days
Vertex is legally required on Xylomark to notify every submitter within 14 days of the challenge closing. Their ghosting rate is 0%.
Your work stays yours
Vertex has no rights over your submission beyond evaluating it. Using your model for any other purpose requires a paid agreement with you.
1 submission per member
You can update your submission until the challenge closes. Only your most recent submission will be evaluated.
Your Submission
Not yet entered1. Upload your model file
Drag your model here or click to browse
Excel (.xlsx), Google Sheets export, or PDF · Max 50MB · Your file stays yours.
2. Complete the MER framework
Method, Evidence, Result — this is what makes your submission verifiable and distinguishes it from a file drop.
Method — How you approached it
Your framework & key decisionsEvidence — What underpins your numbers
Sources, benchmarks, reasoningResult — Your key findings
Headline numbers & your viewYou can update your submission until the challenge closes on Aug 20. Only your most recent version is evaluated.
Live leaderboard
All entries anonymised until reveal47 submissions · Ranked by panel score
🔒 Names hidden until shortlistQuestions from Vertex Capital
No. We review submissions blind — we don't see your background until we've scored your model. If your model is good, it speaks for itself. Several of our best hires came from non-traditional backgrounds.
Yes, absolutely. We're evaluating your judgment and modeling quality, not whether you built everything from scratch. If you use a template, make sure the assumptions are yours and the structure makes sense for this specific company.
We'll reach out via Xylomark messages within 14 days of the challenge closing. If your submission is in our shortlist, we'll reveal identities (with your consent) and invite you to a 30-minute conversation. No additional tests. The challenge is the interview.
Yes. The Senior Financial Analyst role at $95K is a real, open position on our team. The challenge is how we evaluate candidates. We've hired 7 people through Xylomark challenges so far.
Yes. Export as .xlsx or share a view-only Google Sheets link in your submission. If you use Google Sheets, make sure formulas are intact and the file is fully accessible — don't require sign-in to view.
Our panel scores on: structural soundness (25 pts), assumption quality (25 pts), analytical judgment (25 pts), and clarity of presentation (25 pts). We publish scores in the blind leaderboard as they come in.