Series C

Intermediate 🚀 Startup / VC

Definition

The attempt to prove you weren't just lucky with Series A and that your unit economics actually work at scale.

Example Usage

Our Series C is focused on international expansion; we're raising $50M.

Origin

Logical continuation of Series naming; widespread by 1990s.

Fun Fact

Only ~20% of Series B companies raise a Series C; survival drops dramatically with each round.

Source: Startup / Venture Capital vernacular

Related Terms

Beginner

ditch

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.

🚀 Startup / VC
Advanced

halo effect round

A funding round that attracts investors primarily because a prestigious VC or strategic investor has already committed, rather than on the company's standalone merits. One famous name creates a stampede of followers.

🚀 Startup / VC
Advanced

pre-emption rights

The contractual right of existing investors to lead or participate in the next funding round before the company can seek outside investors. It's a first-look deal built into your cap table.

🚀 Startup / VC
Intermediate

vested

The magical moment when stock options or retirement contributions officially become yours to keep, transforming from corporate dangling carrot into actual ownership. It's the golden handcuffs' lock clicking shut, ensuring you'll think twice before rage-quitting. The startup world's version of 'you must be this loyal to ride this rocket ship.'

🚀 Startup / VC
Intermediate

unfair advantage

A structural competitive edge that's difficult or impossible for competitors to replicate, like proprietary technology, exclusive partnerships, or regulatory capture. What founders claim to have and what actually exists rarely overlap perfectly.

🚀 Startup / VC
Intermediate

runway extension

Actions taken to make existing capital last longer, typically through cost-cutting, down-rounds, or revenue generation—whatever keeps you alive until the next funding round. Financial life support for startups.

🚀 Startup / VC

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