Decide how much to raise, tied to milestones, runway and a use-of-funds skeleton.
The form starts with an editable seed plan. Calculate as-is, or enter your own numbers first.
A good ask buys enough time to reach the next fundable proof point and still leaves room to raise from strength.
The core ask starts with planned monthly burn multiplied by the runway needed to clear the milestone.
Money already soft-circled should reduce the public ask, not inflate it.
Minimum, target and stretch let you manage a real round without rewriting the story.
The calculator turns burn, runway, buffer and milestone costs into a defensible funding range.
# core components effective_burn = current_burn + planned_hires base_need = effective_burn x runway + one_time_costs target = base_need x (1 + buffer) - committed minimum = target x 0.7 stretch = target x 1.3
Use this as a fundraising planning check, not a board-ready financial model.
The use-of-funds split is directional and should be edited for your actual operating plan.
Seed does not mean a fixed dollar amount. The ask should map to proof.
Planned hires are burn, even if they start after the round closes.
A raise without slippage buffer assumes everything lands on schedule.
Most founders target 18-24 months: enough to hit the milestone that unlocks the next round and still leave time to fundraise.
A minimum, target and stretch lets you stay flexible. You can close at the minimum, hit the target, or expand if the round is oversubscribed.
Yes. Committed capital reduces the new money still open, so the public ask reflects what you actually need to close.