Series A/B/C/D: Venture funding stages that fund product development and early commercial launch activities.

Smart money: funding from investors who are able to contribute guidance, networking, or other benefits.

Spin-off: separating a smaller unit from an established company, permitting each company to retain focus while shielding the parent from risk and granting the spin-off the administrative benefits of small size.

STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer): A funding program that encourages public/private sector partnership to develop new technologies and profit from their commercialization.

Targeted marketing: the alignment of marketing efforts with the benefits sought by individual market segments.

Technology transfer: the transfer of discoveries made by basic research institutions, such as universities and government laboratories, to the commercial sector for development into useful products and services.

Venture capital: money invested by venture capitalists in startup companies in exchange for equity.

Venture capitalist: an individual who invests in start-up companies with the intent of making a large return on investment.