# Live

URL: /business/lifecycle/states/live · Id: `state:live`

> Live is the state of a Startup that is publicly reachable and takes money from Customers for at least one Offer.

Live is the state of a [Startup](/business/nouns/startup) that is publicly reachable and takes money from [Customers](/business/nouns/customer) for at least one [Offer](/business/nouns/offer). From [launch](/business/nouns/startup/launch), the clock runs to the first outside paid [Order](/business/nouns/order), and every later state counts those Orders.

## Entry checks
| Check | Id | Kind | Applies to | Passes when |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Offers published | `live-offers` | `registry` | Every Startup | At least one Offer is published with a price and terms; launch refuses a Startup without one. |
| Work defined | `live-work` | `registry` | Every Startup | Every published Offer has a workflow that delivers it, with each step assigned to software, an Agent, or a person. |
| People assigned | `live-people` | `registry` | Every Startup | Every role the workflows need is held by an Agent or a person, with instructions and limits. |
| Site published | `live-site` | `ui` | Every Startup | The site serves home, pricing, terms, and privacy pages under the Brand, readable by people and agents. |
| Test run passed | `live-test-run` | `transcript` | Every Startup | A sample Customer completes every published Offer end to end in test, with no real charge or message. |
| Portal ready | `live-portal` | `ui` | Every Startup | The customer portal on the site shows each Customer their orders, deliveries, invoices, and messages. |
| Agent API open | `live-agent-api` | `contract` | Every Startup | The API, MCP server, OpenAPI document, llms.txt, and agents.json serve every published Offer and pass conformance. |
| Payouts connected | `live-payouts` | `contract` | Every Startup | Stripe takes payments for the Startup and pays out to its bank account. |
| Address resolves | `live-address` | `contract` | Every Startup | The canonical Domain serves the Site over HTTPS with a valid certificate and, where it embeds a payment form, Stripe lists it as a payment method domain. |
| Five slots at Commitment | `live-slots` | `grade` | Every Startup | All five Founding Hypothesis slots hold Commitment Evidence from outside people. Slots `customer`, `problem`, `approach`, `switch`, `differentiation` at Commitment or stronger, outside Evidence only. |
| Sources secured | `live-sources` | `registry` | [Dataset API](/products/templates/dataset-api), [Directory](/products/templates/directory) | Every dataset source is licensed, crawled within its terms, or synthetic. |
| Evals passing | `live-evals` | `transcript` | [Agent as a Service](/products/templates/agent-as-a-service) | The Agent passes its evaluation suite on every task type its Offers sell. |
| SLA published | `live-sla` | `registry` | [Services-as-Software](/products/templates/services-as-software), [E2E managed service](/products/templates/managed-service) | Every service Offer states its outcome, its SLA, and the remedy when the SLA is missed. |
| Supply seeded | `live-supply` | `registry` | [Marketplace](/products/templates/marketplace), [Licensed-human marketplace](/products/templates/licensed-marketplace) | The first suppliers are onboarded, have accepted supplier terms, and can receive payouts. |
| Credentials verified | `live-credentials` | `contract` | [Licensed-human marketplace](/products/templates/licensed-marketplace) | Every supplier who performs licensed work holds a verified, current credential for each jurisdiction served. |
| Human steps staffed | `live-human-loop` | `registry` | [E2E managed service](/products/templates/managed-service) | Every human step in delivery has a staffed role, a response time, and an escalation path. |

## One metric that matters
[Outside paying Customers](/agents/founding#outside-paying-customers): Outside paying Customers counts distinct outside Customers with at least one paid, unrefunded Order in the window.

## Builders at work
- [StartupBuilder](/code/builders/startup)
- [SiteBuilder](/code/builders/site)
- [SoftwareBuilder](/code/builders/software)
- [ServiceBuilder](/code/builders/service)
- [SalesBuilder](/code/builders/sales)

## Roles on duty
| Role | Team |
| --- | --- |
| [Founder](/agents/founding/founder) | [Founding Team](/agents/founding) |
| [Strategist](/agents/founding/strategist) | [Founding Team](/agents/founding) |
| [Product Lead](/agents/product/product-lead) | [Product Team](/agents/product) |
| [Designer](/agents/product/designer) | [Product Team](/agents/product) |
| [Researcher](/agents/product/researcher) | [Product Team](/agents/product) |
| [Engineering Lead](/agents/engineering/engineering-lead) | [Engineering Team](/agents/engineering) |
| [Reliability Engineer](/agents/engineering/reliability-engineer) | [Engineering Team](/agents/engineering) |
| [Integration Engineer](/agents/engineering/integration-engineer) | [Engineering Team](/agents/engineering) |
| [Security Engineer](/agents/engineering/security-engineer) | [Engineering Team](/agents/engineering) |
| [Marketing Lead](/agents/marketing/marketing-lead) | [Marketing Team](/agents/marketing) |
| [Analyst](/agents/marketing/analyst) | [Marketing Team](/agents/marketing) |
| [Content Lead](/agents/marketing/content-lead) | [Marketing Team](/agents/marketing) |
| [Sales Lead](/agents/sales/sales-lead) | [Sales Team](/agents/sales) |
| [Sales Engineer](/agents/sales/sales-engineer) | [Sales Team](/agents/sales) |
| [Prospector](/agents/sales/prospector) | [Sales Team](/agents/sales) |
| [Partner Manager](/agents/sales/partner-manager) | [Sales Team](/agents/sales) |
| [Customer Lead](/agents/customer/customer-lead) | [Customer Team](/agents/customer) |
| [Onboarding Specialist](/agents/customer/onboarding-specialist) | [Customer Team](/agents/customer) |
| [Success Manager](/agents/customer/success-manager) | [Customer Team](/agents/customer) |
| [Operations Lead](/agents/operations/operations-lead) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Delivery Manager](/agents/operations/delivery-manager) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Supply Manager](/agents/operations/supply-manager) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Risk Analyst](/agents/operations/risk-analyst) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Finance Lead](/agents/finance/finance-lead) | [Finance Team](/agents/finance) |
| [Billing Specialist](/agents/finance/billing-specialist) | [Finance Team](/agents/finance) |
| [Treasurer](/agents/finance/treasurer) | [Finance Team](/agents/finance) |
| [Legal Lead](/agents/legal/legal-lead) | [Legal Team](/agents/legal) |
| [Compliance Officer](/agents/legal/compliance-officer) | [Legal Team](/agents/legal) |
| [Privacy Officer](/agents/legal/privacy-officer) | [Legal Team](/agents/legal) |
| [Contracts Manager](/agents/legal/contracts-manager) | [Legal Team](/agents/legal) |
| [People Lead](/agents/people/people-lead) | [People Team](/agents/people) |
| [Recruiter](/agents/people/recruiter) | [People Team](/agents/people) |
| [Payroll Specialist](/agents/people/payroll-specialist) | [People Team](/agents/people) |
| [Quality Lead](/agents/quality/quality-lead) | [Quality Team](/agents/quality) |
| [Reviewer](/agents/quality/reviewer) | [Quality Team](/agents/quality) |
| [Tester](/agents/quality/tester) | [Quality Team](/agents/quality) |

## Workflows that wake
| Workflow | Runs | Team |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Bill on confirmation](/workflows/processes/delivery/bill-on-confirm) | on [`Order.confirmed`](/business/events/Order.confirmed) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Start the remedy](/workflows/processes/delivery/start-remedy) | on [`Order.disputed`](/business/events/Order.disputed) | [Operations Team](/agents/operations) |
| [Invoice reminders](/workflows/processes/billing/invoice-reminders) | every day | [Finance Team](/agents/finance) |
| [Renewal notice](/workflows/processes/billing/renewal-notice) | every day | [Finance Team](/agents/finance) |
| [Answer supplier checks](/workflows/processes/vendor-onboarding/answer-supplier-checks) | on [`Deal.won`](/business/events/Deal.won) | [Sales Team](/agents/sales) |
| [Close the loop](/workflows/processes/customer-research/close-the-loop) | on [`Change.merged`](/business/events/Change.merged) | [Product Team](/agents/product) |
| [Design first run](/workflows/processes/product-definition/design-first-run) | on [`Offer.published`](/business/events/Offer.published) | [Product Team](/agents/product) |
| [Compile the demand kit](/workflows/processes/launches/compile-demand-kit) | on [`Startup.advanced`](/business/events/Startup.advanced) | [Marketing Team](/agents/marketing) |
| [Fan out an outcome](/workflows/processes/retention/fan-out-outcome) | on [`Order.confirmed`](/business/events/Order.confirmed) | [Customer Team](/agents/customer) |

## At the next state
- [Repeatable](/business/lifecycle/states/repeatable): 11 entry checks.
- [Hold](/business/lifecycle/states/hold): 1 entry check.
- [Graduate](/business/lifecycle/states/graduate): 1 entry check.
- [Sell](/business/lifecycle/states/sell): 6 entry checks.
- [Dormant](/business/lifecycle/states/dormant): 1 entry check.
- [Building](/business/lifecycle/states/building): 5 entry checks.