There is no universal dollar minimum. Substantiality is assessed relative to the actual enterprise cost, and a lower-cost business generally requires a higher proportionate commitment under State Department guidance.
Use a defensible establishment budget
Document development, systems, equipment, marketing commitments and other genuine business expenses without adding unsupported founder-effort or brand valuations. Distinguish recurring projected costs from qualifying capital already committed. Application charges, professional preparation and household expenses belong in separate budget lines.
Low overhead can affect the commercial cost structure, but it does not waive the real-enterprise or non-marginality requirements. The failure is a budget assembled from what was spent rather than from what the enterprise needs. Founder effort and unbilled development hours may find their way into a total because they were genuinely invested in an ordinary sense, but they do not become committed capital merely for that reason.
A separately transferred intangible-property right may count as a capital asset if its value can reasonably be determined. The earliest signal is a figure that cannot be traced to a payment. Document development, systems, equipment and marketing commitments with the evidence supporting each, and distinguish recurring projected costs from capital already irrevocably committed and at risk.
There is no fixed minimum and a proportionality approach applies, so a lower-cost enterprise generally calls for a higher proportionate commitment. Keep application charges, professional preparation and household expenses on separate lines.