Startup Fundraising Glossary

Navigate the world of startup financing with confidence

Explore a glossary of essential terms in startups, startup fundraising, bootstrapping and entrepreneurship. Decode the terminology and jargon with ease.

  • Distribution Channel

    Distribution Channel is the chain of businesses or intermediaries through which a good or service passes until it reaches the end consumer.

  • Distribution Rights

    Distribution Rights are rights granted to distribute a product, technology, or service, often critical in partnerships and licensing agreements.

  • Diversification

    Diversification is an investment strategy to reduce risk by allocating investments among various financial instruments, industries, and other categories.

  • Diversified Revenue Streams

    Diversified Revenue Streams involve generating income from multiple sources or channels to reduce dependency on a single source and mitigate financial risk.

  • DIY Marketing

    DIY Marketing involves implementing marketing strategies and campaigns internally without the use of external agencies or consultants, often to conserve resources.

  • Domain Expertise

    Domain Expertise is specialized knowledge or expertise in a particular area or industry, which can be a critical asset in developing a startup`s product or service.

  • Domain Name Investing

    Domain Name Investing involves buying and holding domain names as a speculative investment, with the goal of selling them at a profit.

  • Donation-Based Crowdfunding

    Donation-Based Crowdfunding is a way to raise funds for a project or venture by asking a large number of people to donate money, typically via an online platform, without offering them a return on investment.

  • Down Round

    Down Round is a financing event where investors purchase stock or securities from a company at a lower valuation than the preceding round, indicating a decrease in the company’s valuation.

  • Drip Campaign

    Drip Campaign is a method of sending marketing information to prospects continuously over longer periods of time, typically via email, to build relationships and awareness.

  • Drip Funding

    Drip Funding is the provision of funding in small amounts over time, rather than as a single lump sum, often used to maintain tight control over cash flow.

  • Drop Shipping

    Drop Shipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn`t keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer.

  • Due Diligence

    Due Diligence is an investigation or audit of a potential investment or product to confirm all facts, such as reviewing financial records, before entering into an agreement.

  • Dynamic Cap Table

    Dynamic Cap Table is an adjustable model that reflects changes in a company`s ownership structure, including equity dilution, new funding rounds, and employee stock option pool changes.

  • Dynamic Equity

    Dynamic Equity is an equity allocation model that allows for the adjustment of ownership percentages based on contributions or other agreed-upon metrics over time.

  • Dynamic Pricing

    Dynamic Pricing is a pricing strategy in which the price of a product or service is flexible, often varying based on market demand, competition, or other factors.

  • Dynamic Startup Ecosystem

    Dynamic Startup Ecosystem describes a vibrant community of startup entities, venture capitalists, angel investors, and support services fostering innovation and growth.

  • Early Adopter

    Early Adopter is an individual or business who uses a new product or technology before others, often critical for startups seeking initial market validation.

  • Early Bird Special

    Early Bird Special refers to incentives offered to the first investors or customers, such as discounted pricing or additional benefits, to encourage early commitment.

  • Early Exercise

    Early exercise refers to the action of exercising (i.e., acting upon) an option before its expiration date, often to secure a profit or minimize a loss.

  • Early Majority

    Early Majority refers to the segment of the market that adopts new products just before the average person, crucial for achieving significant market penetration.

  • Early-Stage Financing

    Early-stage financing is funding provided to companies in the early stages of their development to support product development and initial marketing.

  • Earned Media

    Earned Media refers to publicity gained through promotional efforts other than paid advertising, such as customer reviews and word-of-mouth.

  • Earned Value Management

    Earned value management is a project management technique for measuring project performance and progress in an objective manner.

  • Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT)

    Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) is a measure of a firm`s profitability that excludes interest and income tax expenses.

  • Earnings Before Interest and Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA)

    Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) is a measure of a company`s overall financial performance and is used as an alternative to net income in some circumstances.

  • Earnings Retention

    Earnings retention refers to the portion of a company`s profits that are reinvested in the business rather than distributed to shareholders as dividends.

  • Earnout

    Earnout is a financing agreement where the seller of a business receives future earnings based on the business`s performance.

  • Economic Forecasting

    Economic Forecasting involves predicting future economic conditions based on analysis of trends and data, essential for startups to anticipate market shifts.

  • Economic Moat

    Economic Moat is a sustainable competitive advantage that protects a company from its competitors.

  • Ecosystem

    Ecosystem in the context of startups refers to the interconnected network of companies, investors, and service providers within a particular industry or geographic area.

  • Elevator Networking

    Elevator Networking is the practice of making professional connections in casual or brief encounters, akin to giving an elevator pitch.

  • Elevator Pitch

    Elevator Pitch is a succinct and persuasive sales pitch to spark interest in what a company does, often used by startups when talking to potential investors.

  • Elevator Test

    Elevator Test is a quick, concise pitch that explains a startup’s concept, market potential, and value proposition within the time span of an elevator ride.

  • Email List Building

    Email List Building is the process of adding new subscribers to an email marketing list, aiming to grow the audience for promotional communications.

  • Email Marketing

    Email Marketing is the act of sending a commercial message, typically to a group of people, using email, as a direct marketing tactic.

  • Email Outreach Campaigns

    Email Outreach Campaigns involve contacting potential investors, customers, or partners through targeted email messages to promote a startup’s offerings or secure funding.

  • Email Sequencing

    Email Sequencing is the automated process of sending a series of emails to prospects or customers based on predetermined triggers or behaviors.

  • Employee Buyout (EBO)

    Employee Buyout (EBO) is a transaction where the employees of a company purchase a majority or all of the shares from the current owner or parent company.

  • Employee Equity Pool

    Employee Equity Pool is a portion of a startup’s equity reserved for future employees as part of their compensation package, often used to attract and retain talent.

  • Employee Incentive Plan

    Employee Incentive Plan is a program designed to motivate and compensate employees beyond their regular salary, often including options, bonuses, or other equity forms.

  • Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

    Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the unique set of benefits and values a startup offers to attract and retain top talent, beyond monetary compensation.

  • Engagement Analytics

    Engagement Analytics involves measuring and analyzing how users interact with a startup’s product or service, providing insights into user behavior and preferences.

  • Engagement Metrics

    Engagement Metrics are used to measure a company`s effectiveness in engaging its audience, crucial for evaluating the success of marketing strategies.

  • Engagement Rate

    Engagement Rate is a metric used to gauge the interaction level users have with content or a product, crucial for startups to understand consumer interest and behavior.

  • Enterprise Agreement

    Enterprise Agreement is a contractual arrangement between a startup and a large organization outlining the terms of product or service provision.

  • Enterprise Sales

    Enterprise Sales refers to selling products or services to large organizations through long sales cycles and complex decision-making processes.

  • Entity Dissolution

    Entity Dissolution is the formal closure of a business entity’s legal existence, including fulfilling legal and fiscal responsibilities to properly wind down the company.

  • Entrepreneur

    Entrepreneur refers to an individual who, rather than working as an employee, runs a small business and assumes all the risks and rewards of a given business venture.

  • Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program

    Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program is an initiative designed to support early-stage startups through mentorship, resources, and sometimes funding, to accelerate growth.