Disrupting disruption with disruptive disruptions since 2010.
Proof that real customers exist, will pay for your solution, and actually want it—separating your assumptions from reality, though many founders skip this step entirely.
The second major funding round, typically $10-50 million, aimed at scaling a product that already has demonstrated traction. Proof that your MVP was more than just a fever dream.
A specific niche market where you can dominate quickly before expanding to larger markets, the landing zone before the broader invasion.
An event where startup cohorts (usually from accelerators like Y Combinator) pitch to 500+ investors in rapid-fire succession—speed dating for capital.
Total value returned divided by the original investment amount. The metric VCs use to measure how many times they multiplied their money.
A moderate anti-dilution clause that factors in both the down round price and the number of new shares issued—less devastating for founders than full ratchet but still painful.
The process and cost of getting new users/customers. It's usually the most expensive thing a startup does and also the most important.
Low-fidelity sketches of how a user interface will work, before high-fidelity design. It's the cheapest way to validate UX before wasting designer time.
A division of an established corporation that invests in startups, usually with the goal of finding complementary technology or market opportunities. Big companies' way of seeming innovative without actually being disruptive.
A space of the market that a powerful VC firm claims as theirs, and they'll kill any startup that tries to compete there. It's legal monopoly behavior with a cute name.
Wealthy individuals who invest in early-stage startups, either because they see potential or more likely because they're bored and have disposable income.
Subsequent rounds of funding representing your startup's graduation from 'scrappy' to 'possibly overvalued' to 'we definitely raised too much money.'
When existing shareholders sell their shares publicly without the company itself receiving any money—basically using the company as a cash machine.
Daily Active Users divided by Monthly Active Users, a metric expressing engagement where anything above 33% is considered respectable and anything below 10% is a sign of serious problems.
A metric suggesting that growth rate + profit margin should equal 40% for a healthy software company—8% growth with 32% margin, or 35% growth with 5% margin, both equal 40.
The first major institutional funding round, typically $2-15 million, where professional VCs finally take your startup seriously. The moment you stop being a 'cool idea' and become a 'company with serious growth ambitions.'
The total profit a customer generates for your company over their entire relationship—essentially predicting whether they'll be worth the investment to acquire.
The third major funding round, usually $20M-$100M+, designed to accelerate growth and expand into new markets. When 'startup' starts sounding like 'real company' and the pressure becomes genuinely intense.
A situation where a startup with good metrics but bad unit economics keeps raising money from VCs who don't do the math. Also called 'raising on hope and a spreadsheet.'
An Excel spreadsheet that startup founders compulsively update every day to determine exactly when they'll run out of money—a real-time anxiety meter.
To officially embark on a vessel, aircraft, or train after security clearance; also corporate-speak for officially joining a project or organization after onboarding procedures. The moment of no return, metaphorically speaking.
The annualized percentage return on invested capital. How investors measure if they actually beat the S&P 500 by betting on your startup.
Developing within existing codebase and systems, guaranteed to be slower and more frustrating than greenfield development but somehow more realistic about constraints.
A carefully crafted 60-second monologue designed to convince investors that your app idea will revolutionize humanity, delivered with the energy of someone who hasn't slept in 48 hours.