Startup Cost & Runway Calculator
Accurately estimate initial setup costs, monthly operating burn rate, and capital runway before launching your venture.
One-Time Setup Expenses
Monthly Operating Burn Rate
Why 82% of Startups Fail from Poor Cash Flow
According to startup post-mortems by CB Insights, running out of cash is the single most common cause of early-stage business failure. Founders frequently underestimate the initial "J-curve" — the period where capital drains out monthly before customer acquisition turns cash-flow positive.
What is Runway?
Runway is the number of months your business can continue operating at its current monthly burn rate before its bank balance reaches zero.
Why a 15% Contingency Buffer?
Unplanned delays in supplier delivery, permits, or marketing ROI fluctuations always arise. A 15% reserve guarantees solvency during surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many months of runway should a new business maintain?
Most financial advisors recommend a minimum of 6 months of cash runway for service businesses and 9 to 12 months for product or manufacturing businesses with inventory lead times.
What is the difference between One-Time and Operating expenses?
One-time expenses (Capex) are paid once to launch (machinery, deposits, website development). Operating expenses (Opex) recur every single month (salaries, cloud servers, marketing, rent).