Pesql’s predictive signals are the engine behind the platform. They distill millions of private-market datapoints into simple, interpretable indicators of early momentum. This guide shows you how to turn those signals into a practical sourcing workflow that consistently reveals companies before they appear in the wider market.

Understanding the core signals

Every company on Pesql is scored across several momentum dimensions. While each signal is powerful on its own, the real value comes from observing how they interact.

Heat Score reflects external visibility: founder network activity, investor attention, domain traction and broader market noise. When a company’s Heat Score surges, it often precedes inbound interest from other investors.

Growth Score captures internal execution signals—team expansion, shipping velocity, engagement and GTM traction. This helps distinguish companies that are actually scaling from those that simply appear active.

Fundraising Probability models the likelihood that a company is preparing to raise within the next 6–12 months. It blends recency of capital, momentum shifts and competitive dynamics to surface pre-round opportunities.

Category Momentum looks at the pace of change within a specific vertical. Fast-moving categories often produce breakout companies that traditional signals overlook.

Comparative Benchmarking evaluates whether a company is outperforming or lagging behind its closest peers based on similar stage, category and team dynamics.

Each of these signals gives you a different angle, but together they highlight early inflection points long before they show up in the usual sources.

Turning signals into daily workflow

The most effective analysts build a rhythm around how they read signal movements.

Start your day by checking the “Top Movers” across Heat, Growth and Fundraising Probability. Look for sharp jumps, companies appearing across multiple lists, or sudden outliers that don’t yet have obvious explanations. These are often your highest-value opportunities.

As you move through the Discovery Feed, use signals to prioritise your attention. A company with strong Growth but weak Heat may be an excellent candidate for pre-emptive outreach. One with high Fundraising Probability and rising Heat may already be entering competitive territory.

When you open a company profile, scroll through the momentum timeline to understand whether the signals reflect a genuine, consistent trend or a short-term spike. This distinction is one of the fastest ways to separate noise from signal.

Building conviction with data

Predictive signals aren’t designed to replace your investment judgement—they sharpen it.

Heat and Growth trends help validate founder narratives. Category Momentum gives you early visibility into emerging spaces worth allocating attention toward. Comparative Benchmarking quantifies whether a company is outperforming real peers rather than broad industry averages.

The more consistently you use these signals, the easier it becomes to spot patterns: founders who scale teams before announcing rounds, categories that heat up ahead of capital flows, or companies whose digital presence surges before partnerships are public.

A weekly rhythm for sustained sourcing

Most experienced users follow a weekly cadence:
• Early week: scan for new momentum movers and add the strongest into your watchlist
• Midweek: review your watchlist for any meaningful score or signal changes
• End of week: compile a short pipeline update for partner review or IC prep

Over time, this rhythm compounds. Pesql’s signals become less of a dashboard to check and more of an intelligence layer quietly informing your sourcing pipeline.