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Startup Launch Budget & Runway Calculator
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The Enduring Founder — Build yourself to build what lasts.
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What this workbook answers
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1. How much to launch?One-time launch costs plus a contingency buffer.
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2. What is my burn?Fixed monthly costs, variable costs that scale with revenue, gross burn and net burn.
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3. How long will my cash last?A month-by-month cash balance for 36 months, including your launch costs and expected revenue.
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4. How much should I raise?The cash you need for 12, 18, 24 months or your own target runway.
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Quick start (15 minutes)
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Step 1 — AssumptionsSet "Use example data?" to No, then enter your cash on hand, revenue expectations and buffers.
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Step 2 — One-Time Launch CostsFill the blue "Your Estimate" column. Leave lines that do not apply at 0.
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Step 3 — Monthly Recurring CostsFill your fixed monthly costs: people, tools, office, baseline marketing, services.
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Step 4 — Variable CostsEnter costs that scale with revenue as a % of revenue (payment fees, hosting/API usage, COGS, performance marketing).
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Step 5 — DashboardRead your launch capital, burn, true runway, break-even month and how much to raise.
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Example mode
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Use example data? = YesEvery tab shows a complete illustrative example (a two-founder B2B SaaS at pre-seed) in the gray "Example" column, and the Dashboard uses it. Switch to No to use only your own numbers. The Dashboard shows a banner while example data is on.
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Legend
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Blue textYour input — edit these cells freely.
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Yellow fillKey assumption — worth double-checking.
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Black textFormula — calculated automatically, don't overwrite.
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Green textPulled automatically from another tab.
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Gray, italicExample value — only used when "Use example data?" is Yes.
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How runway is calculated
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True runwayCash on hand, minus launch capital (paid in Month 0), then reduced each month by net burn = fixed costs (with buffer) + variable costs − revenue. Runway is the point where the cash balance drops below zero.
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Naive runwayCash on hand ÷ monthly costs — the common shortcut. Shown for comparison only, because it ignores launch costs, buffers and revenue.
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Disclaimer
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Planning toolFor planning and educational purposes only — not financial, tax or legal advice. Costs vary widely by country, industry and team. Review your budget with an accountant.
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Version log
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V2 · Sep 2026Renamed (was "Startup Cost Calculator"); runway now subtracts launch costs and includes revenue (net burn); variable costs scale with revenue; example on/off switch; duplicate lines merged; burn buffer; 36-month cash flow; break-even month; "how much to raise" table; charts.
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