How does a SAFE convert?

At the next priced round, at the lower of the valuation cap and the discounted round price. The SAFE calculator shows the shares and ownership each term produces.

How much runway should a startup have?

Enough to reach the next milestone plus six months to raise; 18 months is the common target after a round. The runway calculators project it with revenue growth and cost changes.

What does an option pool cost founders?

When the pool is created before a round (the usual investor ask), it comes out of the founders’ share alone, lowering the effective pre-money valuation. The option pool calculator shows the true price.

Guide · 11 tools

Startup fundraising and equity

Valuation methods, SAFE and convertible note conversion, cap tables, dilution, option pools, liquidation preferences, burn rate and runway.

Fundraising is a negotiation over percentages, and small terms move large sums. These calculators make each term concrete: what a cap or discount does at conversion, what an option pool costs founders, how a preference stack pays out, and how many months the bank balance buys.

They frame the negotiation; the price is set by whoever writes the cheque.

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Valuation

Pre-money by method, and by multiple.

Business & Start-upsStartup Valuation CalculatorCalculate pre-money and post-money valuation from an investment amount and the equity offered.Pre-money valuation: $5,600,000Open the calculator Business & Start-upsStartup Valuation Methods CalculatorValue a pre-revenue startup three ways — Berkus, scorecard and the VC method — and get a range to anchor your ask.A defensible pre-money valuation is around: $7,200,000Open the calculator Business & Start-upsBusiness Valuation CalculatorEstimate an indicative business value from earnings or revenue, a chosen multiple, debt and surplus cash.Indicative equity value: $2,500,000Open the calculator

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Instruments and the cap table

SAFEs, notes, pools and who owns what after the round.

Business & Start-upsSAFE Note CalculatorWork out how many shares a SAFE converts into, and the founder dilution, under a valuation cap, a discount, or both.The SAFE converts into ownership of: 5.9%Open the calculator Business & Start-upsConvertible Note CalculatorModel a convertible note with interest, a cap and a discount, and see exactly what it dilutes at the next round.The note dilutes existing holders by: 7.6%Open the calculator Business & Start-upsCap Table CalculatorSimulate up to three funding rounds with option-pool top-ups and see what founders, employees and each investor own at the end.Founders own at the end: 46.0%Open the calculator Business & Start-upsFounder Equity CalculatorModel a simple founder equity split using contribution weights such as cash, time, idea, sales and product work.Founder A modelled ownership: 54%Open the calculator Business & Start-upsEquity Dilution CalculatorCalculate ownership dilution after a new investment round or share issue.Your ownership after the round: 48%Open the calculator

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Cash and runway

How long the money lasts and when to raise.

Business & Start-upsBurn Rate CalculatorCalculate monthly gross spending, net cash burn and a simple runway estimate from cash, monthly expenses and monthly income.Net burn each month: $63,000Open the calculator Business & Start-upsRunway CalculatorEstimate how many months cash will last at the current net burn rate.Months of runway: 10 monthsOpen the calculator Business & Start-ups13-Week Cash Flow ForecastProject the next thirteen weeks of cash from receipts and payments, find the low point, and see if you need a facility.Lowest cash balance, week 8: $16,000Open the calculator

Common questions