vesting acceleration

Definition

Speeding up the vesting schedule of stock options, typically triggered by acquisition or termination. It's the consolation prize when your startup gets acquired and you're suddenly unemployed.

Example Usage

My single-trigger acceleration meant all my unvested shares became mine immediately when we were acquired.

Origin

Employment equity terminology developed in the 1980s-1990s

Fun Fact

Double-trigger acceleration (requiring both acquisition AND termination) is now standard to prevent employees from leaving immediately post-acquisition.

Source: Employment law and equity compensation practices

Related Terms

Beginner

bridge round

Emergency funding meant to tide a startup over until the 'real' funding round happens, often at desperate terms. Named after a bridge because you're hoping it doesn't collapse before you reach the other side.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

trademark velocity

The speed at which a startup moves from inception to market dominance within its category. The term is sometimes used when discussing execution speed and competitive moats simultaneously.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

follow-on funding

Additional investment in portfolio companies by existing investors in subsequent rounds. Doubling down on your bets or, less charitably, throwing good money after bad while hoping the first investment wasn't a complete disaster.

🚀 Startup / VC

Intermediate

churning

The unethical practice where brokers excessively trade in a client's account primarily to generate commissions rather than profits, essentially treating your portfolio like a butter-making operation. In SaaS, it refers to the rate at which customers cancel their subscriptions, making it the metric that haunts every startup founder's dreams. Either way, it's excessive activity that benefits someone other than you.

🚀 Startup / VC

Beginner

launch

The moment when something new is officially unleashed upon the world, whether it's a product, company, or ship sliding into water. In business and tech, launches involve coordinated marketing campaigns, press releases, and the collective hope that people will actually care. It's the corporate equivalent of a grand opening, complete with champagne (or energy drinks, depending on the industry).

🚀 Startup / VC

Beginner

CAC

Customer Acquisition Cost—how much you spend in sales and marketing to land one customer. VCs compare this to lifetime value to determine if your business model is actually viable or just an expensive hobby.

🚀 Startup / VC

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