[pjc50]

Right now, client funding is extremely vulnerable. The startup I was working for in 2001 blew up when clients stopped paying bills due to their own bankruptcy. The one I was working for in 2008 was badly crippled by all the clients we were pre-sales engaged with simply closing their external purchasing.

[markmark]

This is the thing I've seen a lot of tech people missing, they are all "I'll be fine, my company already works from home and our business isn't effected". Yes, but what about your customers businesses? What if they stop paying? Or what about _their_ customers. The entire economy is going to be hit hard, and that will ripple through.

[cinquemb]

I think startups that cater to providing services to government funded organizations will probably do better, especially with all this new government debt globally in the form of "stimulus".

[itronitron]

I don't expect that will turn out to be the case as funding will be reallocated across various government programs in an extreme manner. The impact of Hurricane Katrina on DHS programs is a comparatively small example of what can happen after an event like this.

Companies large enough to serve multiple different organizations may be able to re-balance their services.

[markmark]

Yeah I have a friend who works for a small company (although not a startup) that provides essential services to the government, we think he's as safe as anyone.