← Glossary
Metrics & Unit Economics
Default alive / default dead
Whether your current growth and burn get you to profitability before the cash runs out (alive) or not (dead).
Why it matters
Paul Graham's framing forces an honest answer to one question: on today's trajectory, do you make it without raising again?
Hear it from people who've done it
Get the real-world version of "Default alive / default dead" drawn from hundreds of conversations with founders and investors.
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Related terms
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