A
Accelerator
A center where startups are guided through mentorships, co-working space, opportunities to learn about securing capital and other support services.
B
Benchmark
Evaluate or check something by comparison with a standard that others have accomplished.
C
Capital
Monetary assets entrepreneurs raise to start and grow a company.
Commercialization
To manage or run a business for profit.
Co-working Space
Space in an office that provides users the ability to collaborate together and work more closely.
D
Diversity/Diverse
In the workforce, it means bringing together people with a variety of experiences, backgrounds and characteristics such as economic background, race, ethnicity and more.
E
Early-Stage/Early Phase Startup
When a business is beginning, but more than just a thought or an idea.
Enterprise
A company or business.
Entrepreneur
An individual who starts a business, assuming all the risk and reward.
Equity
A percentage of ownership interest in a company. For a startup, this means the percentage of the company’s shares that a startup is willing to sell to investors for a specific amount of money.
Executive Summary
A short document or description that lets a reader become familiar with the material without having to read a full report or description.
F
Founder
The entrepreneur who started a business.
I
Inclusion
Creating an environment of involvement, respect and connection where the richness of ideas, backgrounds and perspectives are brought together to create business value. Organizations need both diversity and inclusion to be successful.
Innovation Economy/Ecosystem
A relatively new theory of economics based on the idea that knowledge, entrepreneurship, innovation, technology and collaboration are responsible for economic growth.
Investor
An individual who provides capital (money) for a business startup.
L
Launch
An event where the startup/company or website is presented to the public for the first time. Also includes creating, presenting or promoting a new product or service for the first time.
Leverage
Use something to your advantage (e.g. technology, partnerships, etc.).
Low to Moderate Income (LMI) Person
A designation determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which sets income limits that determine eligibility for programs like CONNECT ALL @ the Jacobs Center. HUD develops income limits based on Adjusted Family Income estimates for the San Diego Metropolitan Statistical Area.
To find out if you qualify as LMI view the 2018 HUD Income Limits PDF.
M
Mentor
An experienced and trusted advisor who trains and counsels others.
Microenterprise
A business with five or fewer employees, one or more of who owns the business.
S
Scale/Scaleable
A company that grows a lot, or has the potential to grow, because the market and demand are big.
Sector
The market that a startup company’s product or service fits into, such as consumer, technology, biotech and enterprise (business).
Seed
The first official round of financing for a startup.
Small Business
The government defines small business by either the number of employees or amount of annual receipts and it varies by industry.
Click here to view the table provided by the U.S. Small Business Association.
Stage
The phase of development a startup is in, most commonly categorized as seed stage, early stage, mid-stage and last stage.
Startup
A startup is a company in the early stage of operation that has the potential to grow or scale to provide numerous jobs.
T
Technologist
A scientist or engineer who specializes in applying technology to a particular field or business industry.
Traction
When a startup company gains momentum and the business grows.
V
Viable Product
A product that has enough features and could be ready for use by consumers.
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