Series C Funding

Definition

The third major funding round, usually $20M-$100M+, designed to accelerate growth and expand into new markets. When 'startup' starts sounding like 'real company' and the pressure becomes genuinely intense.

Example Usage

Our Series C was massive, which meant our employees stopped talking to journalists about how 'startup-like' we are and started talking about exit strategies.

Origin

Continuation of lettered funding round convention in venture capital.

Fun Fact

Series C+ investors expect companies to be much more mature than Series A investors, which is a shock to founders who've been 'winging it.'

Source: Standard venture capital terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

1099 Contractor

An independent contractor hired on a project basis rather than as a full-time employee. Startups use them to avoid benefits/taxes, contractors love them for flexibility.

🚀 Startup / VC

Beginner

Wantrepreneur

Someone who talks about starting a company the way other people talk about going to the gym -- constantly, passionately, and with absolutely no intention of following through. Their startup is always launching next month, and next month is always next month.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

diluting

The act of reducing ownership percentage by issuing new shares, or what happens to founders' equity every time VCs open their checkbooks. In chemistry, it means adding solvent to weaken a solution; in startup world, it means your 50% stake just became 30% and you're supposed to smile because the company is now "worth more." The most expensive way to raise money without technically losing money.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

inside round

A funding round where only existing investors participate, with no new outside investors joining. It's either a vote of confidence from believers or a sign that no one else wanted in.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

Lean Startup

A methodology for building companies by testing hypotheses quickly and cheaply, based on a book that every founder has read and none have followed. It's called lean because by the time you're done pivoting, your bank account is extremely thin.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

full-stack startup

A company that owns and controls every layer of its product or service delivery, from manufacturing to customer experience, rather than relying on existing infrastructure or platforms. It's vertical integration for the startup age.

🚀 Startup / VC

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