# SPIDITS AI — Complete Startup Glossary (311 Terms)

> **Canonical Hub:** [https://spidits.com/startup-glossary](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary)  
> **Purpose:** Authoritative definitions and technical architectures for machine learning and venture capital.

## Featured Terms Sample

- **[Pre-Seed](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/pre-seed)**: Pre-Seed funding is the earliest stage of venture financing, typically occurring before a startup has a fully developed product or proven product-market fit....
- **[Seed Round](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/seed-round)**: A Seed Round is the first official equity funding stage for a startup, representing the initial capital used to demonstrate product-market fit....
- **[Series A](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/series-a)**: Series A funding is the first major round of institutional equity financing, aimed at startups that have demonstrated product-market fit and are ready to scale....
- **[Series B](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/series-b)**: Series B funding is designed to scale a startup past the initial growth phase, expanding its market reach, team size, and operations....
- **[Series C](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/series-c)**: Series C funding is raised by highly successful, late-stage startups to accelerate scaling, fund acquisitions, or prepare for an exit (IPO/acquisition)....
- **[SAFE Note](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/safe-note)**: A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) Note is a financial contract created by Y Combinator that allows startups to raise capital without establishing an i...
- **[Convertible Note](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/convertible-note)**: A Convertible Note is a debt instrument that converts into equity at a future date, typically in connection with a priced funding round....
- **[Pre-Money Valuation](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/pre-money-valuation)**: Pre-Money Valuation is the negotiated, estimated value of a startup before it receives a new round of investment....
- **[Post-Money Valuation](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/post-money-valuation)**: Post-Money Valuation is the calculated value of a startup immediately after a funding round is completed....
- **[Cap Table](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/cap-table)**: A Cap Table (Capitalization Table) is a detailed spreadsheet or ledger that outlines a startup's equity ownership structure....
- **[Secondary Shares](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/secondary-shares)**: Secondary Shares represent existing stock sold by current shareholders (such as founders, early employees, or early investors) to third-party buyers rather than...
- **[R&D Tax Credit](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/rd-tax-credit)**: The R&D Tax Credit (Section 41) is a federal and state tax incentive allowing software startups and tech companies to offset payroll taxes and income tax liabil...
- **[Delaware C-Corp](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/delaware-c-corp)**: A Delaware C-Corporation is the standard legal corporate entity structure preferred by venture capital funds and institutional investors due to Delaware's estab...
- **[ISO vs NSO](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/iso-vs-nso)**: Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) and Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs) are two types of employee equity options that differ in tax treatment, eligibility, and Al...
- **[PIIA Agreement](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/piia-agreement)**: A Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (PIIA) is a legal document signed by founders, employees, and contractors that automatically assigns all inte...
- **[Dilution](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/dilution)**: Dilution occurs when a startup issues new shares to investors or employees, reducing the ownership percentage of existing shareholders....
- **[Down Round](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/down-round)**: A Down Round occurs when a startup raises a new round of funding at a pre-money valuation that is lower than the post-money valuation of its previous round....
- **[Cram Down](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/cram-down)**: A Cram Down is an extreme down round where the startup's valuation is reduced so severely that the ownership stakes of previous investors and founders are heavi...
- **[Runway](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/runway)**: Runway is the amount of time a startup can continue to operate before running out of cash, assuming no new revenue is generated....
- **[Burn Rate](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/burn-rate)**: Burn Rate is the rate at which a startup spends its cash reserves, typically measured on a monthly basis....
- **[Bootstrapping](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/bootstrapping)**: Bootstrapping is the practice of building and growing a startup using only personal savings and initial sales revenue, without raising external venture capital....
- **[Venture Capital](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/venture-capital)**: Venture Capital (VC) is a form of private equity financing provided by institutional firms to high-growth startups with significant scale potential....
- **[Angel Investor](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/angel-investor)**: An Angel Investor is a high-net-worth individual who provides early-stage capital to startups, typically using their personal funds....
- **[Lead Investor](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/lead-investor)**: A Lead Investor is the venture capital firm or individual investor who orchestrates and writes the largest check for a startup's funding round....
- **[Syndicate](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/syndicate)**: A Syndicate is a group of angel investors or smaller venture funds who pool their capital together to invest in a single startup....
- **[Term Sheet](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/term-sheet)**: A Term Sheet is a non-binding agreement that outlines the key financial and legal terms of a proposed investment round....
- **[Due Diligence](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/due-diligence)**: Due Diligence is the comprehensive investigation and audit of a startup conducted by investors before finalizing an investment....
- **[Liquidation Preference](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/liquidation-preference)**: Liquidation Preference is a protective legal clause in a term sheet that determines the order and amount of payout to preferred shareholders relative to common...
- **[Drag-Along Rights](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/drag-along-rights)**: Drag-Along Rights are legal provisions in a shareholder agreement that allow a majority of shareholders to force the remaining minority shareholders to particip...
- **[Tag-Along Rights](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/tag-along-rights)**: Tag-Along Rights (co-sale rights) are legal protections for minority shareholders that allow them to join in a transaction if a majority shareholder sells their...

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*Explore all 311 definitions on SPIDITS AI: [https://spidits.com/startup-glossary](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary)*