Startup Runway Calculator
Calculate startup runway from cash, revenue, monthly expenses and growth assumptions. Estimate simple and projected runway in months.
Startup runway is the number of months a company can keep operating before its cash balance reaches zero. This calculator estimates runway from cash in bank, monthly revenue and monthly expenses. It also lets you add monthly revenue and expense growth assumptions, which gives a more useful projected runway than a flat burn-rate calculation.
Calculate your result
Change the inputs on the left. Results update instantly on the right.
Runway inputs
Why use the Startup Runway Calculator
Runway is one of the most important operating metrics for founders. It determines hiring pace, fundraising urgency and how aggressively the company can spend on growth. A simple cash divided by net burn calculation is useful, but it misses improving revenue or rising costs. This calculator shows both simple runway and projected runway so founders can sanity-check their plan.
Benefits at a glance
Simple and projected runway
Compare the basic cash divided by net burn view with a month-by-month projection.
Gross and net burn visibility
Separate monthly expenses from the net cash loss after revenue.
Useful for fundraising timing
Estimate how many months remain before a bridge round or full fundraise is needed.
How to use the Startup Runway Calculator
- 1
Enter cash in bank
Use available cash that can fund operations.
- 2
Enter monthly revenue and expenses
Use recurring operating revenue and all monthly operating costs.
- 3
Set growth assumptions
Add monthly revenue and expense growth to model a more realistic runway.
- 4
Review runway
Use simple runway as a baseline and projected runway for planning.
Worked example
Seed-stage runway example
A startup has Rs 50 lakh cash, Rs 5 lakh monthly revenue and Rs 12 lakh monthly expenses.
- Cash
- Rs 50 lakh
- Net burn
- Rs 7 lakh per month
- Simple runway
- About 7.1 months
- Planning use
- Fundraise before runway drops below 6 months
Assumptions and exclusions
- The projected runway model runs monthly and caps at 120 months.
- Revenue and expenses are assumed to grow at constant monthly rates.
- Debt repayments, one-time fundraises and tax timing are not separately modelled.
Frequently asked questions
What is startup runway?
Startup runway is the estimated time a company can operate before it runs out of cash, usually measured in months.
What is net burn?
Net burn is monthly expenses minus monthly revenue. If revenue is higher than expenses, the company is not burning cash operationally.
How much runway should a startup keep?
Many founders aim for at least 12 to 18 months after a funding round and start fundraising before runway falls below 6 to 9 months.
Why does projected runway differ from simple runway?
Projected runway changes monthly revenue and expenses over time, while simple runway assumes today's net burn stays constant.
Final word
Use the startup runway calculator every month during operating reviews. A clean runway view helps founders decide when to cut burn, accelerate revenue, delay hiring or start fundraising.
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