ikwe.ai

Internal · Bridge → Scale Pro Forma

Two-Phase Raise & the J Curve

Preset:

Owner-only planning figures — not financial advice. Two phases, two teams: a lean core-four bridge that only has to reach the Q1-2027 raise, then a bigger scale round that funds the standard-building org. The recurring engine is what bends the J curve.

Capital & timeline

The bridge lands month 1. The scale seed lands at the Q1-2027 close (month 8 ≈ Feb 2027). Opex stays lean until the seed is in the bank.

Bridge — F&F / angel SAFE

Only has to reach the raise (~7 months of lean burn). $200K works; $250K is raise-timing insurance.

Scale seed ($)

Seed month (Q1'27 = 8)

One-time at start ($, legal/IP/CPA)

Revenue engines

Services trade hours for dollars. Recurring (Monitor + certification subscriptions) compounds — it is the J engine. The base recurring growth is the single most important cell in this model.

Services

Start $/mo

Start month

Growth /mo

Recurring — the J engine

Start $/mo

Start month

Base growth /mo %

Bear growth /mo %

Bull growth /mo %

Bear / Base / Bull draw the three J curves on the right, so the case gets argued in the room, not discovered there.

Operating cost by phase

Phase 1 is the lean bridge team. Phase 2 ramps only after the seed is in — you don't spend the raise before it arrives.

Phase 1 · bridge team, lean ($/mo)

Phase 2a · scale yr1 ($/mo)

Phase 2b · full scale ($/mo)

Phase 1 runs months 1→seed. Phase 2a runs the 12 months after the seed. Phase 2b is full scale after that.

Cash into the raise

–

Exit ARR · base (mo 36)

–

recurring × 12

Op. break-even · base

–

rev ≥ opex

J-curve trough · base

–

bottom of the J

Lowest cash (survival)

–

must stay > 0

Month-36 revenue

–

monthly

The J curve — bear / base / bull

Cumulative operating cash flow. It dips through the build (down-stroke), troughs, then climbs (up-stroke). The gap between the three lines is entirely the recurring growth rate.

Bear Base Bull Q1'27 raise

Sensitivity — what the growth rate is worth

Recurring growth	Exit ARR (mo 36)	J-curve trough	Cash at mo 36

Constant compounding overstates the tail — real recurring growth decays as the base gets large, so read the shape and the spread, not the bull month-36 point estimate. The point: below ~10%/mo this is a services business; at ~15%+ it becomes a standard with a J.

Revenue vs Opex — base case

Total revenue Operating cost Q1'27 raise

Two-phase team & cost

Phase 1 · Bridge team (now → Q1 2027, on the ~$250K SAFE): Stephanie, Danielle, Shaun, Daryl — the core four on modest pay + Jean (adviser, minimal). ~$22.8K/mo. Job: prove the point — study reviewed, first pilots, revenue starting — and reach the raise from strength.

Phase 2 · Scale team (Q1 2027+, on the ~$1.5M seed): the core four move to fuller pay + one lead per function as it scales — technical/product, research, content, product — plus legal & partnerships (advisors → hires). Ramps ~$55K → ~$95K/mo. Job: scale to full and become the referenced standard.

Monthly detail (36 months)

Mo	Services	Recurring	Total rev	Opex	Op CF	Cumulative (J)	Capital	Cash

Visible Healing Inc. / Ikwe.ai · Private · Planning figures, not financial advice · versions saved in this browser