Validation rules

Every entry passes 4 verification gates before publication. The platform refuses to render a startup that fails any gate. The verification gate IS the value proposition — competitors cannot replicate "verified by editorial" without the same discipline.

Schema-level validation

• All required fields present + correctly typed.
• `slug` matches `^[a-z0-9-]+$` and is unique within the Startup table.
• `founderIds[]` references existing Founder entries (FK enforcement at build time).
• `sector` / `stage` / `country` are valid enum values.
• `foundedYear` is between 1990 and current year.
• `tagline` + `description` both have EN and AR populated (no missing localization).

Editorial verification gates

1. Legal entity exists — Editorial verifies the company is a registered legal entity in the declared HQ country. Source: government registry or equivalent.
2. Founders are real — Every `founderId` resolves to a verified Founder Profile. Anonymous-founder startups do not enter the showcase.
3. Sector + stage accurate — Sector reflects actual product category, not marketing positioning. Stage reflects actual capitalization, verified via funding source or editorial reporting.
4. Description editorially appropriate — Description is fact-based, not marketing copy. Claims that cannot be editorially substantiated (e.g. "leading", "first") are reworded or removed.