:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
The flywheel compounds momentum generated from within. Burn rate consumes momentum purchased from outside. Opposite engines — and only one of them has a date attached.
Side by side
| Aspect | Flywheel | Burn rate |
|---|---|---|
| Momentum from | Inside | Outside |
| Has a deadline | No | Yes |
| Early stage | Very slow | Very fast |
| Failure mode | Never starts | Runs out |
What each one means
A heavy rotating wheel that stores energy and holds a machine at a steady speed. In business it is the borrowed image: a system where each turn makes the next turn easier, so momentum compounds and no single push explains the breakthrough.
Full definition of Flywheel →How fast a company consumes cash, normally stated per month. Divided into available funds, it gives the runway — how many months of cash are left before it runs out. Gross burn counts everything going out; net burn subtracts what comes back in.
Full definition of Burn Rate →