# Startups need specific growth curves * The Valley of Death must be small. Most VCs will not fund a company that spends too long with low revenue or few users. This is another manifestation of the timescale constraint. * Growth must be monotonic (always going up and to the right.) In rare circumstances a startup can survive flat or declining growth for a period if its management had the foresight or luck to raise funds before the lackluster growth that last until the growth resumes up-and-to-the-rightness. <!-- #stub --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Startups+need+specific+growth+curves) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Startups+need+specific+growth+curves)