ditch

Definition

To abandon ship faster than a rat on the Titanic. In startup parlance, when a feature, product, or entire business model gets the axe because it's hemorrhaging money or nobody wants it. No ceremony, no fanfare—just gone.

Example Usage

We're ditching the mobile app; turns out nobody actually needed it.

Source: Common startup and business jargon

Related Terms

Intermediate

proprietary deal

An investment opportunity sourced exclusively by one firm rather than through competitive process. The venture capital equivalent of finding $20 in your coat pocket—rare, lucky, and probably won't happen again.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

pro rata

The right to maintain one's ownership percentage in subsequent funding rounds by investing additional capital proportionally. The 'I called dibs' clause of venture capital.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

power law

The mathematical reality that in venture capital, one or two investments generate nearly all the returns while the rest are mediocre or dead. Why VCs can lose money on 90% of their portfolio and still return 3x the fund.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

paper unicorn

A startup valued at over $1 billion that has never undergone the reality check of going public or getting acquired. Their unicorn status exists purely in the fantasy land of private market valuations.

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

aqui-dump

When a company acquires a startup primarily to shut it down and eliminate competition, rather than to integrate talent or technology. It's the evil twin of acqui-hire where everyone loses except the shareholders.

🚀 Startup / VC

Advanced

carve-out

Reserved portion of an acquisition's proceeds specifically allocated to employees or specific shareholders, ensuring they benefit even if the waterfall would otherwise drown them. Exit sharing mandated by negotiation or generosity.

🚀 Startup / VC

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