Make the numbers yours
Build your startup budget
Examples assume existing transport and no employees or premises. Add all costs that apply to you, including owner living expenses if needed. A zero is your assumption, not a fee exemption.
Estimated cash needed
$1,518.00- One-time setup
- $930.00
- Operating reserve
- $450.00
- Contingency
- $138.00
- Funding gap
- $518.00
No projected sales or unawarded grants are counted.
How the calculation works
Setup = equipment + supplies + registration + initial insurance + launch marketing + other one-time costs. Operating reserve = monthly cash expenses × months. Contingency = (setup + reserve) × your percentage. Funding gap = total less available cash when the result is positive.
Do not include the same insurance payment in both setup and the monthly line. Add owner living expenses to monthly cash needs if the business must support you. A grant you have not received is not available cash.
Replace every preset with your own quotes
Presets are original examples dated October 30, 2026. They exclude a vehicle purchase, employees, premises and specialized qualifications. Registration starts at $130 only to illustrate a Wisconsin domestic LLC filed online; choose your actual entity and applicable fees.
A $1,000 kit with $300 monthly expenses for three months and 10% contingency requires $2,090 before any other expenses. Revenue is intentionally excluded: a reserve should not depend on unconfirmed sales.
Use your results in a funding conversation
- Download your budget and attach supplier quotes.
- Explain which items you already own.
- Show when each expense will be paid.
- Ask a no-cost adviser to challenge your assumptions.
- Keep loan repayments and taxes in your separate ongoing cash-flow plan.
Put this guide to work
Optional help from a real Wisconsin team
Have a website or resource question?
Ask Tech Turtle a question or report a resource correction. We can explain our website service or point you to a published resource. Funding providers decide eligibility; we do not submit grant applications or provide individualized legal or financial advice.
Sources & review notes
Official references checked October 30, 2026. Program availability, fees and rules can change. Original budgets are planning examples, not quotes or earnings forecasts. This is general education, not individualized legal, tax, financial or safety advice.
Published by Tech Turtle, a Wisconsin website business. We are independent of the agencies and funding providers listed. Report a correction or ask about website help.