Hey Reader,

Welcome to Hal9 Weekly — where we share insights from our founder, Javier, on turning AI ideas into real products.

Each week, we’ll share practical frameworks, founder stories, and product updates to help you build faster.

Javier's Insights:

The "High Schooler Test" for AI Ideas

Before you build your next AI product, ask yourself one question:

Could a high schooler do this task with some training?

If they can't, your AI probably can't either—at least not consistently or affordably.

Why:

AI models today have roughly the cognitive capacity and cost profile of a capable high school student. That's not a limitation of the technology—it's just where we are right now with accessible, affordable models.

Examples that PASS the test:

• Birthday card generator from prompts ✓ A high schooler can understand a prompt, sketch a design, add a quote, and coordinate printing/shipping. AI can handle this reliably.
• Sales transcript analyzer ✓ A high schooler can read Slack messages and call transcripts, identify patterns in successful closes, and summarize common factors. AI can do this too.

Examples that FAIL the test:

• Autonomous revenue growth system ✗ An AI that analyzes your entire CRM, sales transcripts, and lead gen funnels to grow revenue on its own? A high schooler would struggle with this, so current AI models will too.

The Reality Check

Yes, PhD-level LLMs exist—but they cost 100x more than standard ChatGPT. For most MVPs, that's not viable.

How to Apply This

Run your AI startup idea through this filter:

• Passes? Great! Build it.
• Fails? Simplify. Break it into smaller, high-schooler-level tasks, at least for your prototype.

The goal isn't to limit your vision—it's to build something that actually works reliably with today's technology and economics.

Start simple. Scale smart.

Customer Success Story: Greenny

From Concept to Carbon Credit Demo in Two Weeks

Greenny is revolutionizing carbon credit markets by making environmental impact measurement accessible through AI. But as a new startup, they faced a critical challenge: build a working prototype fast enough to impress customers and investors.

The Challenge: Create an AI-powered carbon credit computation system that's accurate, transparent, and scalable—all while racing against an aggressive market entry timeline.

Hal9 helped Greenny:

• 🚀 Build a fully functional AI carbon credit calculator in just 2 weeks
• 📊 Deploy an interactive Streamlit interface for live customer demos
• ☁️ Launch a cloud-based API for seamless platform integration
• 📈 Accelerate fundraising and customer acquisition with a market-ready solution

The result? Greenny delivered impressive demos that positioned them as innovators in the carbon credit space, securing competitive advantages in both funding and customer acquisition.

"Hal9's platform was a game-changer for Greenny. We started showcasing our AI-powered carbon service in just two weeks." — Antonio Anguiano, Founder @ Greenny

Let’s Talk

Got an AI idea and not sure if it passes the High Schooler Test?

Book a free consultation with Javier — he’ll help you validate it before you build, so you don’t lose time chasing the wrong version.

Talk soon,

—The Hal9 Team