EBITDA

“Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization.” By not including interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, you can clearly see the company’s cash flow.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

A unique, 9-digit identification number utilized by the Internal Revenue Service, (IRS) and assigned to business entities to identify employers as part of the tax reporting process. In order to obtain an EIN, business entities must file or apply to the IRS.

What’s an EIN?

entrepreneur

A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks to do so. Entrepreneurs are the founders of startups, and are the people angel investors support.

Who is the most important person in a tech/web startup?

equity

A corporation is divided into shares, which represent a slice of both the company itself and the value the company creates. These shares, once distributed, represent the company ownership (a word commonly interchanged with equity).

Startup Equity 101

equity seed round

When an entrepreneur first sells a part of his or her business— and therefore a proportional part of the good things (like profits) and the not-so-good things (like losses)—to an investor. Equity investments, unlike loans, do not need to be paid back.

exit

When a company is either acquired for cash, sold during a public offering, or abandoned as a failed venture.