# Startup Runway

> Calculate and manage startup runway — burn rate, cash runway, and scenarios — so fundraising and cost decisions are grounded in reality. Use when tracking burn, planning raises, or cutting costs to extend survival time.

- Skill: `itsual/startup-runway` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/startup-runway`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/startup-runway/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/startup-runway

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# Startup Runway

## Overview

Runway is how many months the company can operate before cash runs out. It is the fundamental survival metric for pre-profit businesses.

## When to Use

- Monthly cash and burn tracking
- Fundraising timing decisions
- Cost reduction to extend runway
- Board updates on liquidity

## Core Practices

- Define gross burn and net burn clearly
- Calculate runway on conservative cash and burn assumptions
- Scenario plan (base, hire plan, cuts)
- Include committed spends and known cliffs (e.g., annual contracts)
- Start fundraising with adequate runway buffer

## Principles

- Optimistic burn assumptions kill companies
- Runway includes only accessible cash
- Growth plans that ignore runway are fantasies
- Default to raising before desperation shows in terms

## Verification

- [ ] Burn definition is consistent month to month
- [ ] Runway uses realistic forward burn, not only last month
- [ ] Fundraising timeline fits runway buffer