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Default Alive or Default Dead? Startup Survival Calculator

Answer Paul Graham’s question for your startup: if nothing changes, do you reach profitability on the money you have? Enter cash, revenue, expenses and their growth rates; the calculator projects forward and finds the growth you need.

QUICK ANSWERA startup is default alive if, at its current revenue growth and expense growth, revenue overtakes expenses before cash runs out. If not, it is default dead and must raise money, cut costs or grow faster. The calculator also finds the minimum monthly revenue growth needed to become default alive.

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What the Default Alive Calculator does

✅ Default alive / default dead verdict
✅ Months to profitability or cash-out
✅ Minimum growth rate needed
✅ Lowest cash point
✅ Works with expense growth

How to use the Default Alive Calculator

STEP 1
Enter your numbers
Type the figures you know. Every field starts with a realistic example so you can see how it works.
STEP 2
Read the result instantly
Results, tables and the plain-English explanation update as you type. No submit button, no login.
STEP 3
Test scenarios
Change one assumption at a time (valuation, growth, dilution, exit) to see what really moves the outcome.
STEP 4
Share or save
Copy the summary, send it on WhatsApp or print to PDF for your co-founders, board or investment committee.

Why default alive changes how you fundraise

Default-alive founders raise from strength: they can walk away from bad terms. Default-dead founders who assume they will raise easily risk running out of time when markets tighten.

If you are default dead, act early: cut burn, focus on revenue that converts fast, or start fundraising with plenty of runway left.

Frequently asked questions

What does default alive mean?

A term from Paul Graham: at current growth and costs, the company will become profitable before running out of cash without raising more money.

How fast do I need to grow to be default alive?

It depends on your cash, burn and expense growth. The calculator finds the exact monthly revenue growth rate for your numbers.

Is being default dead always bad?

Not if you deliberately chose to burn for growth and fundraising is realistic. It is dangerous when founders do not know it.

Is this tool free? Do I need to sign up?

Yes. It is completely free, needs no login and has no usage limit. FastFee builds payment collection software; these startup and investor tools are free resources for founders, angels and fund managers.

Is my data private?

Yes. Everything you type stays in your own browser on this device (local storage). Nothing is uploaded to FastFee. Export or print a copy if you need to keep it.

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