How rankings work
Every startup on Snikus has a score, and that score comes from one fixed, transparent formula — applied identically to every startup, with nothing manually boosted or curated by hand. Here's exactly what counts:
- Likes — 3 points each
- Followers — 5 points each
- Genuine views — 1 point each (views from bots or unverified visitors are weighted down, not counted at full value)
- Weekly check-ins — 8 points each
- Filled open roles — 15 points each
- Posts — 2 points each
On top of that base formula, badges add fixed bonus points, and having the Verified (blue tick) badge applies a 5% boost to the startup's entire total.
Why check-ins and filled roles are weighted so heavily
Likes and followers are easy to accumulate passively. Weekly check-ins and filled open roles are hard to fake and hard to get without actually doing the work — regularly posting real progress, and convincing someone to actually join your team. Weighting those far more heavily than passive engagement metrics is a deliberate choice: it keeps the leaderboard rewarding real building activity over just being popular.
Two different kinds of score — don't confuse them
Snikus tracks two genuinely separate numbers for every startup:
- All-time score — shown on your own profile and startup page. Permanent. Never resets, ever, no matter how many Seasons pass.
- Season score — shown on the Rankings page. Resets to zero at the start of every new Season, so it only ever reflects performance within the current competitive period.
The Rankings page shows Season score because that's what makes the leaderboard fair for new startups (see "What are Seasons" for the full reasoning). Your all-time score is the more honest measure of everything you've built since day one, and it's never affected by a Season resetting.
Frequently asked
Can I see the exact math for my own startup?
Your Stats box (on your own startup page) breaks down your current totals for each category feeding the formula.
Does deleting a post lose me points?
Yes — the formula counts what currently exists, not a historical high-water mark, so deleting a post, losing a follower, or a like being removed (e.g. for being flagged as suspicious) reduces score accordingly.
Why did my rank change even though my numbers went up?
Rank is relative — everyone else's startup is scoring points too. Going up in absolute score doesn't guarantee going up in rank if other startups are gaining faster.