Strawman

Strawman sources ideas exclusively through its member base, who share research on ASX-listed stocks via virtual portfolios and company reports. The platform's proprietary ranking system validates these ideas by scoring them against two variables: the historical performance of the member's virtual portfolio and the level of community endorsement the idea receives. This peer-review mechanism means the most visible research is that which has been effectively vetted by collective intelligence, both passively through track records and actively through member endorsement.

Strawman does not manage member capital, operate a managed investment scheme, or hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). The platform provides a research-sharing and idea-generation environment where members manage hypothetical virtual portfolios. Members act on information at their own discretion, making the service a research tool rather than a fiduciary manager.

The reward scheme targets the quality and influence of contributed research, not trading frequency or promotional activity. Contributors earn fractional share rewards in an ASX200 ETF (ASX:IOZ) or reductions in future membership payments when their content achieves strong performance metrics and wide community endorsement. The design aims to attract serious, long-term-oriented analysts and to deter low-effort posting by tying tangible compensation to verifiable track-record building.

Strawman introduces a hard performance-accountability layer that public forums lack. Every member's stock picks are tracked against the market in a virtual portfolio; their standing on the platform is a function of their results, not their volume of posts. Content is then ranked, surfacing the most widely sanctioned insights, while low-quality or unvetted commentary gets deprioritized. The system functions as a meritocratic filter designed to replace forum noise with a curated, performance-verified signal.

Strawman's dual-criteria system — blending both performance ranking and community endorsement — means popularity alone is insufficient. A member with a poor track record will not appear in performance-based rankings regardless of social following. The platform's value to its user base depends on surfacing profitable ideas, creating a systemic incentive for the community to scrutinize and endorse research that demonstrates genuine analytical capability.