A complete Seed financial model for Gaming startups. Revenue model, unit economics, hiring plan, cash flow projections, and funding scenarios — structured for investor review.
Projection Horizon
3 years (monthly for Year 1, quarterly for Years 2-3)
Model Tabs
7 core tabs
Format
Excel + Google Sheets
Path to Series A metrics and the unit economics that prove the business model. Seed investors model the path from current to Series A-level KPIs.
Gaming models live and die by the LTV:CPI ratio. A ratio below 1.5x is unprofitable. Build a cohort waterfall showing how D1/D7/D30 retention converts to LTV by acquisition channel. Include a separate tab for each major live title.
User acquisition model with D1/D7/D30 retention cohorts driving LTV calculation. Revenue driven by ARPDAU (average revenue per daily active user) from in-app purchases and advertising.
Seed models should have a clearly documented assumption page. Every assumption should include a source (comparable company benchmark, customer interview data, or market research). Avoid top-down market share assumptions.
Show base case (on-plan), downside (50% of plan), and recovery timeline from downside. Include a Series A readiness milestone tracker showing the KPIs required to raise.
A Seed Gaming financial model should cover 3 years (monthly for Year 1, quarterly for Years 2-3) of projections with these tabs: Assumptions Dashboard, Revenue Cohort Model, Unit Economics, Headcount Plan, P&L Summary, Cash Flow Forecast, Series A Bridge. Path to Series A metrics and the unit economics that prove the business model. Seed investors model the path from current to Series A-level KPIs.
User acquisition model with D1/D7/D30 retention cohorts driving LTV calculation. Revenue driven by ARPDAU (average revenue per daily active user) from in-app purchases and advertising. The key revenue drivers are: Daily Active Users (DAU) x ARPDAU; In-app purchase revenue by user tier; Advertising revenue (rewarded ads, interstitials); Live operations event revenue spikes.
Gaming unit economics at the Seed stage should include: Cost Per Install (CPI) by channel and creative; LTV at D7, D30, D90, D365 by user segment; LTV:CPI ratio by acquisition channel; Contribution margin after UA spend and hosting; Payback period on user acquisition cost. Gaming models live and die by the LTV:CPI ratio. A ratio below 1.5x is unprofitable. Build a cohort waterfall showing how D1/D7/D30 retention converts to LTV by acquisition channel. Include a separate tab for each major live title.
Seed models should have a clearly documented assumption page. Every assumption should include a source (comparable company benchmark, customer interview data, or market research). Avoid top-down market share assumptions. Start with the smallest unit of your business (one customer, one transaction, one seat) and build up from there. Every assumption should have a source or benchmark you can defend in an investor meeting.
Show base case (on-plan), downside (50% of plan), and recovery timeline from downside. Include a Series A readiness milestone tracker showing the KPIs required to raise.
Get the Gaming Seed financial model as a pre-built Excel and Google Sheets template. Assumptions dashboard, revenue model, unit economics, and cash flow — ready to customize.
Includes Excel file, Google Sheets version, and model documentation guide