| Scenario | Monthly burn | Net burn | Runway | Zero date |
|---|
18 months is the minimum
Indian VC cycles are slow. Due diligence, term sheets, and legal take 3–6 months. Always raise before you hit 12 months of runway — start at 18.
Revenue is the best runway extender
Every ₹1L of new MRR adds months of runway without dilution. At ₹10L burn, ₹5L MRR doubles your effective runway at no cost.
Start fundraising at 9 months
If you have 9 months left, begin fundraising now. Build your list of 30+ investors, send warm intros, and start first meetings immediately.
Use DPIIT benefits to cut burn
DPIIT-registered startups get income tax exemption (80-IAC), patent fee rebate (80%), and access to Startup India Seed Fund. These directly extend runway.
A free tool by StartupIndiaX.com — India’s startup knowledge portal