Cultural concepts, practices, and norms in the startup and venture ecosystem.
14 terms
Building and growing a company using only personal funds and operating revenue, without external investment.
A company program allowing employees to purchase company stock at a discount, typically after IPO.
The degree to which a founder's background, expertise, and passion align with the market they're pursuing, often considered the strongest predictor of startup success.
A management philosophy where founders stay deeply involved in operational decisions rather than delegating to professional managers — popularized by Paul Graham's 2024 essay.
A growth pattern characterized by a flat or slow early period followed by a sudden, steep upward trajectory — resembling the shape of a hockey stick.
A product development approach emphasizing rapid experimentation, validated learning, and iterative build-measure-learn cycles.
Operational strategies used by startups to extend their cash runway without raising additional equity, from cost cuts to revenue acceleration.
A company that has found product-market fit and is focused on rapidly expanding its customer base, team, and revenue.
Releasing product updates, features, or fixes to users — used in startup culture to signal execution velocity and bias toward action over planning.
Founder or team exhaustion resulting from prolonged high-intensity startup work.
Ownership stake earned through labor and effort rather than financial investment.
Stock options with an exercise price higher than the current fair market value of the underlying shares, making them worthless if exercised.
A structured program providing Web3 startups with funding, mentorship, technical resources, and ecosystem connections in exchange for equity or token allocations.
A startup that generates enough revenue to survive but not enough growth to attract follow-on funding or achieve a meaningful exit.