Definition
A situation where a startup with good metrics but bad unit economics keeps raising money from VCs who don't do the math. Also called 'raising on hope and a spreadsheet.'
Example Usage
WeWork was basically a deck shop—impressive growth metrics masking a fundamentally broken business model.
Origin
Emerged as terminology during the late 2010s tech bubble
Fun Fact
The term gained mainstream usage after the WeWork IPO disaster in 2019
Source: Modern venture capital terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “Deck Shop” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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