Knowledge / Business & Entrepreneurship

Startup Metrics

The quantitative framework for understanding whether a startup is improving.

By Siddhant Krishna · Published 2026-10-06 · Updated 2026-10-06

Core Metrics

Active users.
Retention.
Activation.
Conversion.
Revenue.
Gross margin.
Churn.
CAC.
LTV.
Burn.
Runway.

Cohort Analysis

Cohort analysis groups customers by a common start date or characteristic and tracks behavior over time. It helps separate true retention from aggregate growth caused by constant acquisition of new users.

North-Star Metrics

A useful primary metric should represent meaningful customer value rather than vanity activity.

References

Y Combinator's public library of startup advice, lectures, essays, fundraising resources, and founder education.
https://www.ycombinator.com/library/
Michael Seibel, Y Combinator, on recognizing genuine product-market fit.
https://www.ycombinator.com/blog/the-real-product-market-fit/

Startup GrowthTurning product demand into a repeatable growth engine.Startup Finance and RunwayCash management, burn rate, runway, gross margin, working capital, and financial decision-making.

Core Metrics

Cohort Analysis

North-Star Metrics

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