Software startups face dynamic challenges where Requirements Prioritization (RP) significantly impacts their success. Choosing the right RP criteria is es-sential for early-stage ventures to enhance survival. This study systematically reviewed 40 studies, identifying 82 RP criteria across 10 domains. The anal-ysis revealed ‘Expected cost’ as the most commonly used criterion, while other crucial financial criteria were often overlooked, despite their im-portance to software startup survival. The study calls for collaborative aca-demic and industry efforts to create a requirements prioritization method that’s startup context appropriate.