KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

The small set of metrics that best measures a startup's progress against its stage-appropriate goals. Plain-language explainer with examples. Free to read.

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

The small set of metrics that best measures a startup's progress against its stage-appropriate goals.

What KPI (Key Performance Indicator) means

KPIs are the 3–7 metrics you actually track weekly to know whether the business is working. They vary sharply by stage and model: pre-revenue B2B watches pipeline coverage and design-partner conversion; consumer watches WAU/MAU and retention curves; SaaS watches ARR, net revenue retention, and CAC payback.

Investors care less about the specific KPIs than about whether you know which ones matter for your stage — and whether you're honest when they move the wrong way. A monthly investor update with the same 5 KPIs, tracked over 12 months, is one of the strongest fundraising signals you can build.

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•By Alejandro Cremades