For startups, runway can be a critical metric that can make or break the success of the business. It represents the amount of time that a startup has before it runs out of cash and is unable to continue operating. During recessionary times, runway may become even more important, as economic uncertainty can make it difficult for startups to raise additional capital. In this blog post, we’ll explore what runway is, how to calculate it, and how much runway a startup should have during recessionary times.

What is Startup Runway?

Startup runway is the amount of time that a startup can operate before running out of cash. In other words, it’s the length of time that a startup has to achieve profitability or obtain additional funding. Runway is calculated by dividing a startup’s cash balance by its monthly burn rate, which is the amount of money that the startup spends each month on operating expenses such as salaries, rent, and marketing.

For example, let’s say that a startup has $500,000 in cash and a monthly burn rate of $50,000. Its runway would be 10 months ($500,000 / $50,000 = 10).

Why is Runway Important?

Runway can be important because it gives startups a clear idea of how much time they have to achieve profitability or obtain additional funding. If a startup has a short runway, it may need to take measures such as cutting expenses, laying off employees, or seeking funding sooner than planned. On the other hand, if a startup has a long runway, it may be able to invest in growth initiatives or take more time to refine its product or service.

How to Calculate Runway

To calculate runway, you need to know your startup’s cash balance and monthly burn rate. Your cash balance is the amount of money that your startup has in the bank, including any funds raised from investors. Your monthly burn rate is the amount of money that your startup spends each month on operating expenses such as salaries, rent, and marketing.

To calculate your monthly burn rate, add up all of your startup’s operating expenses for the month. This includes salaries, rent, utilities, marketing, and any other expenses related to running your business. Divide this total by the number of months in the year to get your monthly burn rate.

Once you have your cash balance and monthly burn rate, divide your cash balance by your monthly burn rate to calculate your runway. For example, if your startup has $200,000 in cash and a monthly burn rate of $10,000, your runway would be 20 months ($200,000 / $10,000 = 20).

How Much Runway Should a Startup Have During Recessionary Times?

During recessionary times, it’s important for startups to have a longer runway than usual. Economic uncertainty can make it difficult for startups to raise additional capital, and investors may be more hesitant to invest in new ventures. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 12-18 months of runway[1].

Having a longer runway can help provide startups with more time to weather economic downturns, refine their products or services, and build a solid customer base. It can also give startups more bargaining power when seeking funding, as investors may be more willing to invest in a startup with a longer runway.

Strategies for Extending Runway

There are several strategies that startups can use to extend their runway during recessionary times:

• Cut expenses: Startups can reduce their burn rate by cutting expenses such as salaries, rent, and marketing. This can be difficult, but it’s often necessary to extend runway during tough economic times.
• Increase revenue: Startups can increase their revenue by focusing on sales and marketing initiatives that drive customer acquisition and retention. This can help them achieve profitability faster and extend their runway.
• Seek alternative funding sources: Startups can explore alternative funding sources such as government grants, crowdfunding, or revenue-based financing. These sources of funding can provide startups with the capital they need to extend their runway without diluting their equity.
• Pivot the business model: Startups can pivot their business model to focus on revenue-generating activities. This can involve shifting from a subscription-based model to a transaction-based model or offering additional services to customers.
• Delay product development: Startups can delay product development to reduce expenses and extend their runway. This can involve focusing on incremental improvements to the existing product or service rather than developing new features or products.

It can be important for startups to remember that extending their runway is not a one-time event. It requires ongoing monitoring of cash flow and burn rate to ensure that the business remains sustainable over the long term.

Final Thoughts

Runway can be a critical metric for startups that represents the amount of time they have before running out of cash. During recessionary times, it may become even more important for startups to have a longer runway to weather economic uncertainty and give them more bargaining power when seeking funding. By cutting expenses, increasing revenue, seeking alternative funding sources, pivoting their business model, and delaying product development, startups can extend their runway to help increase their chances of success. Ultimately, startups may need to remain vigilant and agile, monitoring their cash flow and burn rate to ensure they have enough runway to achieve their goals.

Is your startup ready to raise capital? Apply today to raise capital with MicroVentures!

Want to learn more about raising capital for your startup? Check out the following MicroVentures blogs to learn more:

• Who are Strategic Investors?
• Funding Rounds for Startups: What You Need to Know
• Form Cs Explained
• Storytelling Your Pitch

 

[1] https://www.jpmorgan.com/commercial-banking/insights/does-your-startup-have-enough-runway-to-survive#:~:text=Experts%20say%20most%20seed%2Dstage,next%20milestone%2C%E2%80%9D%20Ghosh%20says

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The information presented here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should it be construed or used as, comprehensive offering documentation for any security, investment, tax or legal advice, a recommendation, or an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, an interest, directly or indirectly, in any company. Investing in both early-stage and later-stage companies carries a high degree of risk. A loss of an investor’s entire investment is possible, and no profit may be realized. Investors should be aware that these types of investments are illiquid and should anticipate holding until an exit occurs.