Gauge the financial potential of new business ideas—before you launch—for free

Easily build startup projections and validate new ventures with more confidence.
Estimate startup costs, monthly expenses, revenue, cash flow, profitability, and break-even timing.
Model franchise fees, royalties, loan payments, staffing, equipment, inventory, marketing, rent, and other startup requirements.
Understand what you need to invest — and how long until it pays off.
Create lender-ready financial reports you can use for SBA loans, franchise financing, or business planning.
Laptop on a desk displaying financial planning software called Projection Genie by StartSmart. Text on left invites users to watch a demo to see how easy it is to create a financial plan with StartSmart, with handwritten notes: 'A quick look inside!' and 'Big ideas. Solid plans. Brighter tomorrows.' Desk has a notebook, pen, stacked books labeled PLAN, LAUNCH, GROW, a potted plant, a mug reading 'Good Businesses Start with a Plan,' and a wall poster with words IDEAS, PLANS, PEOPLE, PROGRESS.Blue play button icon in a circular shape.

How StartSmart works

StartSmart turns answers about your business idea into a complete financial plan, projections, and supporting documentation automatically, without spreadsheets, formulas, or financial modeling experience. Create everything you need to plan one business completely free.

Blue line icon of a light bulb with rays indicating it is turned on or emitting light.

Financial modeling based on your inputs

StartSmart asks guided questions about your business idea, including startup costs, pricing, expected demand, operating expenses, staffing, loan details, and timing.

Based on your responses, StartSmart automatically builds financial projections for revenue, expenses, cash flow, profitability, break-even timing, and startup funding needs.

Blue simplified branching diagram with one rounded rectangle on the left connected by two lines to two rounded rectangles stacked vertically on the right.

Built-in logic to handle the math

Behind the scenes, StartSmart handles the calculations, formulas, and financial modeling logic for you.

It translates your assumptions into structured projections so you can see how your business may perform without building a spreadsheet from scratch.

Blue line icon of a hand making an OK gesture with the thumb and index finger forming a circle.

Clear outputs you can use to make decisions

StartSmart gives you a clear financial picture of what it may cost to open, how much cash the business may need, when it may break even, and whether the idea appears financially realistic.

Use the results to refine your assumptions, prepare for a loan application, or decide whether the opportunity is worth pursuing.

What StartSmart helps you see

Understand the financial requirements, risks, and potential of your business idea before you invest significant time or money.

01.

Upfront costs & ongoing expenses

Pie chart showing startup expenses: cash 31.4%, loans 18.8%, maintenance 15.1%, inventory 11.3%, rent 8.8%, others.

See the estimated cost to launch and operate your business, including one-time startup expenses, recurring monthly costs, staffing, equipment, inventory, marketing, rent, professional services, and other expected costs.

02.

Cash flow & runway

Bar chart showing monthly cash flow with cash in, cash out, and yellow line for ending balance trends.

Understand how cash may move through the business over time, when cash may get tight, and how long your initial funding may last before the business can support itself.

03.

Break-even timing

Break-even analysis chart with estimated gross profit rising and total expenses flat, crossing near month 6.

See when projected revenue may cover expenses and when the business may reach break-even, giving you a clearer timeline for when the idea may start paying off.

04.

Profitability potential

Bar chart showing profit and loss: net sales, gross profit, expenses, and net profit for years 1 to 3.

Evaluate whether the business can generate sustainable profits over time — and how sensitive that outcome is to pricing, volume, and costs.

05.

Sensitivity to key assumptions

Three scenario panels showing success probability: 90%, 30%, 85%, with breakeven times and startup costs.

Adjust important assumptions and quickly see how changes affect startup costs, cash flow, break-even timing, profitability, and funding needs.

Pie chart showing startup expenses: cash 31.4%, loans 18.8%, maintenance 15.1%, inventory 11.3%, rent 8.8%, others.
Bar chart showing monthly cash flow with cash in, cash out, and yellow line for ending balance trends.
Break-even analysis chart with estimated gross profit rising and total expenses flat, crossing near month 6.
Bar chart showing profit and loss: net sales, gross profit, expenses, and net profit for years 1 to 3.
Three scenario panels showing success probability: 90%, 30%, 85%, with breakeven times and startup costs.
Validate your idea now

Validate your business idea with confidence for free

Understand your idea’s financial potential and turn it into a complete financial plan for free in minutes.

Get started
Dashboard view of Lizzie Smith's Toy Store showing 95% success probability, key metrics, and startup cost pie chart.Dashboard view of Lizzie Smith's Toy Store showing 95% success probability, key metrics, and startup cost pie chart.