Default Alive/Dead
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Proposed by Paul Graham. Ask yourself: if the company never raises another cent, given its current growth rate and burn rate, can it survive until profitability? If yes, it is default alive; if no, it is default dead.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
An extremely sober reality check. Many founders are immersed in false prosperity, unaware that they are in a 'default dead' state. This scaffold forces you to take immediate action (cut costs or increase revenue) to change the default state.
Anchor fast decisions
A binary classification of startup health: default alive means the company can reach profitability without new funding; default dead means it must keep raising funds or go bankrupt. The key is the intersection of growth and cost curves.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AD%BB%E4%BA%A1verified
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