Demystifying startup jargon

Entering the entrepreneur space can be daunting, especially for entrepreneurs lacking a funding, finance, and investment background. 

They need to navigate the world of investment and finance while climbing the steep learning hill of acronyms and industry-specific terminology. 

From non-dilutive capital to uncapped convertibles, shareholder agreements, and dry powder, there’s a lot to learn, often in a very short time.

Here, you’ll find some of the most common startup terminology to help you navigate conversations across funding and finance with vocabulary that will keep you in the loop and ahead of the game.

Common Startup Terms and Phrases

Accelerator

Centers or hubs where entrepreneurs can access mentors, funding, and support when they’re in the early stages of their business. Often, accelerator hubs are targeted at specific niches or industries and can provide companies with an essential boost when they’re struggling to scale.

In everyday conversation, “accelerator” refers to speeding up; in startup parlance, an Accelerator is a formal program offering capital, guidance, and networking to early-stage companies.

Acqui-hiring

Acqui-hiring (short for “acquisition hiring”) occurs when a larger company acquires a startup primarily to hire (or “acquire”) its skilled team rather than for its products or services.

Outside the startup world, most people think of acquisitions as taking over a product or brand. In startup circles, “acqui-hiring” highlights how talent can be the main driver behind a deal.

Advertorials

An advertorial is sponsored or paid content that resembles editorial (journalistic) content but is actually an advertisement. 

In a startup context, these can be used to educate readers about a product’s benefits while subtly promoting it.

Though “advertorial” appears in marketing, it becomes jargon in the startup world as founders look for cost-effective ways to build brand awareness without traditional ad budgets.

Agile

Agile is a project management and product development methodology characterized by short development cycles (sprints), frequent releases, and iterative improvements based on user feedback.

Originally from software development, “Agile” has become a buzzword in startups and tech. It indicates a flexible,, fast-paced approach that differs from traditional, rigid processes.

Alpha Test

An alpha test is the first phase of testing a new product or feature. It is usually performed by an internal team to identify bugs or issues before a broader beta test.

“Alpha test” speaks to a standard phase in the product development cycle specific to software and tech startups, which isn’t part of everyday business language outside these circles.

Angel Investor

Private investors with personal wealth focus on financing small business ventures in exchange for equity. They make money on the percentage of the company that they own, and their earnings or investments can be combined with venture capital funds or syndicates, which will all share a percentage of the profit.

In common speech, an “angel” is a benevolent figure. In startup terms, an Angel Investor is someone who provides early (and often high-risk) capital, typically in exchange for equity.

Angel Syndicate

 A group of individual angel investors that combine resources and strategy to invest into early-stage startups. Their goal is to pick a winner and share in the profit. The lead of the syndicate determines the carry (see below).

Syndicates are specific to the startup and investment world, denoting a collective strategy for risk-sharing and investment management.

Bootstrap

‘Pulled up by the bootstraps’ is a saying that’s been around since the 1800s to describe a person who has taken themselves to the next level and elevated their role, standing and financial status without any outside help. 

It’s got the same meaning for startups and finance—the entrepreneur has used their own funding to get their business off the ground.

Bridge loan / Swing loan

A bridge loan (or swing loan) is a short-term financing option used to “bridge” the gap between current funding needs and a future infusion of capital. Startups often use this to cover expenses while awaiting a longer-term investment or revenue stream.

Outside of startups, “bridge loans” might refer to real estate or other transactions. In the startup world, however, they signify an interim financing solution crucial for cash flow management between funding rounds.

Bubble

A bubble refers to a market situation where valuations become inflated beyond their real value. In startups, a “tech bubble” forms when investors pour significant money into the sector, driving up valuations quickly.

In everyday speech, a bubble might refer to a soap bubble or personal space. In finance and startup contexts, it’s a metaphor warning of overvaluation and potential market collapse.

Burn Rate

This term is used to determine the pace at which a company is using its capital to finance its overheads before it starts to see a positive return on the investment, or positive cashflow. It’s really the speed at which a company is losing money and is determined by subtracting expenses from revenue.

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

One of many acronyms that defines startup language, CAC stands for ‘customer acquisition cost’ and is used to determine your sales and marketing deliverables and value adds. You calculate it by adding up the costs of your sales and marketing, then dividing this number by the number of new customers you’ve gained over a specific period, usually a month.

Cap Table

Cap table is short for capitalization table and refers to the equity capitalization for a company. It’s a tool that’s often used for early stage companies and startups to list all the securities that the company has issued, such as stocks or ownership percentages.

Carry

Short for carried interest—the percentage of profit paid to the lead of a fund, angel syndicate or special purpose vehicle (SPV). The most common percentage used by the lead when launching a fund is around 20%.

Churn Rate

The churn rate is the percentage of customers (or subscribers) who stop using or paying for your product or service over a given period.

“Churn” is a concept borrowed from subscription businesses and software-as-a-service (SaaS) models, where retaining users is critical to success. 

Cliff

A cliff is an initial period in an equity vesting schedule during which an employee or founder must remain with the company before any shares vest. If they leave before the cliff period ends, they receive no equity.

While “cliff” typically refers to a physical drop in startup equity agreements,, it refers to a negotiated timeframe that can significantly impact compensation and ownership stakes.

Cliff Vesting

Cliff vesting is the process by which equity or stock options become fully vested all at once, rather than gradually, after an initial waiting period (the “cliff”). For instance, an employee might receive 25% of their shares after one year.

Most non-startup workers don’t have complicated vesting schedules, so “cliff vesting” is a specialized term for equity compensation in the startup ecosystem.

Convertible

Convertibles allow for investors and entrepreneurs to value the company at a later date in the future. This is a clever way of helping early startups to gain access to funding while still uncertain of their valuation, or if they’re at a stage where it’s just too soon to get an accurate valuation. Convertibles can be capped or uncapped. A capped convertible places a limit on the valuation point at which investor notes convert to equity; with an uncapped convertible, the investor has no guarantee around the equity that their funding purchases.

Cottage business/industry

A cottage business or cottage industry is a small-scale, home-based venture where most (or all) work is done by individuals or families rather than large corporate entities.

In a modern startup context, calling something a “cottage industry” references an early-stage or niche operation that might later grow into something bigger—a different use than historical references to literal cottage-based production.

Data room

A data room is a secure space—often virtual—where companies store and share critical documents (financials, IP, legal paperwork) with potential investors or buyers during due diligence.

The term “room” conjures a physical space, but in startup and investment contexts, it’s typically an online repository used to facilitate fundraising and acquisitions.

Debt financing

Debt financing raises capital by borrowing, often via loans or bonds, which must be repaid with interest. Unlike equity financing, debt financing doesn’t require selling a stake in the company.

Founders commonly discuss “debt vs. equity,” but “debt financing” is often misunderstood by those outside finance-focused circles. 

Dilutive and Non-Dilutive Capital

When an investor offers dilutive funding, they are asking for a slice of your business that can include anything from control of decision making within the company to a share of future profits. Non-dilutive funding is the opposite—the investor is not expecting you to hand over parts of the company in exchange for their investment; they just want to see some return on their investment and for your company to shine.

Discovery Phase

The discovery phase is the preliminary product or project development stage, when a team researches market needs, user pain points, and technical feasibility before building a solution.

“Discovery” can mean many things in everyday conversation, but it’s a formal process that informs feature prioritization and initial roadmapping in startups. 

Disruptive technology

Disruptive technology refers to innovations that displace established markets or create entirely new ones—often at lower cost or higher convenience. Famous examples include ride-sharing apps disrupting traditional taxi industries.

“Disruptive” sounds aggressive, but in tech, it’s a praise-laden term signaling a groundbreaking approach that redefines an industry.

Dogfooding

“Dogfooding” or “eating your own dog food” means using your own product or service internally to test and demonstrate its quality.

The phrase sounds odd outside tech. Within startup culture, it emphasizes authenticity: if you won’t use your product, why should anyone else?

Drag-along rights

Drag-along rights give majority shareholders the power to “drag” minority shareholders into a sale of the company under the same terms and conditions. Legal in nature, it’s rarely encountered outside equity agreements. Understanding drag-along rights is crucial for founders and early investors in startup deals.

Dry powder

Sassy startup slang that defines how much cash an investor has available in reserve. It’s often used by VC investors or private equity companies that want to get the most, well, bang for their buck.

“Dry powder” is a metaphor from gunpowder era warfare. In modern finance, it implies readily deployable capital.

Early Adopter

An early adopter is an individual or organization that starts using a product or technology soon after its launch and offers valuable feedback for improvements.

While “early adoption” is a general phrase, it’s crucial in startup culture. Early adopters help validate MVPs (minimum viable products) and guide feature refinement.

Equity

Equity refers to the ownership share in a company, typically in the form of stock or shares. For startups, equity distribution can include founders, employees, and investors.

In everyday use, “equity” can mean fairness or property value; in startups, it’s specifically about ownership stakes, which form the basis of funding deals, compensation, and valuations.

Evangelist

An evangelist is someone—often an employee or highly enthusiastic customer—who publicly promotes a startup’s product or culture. Developer evangelists, for instance, advocate a platform to the dev community.

Outside of religion, “evangelist” typically isn’t used in a business context. In startups, it highlights passion-driven promotion that feels more grassroots than traditional marketing.

Exit

An exit is how founders and investors realize returns on their investment, typically through an acquisition, merger, or initial public offering (IPO). “Exit” usually means leaving a place. In startup finance, it refers to the pivotal moment when a company transitions ownership or becomes publicly traded.

Exit strategy

An exit strategy is a planned approach to how founders or investors will eventually leave (or “exit”) the business—often by selling shares, merging, or going public. In broader usage, “strategy” is generic. In startup circles, an “exit strategy” is a crucial blueprint for long-term ROI on capital.

Flat Round

A flat round is a funding round in which a startup’s valuation remains the same as in a previous round, meaning no valuation increase (or decrease). Outside of startup investments, “flat” might just mean level. Within venture circles, a flat round signals slower growth or stable valuation (which can sometimes worry existing investors).

Flywheel

In startup terms, a flywheel is a self-reinforcing loop in which gains in one area create momentum in another—for example, acquiring more users, attracting more partners, and improving the product, which leads to even more users. A “flywheel” is an engineering part of machinery. In startups, it’s a metaphor for compounding growth.

FMA (First Mover Advantage)

First mover advantage (FMA) is the edge a startup gains by being the first to introduce a product or service in a market, ideally becoming synonymous with that category. “FMA” or “first mover” is heavily used in strategy discussions, focusing on speed to market as a competitive weapon.

Freemium

Freemium is a business model where the base product or service is offered free, but additional features or services require payment. Blending “free” and “premium,” the term is widely understood in tech circles but can baffle those unfamiliar with software subscription models.

Full-Stack Developer

A full-stack developer is an engineer proficient in all software stack layers, from front-end interfaces to back-end infrastructure and databases. The term “full-stack” doesn’t come up outside of tech startups. In startup hiring, a “full-stack developer” signals a versatile engineer.

Go to Market (GTM)

Go to Market (GTM) is the strategic plan for launching a product, targeting the right audience, and achieving traction in a specific market. “GTM” is short and sweet for a critical startup concept: effectively coordinating marketing, distribution, and sales channels.

Growth Hacking

Growth hacking is a data-driven, creative approach to rapidly expanding a user base or revenue with minimal resources. Tactics often include viral loops, referral programs, and A/B testing. “Hacking” implies an unconventional, scrappy mindset typical in startups, unlike traditional marketing methods.

Hockey stick

A hockey stick graph shows a sudden, sharp uptick in growth metrics—revenue or user count—after a gradual increase. While “hockey stick” is a sports term, in startup parlance, it’s the ideal growth curve that investors love to see.

Incubator

An incubator is a program or organization designed to help startups develop early, often providing workspace, mentorship, and seed funding. In biology, an “incubator” is for hatching eggs; in startups, it’s a structured environment that nurtures fledgling businesses.

Iteration

Iteration is the process of repeated improvements or tweaks to a product or process based on user feedback and testing. While iteration is a generic term, in startup circles, it’s a core principle of quick, continuous refinement to achieve product-market fit faster.

Launch

Launch means making a product or service publicly available for the first time, either as a beta or full release. In normal usage, “Launch” might mean sending a rocket into space; in startups, it’s the moment of going live, often accompanied by press releases, social campaigns, or special events.

Lean startup

Lean startup is a methodology focused on rapid iteration, validated learning, and minimizing waste by building an MVP and measuring user feedback early. It was coined by Eric Ries and is a distinct approach to company building that emphasizes validation over intuition.

Liquidation preference

A liquidation preference determines how proceeds from a liquidity event (sale, merger, or liquidation) are distributed among investors and shareholders. This preference often ensures that investors recoup their money before common shareholders.

Beyond startup financing, the phrase “liquidation preference” is rarely encountered, but it significantly impacts founder and employee payouts.

Low-Hanging Fruit

 A term often used across multiple industries, low-hanging fruit refers to the simplest and easiest route to investment success for your business. It means you pick the partners and financing solutions that are achievable and that help you meet your business objectives as fast as possible.

Merger (M&A)

A merger is when two companies combine to form a single entity; “M&A” stands for mergers and acquisitions, which covers the broader category of business transactions involving consolidating or purchasing companies. While the corporate world uses “M&A,” it’s especially relevant in startups where an acquisition or merger can be a primary exit pathway.

Mezzanine Financing

Mezzanine financing is a hybrid of debt and equity financing that allows the lender to convert debt to equity in case of default. It typically occurs late in a startup’s funding cycle, bridging the gap to an IPO or significant growth milestone. The term “Mezzanine” denotes a middle floor in buildings; specialized funding can be complex to negotiate in finance.

Micro Venture Capital

Micro VCs invest smaller amounts of capital (often under $50M in total fund size) and typically focus on seed or pre-seed stages. Traditional venture funds might handle hundreds of millions. “Micro VC” is a niche term indicating early-stage, smaller-scale funding.

Moonshot

A moonshot is an ambitious project or venture that aims for a radical, transformative outcome—like landing on the moon. In startups, “moonshot” describes a high-risk, high-reward strategy that might disrupt entire industries.

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

 MVP is short for minimum viable product and describes the earliest stage that your product or service can be sold to customers. Originally defined in the book Lean Startup by Eric Reis, the term has caught on and is used by many startups to get, well, started.

Network effect

A network effect occurs when each additional user of a product or service increases its overall value for other users—think social networks or marketplaces. The term is central to many startup business models but less common in broader industries outside tech and digital platforms.

Option pool

An option pool is a set of shares reserved for employees (and sometimes advisors or consultants) as stock options. It is typically used to attract and retain top talent. Offering equity to employees in early-stage companies is less common in traditional businesses, making “option pool” a specialized startup term.

Pitch deck

A pitch deck is a short presentation communicating a startup’s business model, market opportunity, and financials. It is usually shared with potential investors. Outside startups, a pitch deck might just be called a presentation, but it’s a specific tool for securing funding in venture circles.

Pivot

A pivot is a significant change in a startup’s product, strategy, or business model, typically informed by user feedback or market realities. While the word “pivot” is used in everyday language, in startups, it refers to a strategic reorientation, not a minor adjustment.

Post-money valuation

Post-money valuation is the company’s valuation immediately after making an investment, factoring in the new capital. The difference between “pre-money” and “post-money” valuations is specific to fundraising negotiations, not typical in everyday business transactions.

Pre-money valuation

Pre-money valuation is the company’s value before an investment round is factored in. Distinguishing between “pre-money” and “post-money” is unique to startup fundraising and impacts how ownership is divided among new and existing investors.

Private Equity (PE)

A PE company is focused on investment into the private equity of startups using a variety of different strategies. These can include VC, growth capital and leveraged buyout. The company profits from the fees they charge their investors in the fund, and they hold onto this profit by making sure that they consistently create profit for investors by increasing the value of the companies they buy so they can sell them at a profit.

Product-Market Fit (PMF)

Product-market fit means offering a product that effectively meets market demands—where users are willing to pay, use, and recommend it. Many businesses talk about “meeting customer needs,” but in startup circles, PMF is a milestone metric that can determine whether to scale or pivot.

Proof-of-Concept (POC)

A proof-of-concept (POC) demonstrates the feasibility of a new idea or technology, typically through a small-scale prototype or pilot. “POC” is a term used in engineering and tech. In startups, it shows potential investors or partners that the product idea is viable. 

Ramen profitable

A company is “ramen profitable” when it earns just enough revenue to cover basic living expenses for the founders (think instant ramen). This phrase is unique to startup culture, symbolizing bare-bones profitability that keeps a venture afloat.

REG A / REG CF / REG D

Definition: These refer to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations:

• REG A allows small companies to offer and sell securities to the public with more straightforward filing than an IPO.
• REG CF (Regulation Crowdfunding) enables startups to raise capital from the general public via approved crowdfunding platforms.
• REG D provides exemptions for companies to raise capital without registering securities publicly, typically used for private placements.

The average person may not encounter these SEC regulations. Startups and investors need to understand them to remain compliant during fundraising.

Runway

The runway is the amount of time a startup has before it runs out of money based on the current burn rate. In everyday language, “runway” is where planes take off. For startups, it’s a deadline for securing new funding or becoming profitable.

Scale-Up vs Start-Up

A startup focuses on finding product-market fit and establishing a business model, while a scale-up has validated its model and aims to accelerate revenue, customer, or market growth.

This distinction isn’t typically made outside of the tech ecosystem. Investors and founders, however, track whether a company is truly still a startup or in scaling mode.

Seed funding / Seed round / Seed stage

Seed funding is the first official equity funding stage, helping a startup move from idea to MVP or early revenue. A seed round is typically smaller and higher-risk for investors. Most non-startup businesses don’t mention “seed stages” or “seed rounds,” whereas new tech companies rely on them as initial capital injections.

Series A, B, C Funding

These are successive stages of venture capital financing after the seed stage. Each round aims to fuel a new level of growth, such as developing the product, scaling operations, or expanding geographically. Outside the startup world, the idea of multiple “series” of funding doesn’t exist. Traditional businesses may get a loan or a single investment, whereas startups raise multiple rounds.

Share scheme

A share scheme is a plan or program that grants employees shares or stock options, often used to motivate and reward team members. Non-startup companies might have some form of stock sharing, but “share schemes” are a key cultural element in tech to align employee incentives with company success.

Solopreneur

A solopreneur is a founder who starts and runs a business entirely alone. They often outsource tasks but maintain full ownership and control. This combination of “solo” and “entrepreneur” is popular in the modern gig economy and micro-startup communities.

SPAC

A Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) is a shell corporation created to raise capital through an IPO to acquire an existing company. Although SPACs have become popular as an alternative to going public, they remain a specialized concept in finance and startups.

Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)

An SPV is a company formed as a subsidiary with the sole goal of taking on a particular business strategy, goal or activity. These are often seen in finance as a way of separating the parent company from the risk, while allowing for the company to still potentially benefit from its investment.

Stack

A stack combines technologies, tools, and frameworks used to build and run a software product—often categorized into front-end, back-end, and infrastructure. Outside tech circles, “stack” might mean a pile of objects. Within startups, it’s critical to product development and hiring decisions.

Stealth mode

Stealth mode is a phase in which a startup hides product details, branding, or its existence from the public (and competitors) until a formal launch or announcement. In a military context, “Stealth” typically suggests secrecy; in startups, it means staying under the radar to refine products or test strategies before going public.

Success fee

A success fee is a payment contingent upon achieving a specific outcome. It is commonly used in fundraising or M&A deals. If the outcome isn’t met, no success fee is paid. The concept is unique to transactional industries like finance and real estate but especially relevant to startup advisors or brokers.

Sweat equity

Sweat equity is a startup's non-monetary investment made by founders or employees, typically through work hours, expertise, and sacrifice. Employees are often compensated with equity (ownership shares). Though “sweat” suggests physical labor, in a the startup context,, it refers to intangible contributions that create value.

Term Sheet

 Includes all the information an investor needs to know, and really understand, about making an investment with a specific company or investor. It will outline the details of the investment and should cover essential details such as the initial purchase price, assets, company valuations, investment amounts, stake percentages, voting rights, liquidation requirements and more. An investor will want to fully understand the term sheet before they sign.

The X of Y

“The X of Y” is a shorthand pitch template startups often use to describe their company by comparing it to a well-known brand. For example, “We’re the Uber of Dog Walking.” It’s a simplistic analogy used in startup pitches, rarely found in more traditional business descriptions.

Trough of sorrow

The trough of sorrow refers to the challenging phase after a startup launches a product but struggles to achieve rapid growth or user adoption. This phase is often accompanied by dwindling morale or funds. It’s an emotional, vivid phrase unique to startup culture, highlighting the sometimes harsh reality between MVP launch and tangible traction.

Two pizza rule

Popularized by Amazon, the two-pizza rule suggests that any team working on a project should be small enough to be fed by two pizzas. It encourages lean, efficient, and agile teams. It’s a culturally specific phrase turned into a startup principle, reflecting a unique approach to collaboration and decision-making.

Unicorn

A unicorn is a privately held startup valued at over $1 billion. Outside fantasy contexts, “unicorn” in tech signals an extremely rare and successful company, often driving hype and investor interest.

Venture Capital (VC)

A type of private equity and financing offered to startups that have proven, or expected, long-term potential. The funds come from investment banks, financial institutions or investors.

Waterfall

A waterfall in startup or finance contexts details how proceeds are distributed to shareholders after a liquidity event, such as an acquisition. “Waterfall” might just mean a natural feature in everyday life; here, it’s a structured distribution sequence crucial in negotiations.

Wireframing

Wireframing is the process of creating a simple, schematic layout of an app or website, focusing on functionality and navigation rather than detailed design. It’s a UX/UI concept common in product development that’s not typically used in non-tech fields.

YC

YC stands for Y Combinator, one of the world’s most famous startup accelerators based in Silicon Valley. “YC” is well-known among founders seeking capital and mentorship but means little outside of startup ecosystems.

Zebra

A zebra is an alternative concept to unicorns—representing startups that prioritize profitability, sustainability, and social impact over fast scale and billion-dollar valuations. The zebra concept originated to criticize unicorn culture, highlighting companies that want stable, ethical growth.

Zombie

A zombie startup is neither growing significantly nor dying; it continues to operate but lacks momentum or clear direction. The word “Zombie” conjures imagery of the undead. In startup terms, it indicates a state of limbo—still functioning but no longer truly alive in a scaling sense.

Zombie unicorn

A zombie unicorn is a startup that has reached a high valuation (often touted as a “unicorn”) but fails to sustain growth and essentially becomes a zombie—holding onto its valuation without real progress. This combination of two colorful startup terms, “zombie” and “unicorn,” depicts a high-value company that might be stalling out.

A final thought

These terms and phrases represent some of the most common jargon in the startup world, but they only begin to scratch the surface. 

For any entrepreneur venturing across the vast finance and innovation landscape, it’s worth unpacking the terms that fit your unique strategy, product, and investment path. 

By staying on top of this specialized vocabulary, you can ensure that industry lingo doesn’t become a barrier to your startup’s sustainable success—and that you remain confident and credible in every conversation.