Directory

A private investor who invests their own money.

Those who invest money that is not their own (e.g., funds’ capital).

An association of investors. Unlike a fund, it does not pool investors’ money in advance; instead, it offers syndicate members the option to join specific deals, where the founding partners invest their own capital.Toloka.VC is a syndicate.

A hub where startups receive mentorship and workspace to develop their ideas. The world’s most well-known accelerators include Y Combinator and Techstars.

A metric showing how fast a business spends money. Usually calculated as the company’s monthly spend.

The amount of time a startup can operate before running out of money, assuming revenues and expenses remain unchanged.

The inflow of potential investment opportunities. It refers to the early stage of sourcing competitive startup projects, typically through pitches received by investors.

Selling one’s equity stake in a company. When founders or investors sell their shares, they “make an exit.”

A company valued at over $1 billion.

An agreement to take on certain obligations in the future. Commonly used in the context of startup investments.

A concise and structured presentation for potential investors. The goal is to spark investor interest and secure funding.

The total profit a company earns from a single customer over the entire relationship.

The cost of acquiring one customer, including marketing, advertising, and sales expenses.The LTV/CAC ratio shows the efficiency of customer acquisition.

The initial stage of funding, when investors provide money for product development and early market entry.

A coefficient used to estimate a company’s value, showing how many times the market valuation exceeds a certain financial metric.

 A short document summarizing all key factors needed to make a decision on a deal. Syndicate analysts prepare memos for their investors.

A mechanism of gradually earning rights to assets such as company shares.For example, with a 4-year vesting schedule, if a director leaves after 1 year, they receive only 25% of their equity.

The minimum period before vesting begins. No assets are vested until the cliff ends.

A financial statement reporting the company’s revenues and expenses.

 A metric used to calculate past and potential returns:ROI = (Revenue – Cost) / Investment × 100%.

The sale of a company’s shares on the secondary market.

Processes of merging with or acquiring companies to expand a business. For founders and investors, M&A often represents an exit.

A concept from Silicon Valley that combines competition and cooperation. In venture investing, reputation matters, so even competitors are expected to help and respect one another.

A method of reducing financial risk by investing in multiple startups instead of concentrating the entire portfolio in one.

A specialist who typically handles the resale of secondaries in high-growth startups. Less commonly, they help startups find financing. They work for a fixed fee plus a percentage of the deal.

A collection of common questions and answers, often used on websites or in project documents.

Similar to a fund, but composed of capital from institutions such as banks, universities, or pension funds. Typical fund sizes start at $500M.

The company’s executive leadership, including the CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, and other senior managers.

A deep analysis of a project, including financial checks, legal review, business model evaluation, market potential, and competitor assessment.

The simplest version of a product that includes core features sufficient to demonstrate value and attract early users or investors.

The process of sourcing and attracting capital that a startup cannot provide on its own but needs to execute its project.