Definition
Warrants or stock options added as sweetener to a debt deal, giving lenders upside if the company succeeds. Because apparently charging interest isn't enough—they want a piece of the action too.
Example Usage
The venture debt came with an equity kicker of 0.5% warrants, which seemed small until we unicorned and they made $10M.
Origin
Venture debt and structured finance terminology, common since 1990s startup financing
Fun Fact
Equity kickers on venture debt typically range from 0.1% to 2% of the company, often making lenders more money than the actual interest.
Source: Venture debt and startup financing documentation
Related Terms
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