Empowering Founders: Financial Literacy Made Easy

Explore Afino's Fincyclopedia—your go-to knowledge center for financial and startup terms. Made for founders and business owners, our clear explanations keep you ahead of the curve.

Expand your financial knowledge

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Private Placement Memorandum

A Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) is a detailed disclosure document provided by companies during a private securities offering. It outlines key investment details, including terms, risks, and business fundamentals, helping prospective investors make informed decisions.

Read More →

Pro Rata Rights

Pro Rata Rights are contractual privileges that allow existing investors to maintain their ownership percentage by participating in future financing rounds, protecting them from dilution.

Read More →

Profit Margin

Profit margin is a financial metric that indicates the percentage of revenue that exceeds the costs. It is a key indicator of a company's profitability and efficiency in managing its expenses. A higher profit margin suggests that a company is more efficient at converting sales into actual profit.

Read More →

Retained Earnings

Retained Earnings represent the portion of a company's profits that have been kept within the business rather than distributed to shareholders as dividends. Think of it as your company's self-funding growth account—profits that are plowed back into operations to fuel future expansion and stability.

Read More →

Return on Equity (ROE)

Return on Equity (ROE) is a performance indicator that reveals how effectively a company converts shareholder investments into profits. Think of it as a financial "yield rate" that shows how many profit dollars are generated from each dollar of equity funding.

Read More →

Roll-Up Vehicle (RUV)

A Roll-Up Vehicle (RUV) is an investment consolidation mechanism structured as a Special Purpose Vehicle that enables multiple angel investors to collectively finance a startup through a single entity.

Read More →

Serviceable Available Market (SAM)

The Serviceable Available Market (SAM) represents the realistic portion of a market that your business can actually serve with its current capabilities, resources, and business model.

Read More →

Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM)

The Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) represents the realistic market share your business can capture in the near term, considering your current capabilities, competitive landscape, and operational constraints.

Read More →

Silent Partner

A Silent Partner is an investor or business partner who provides capital to a company without taking an active role in its daily operations or management, allowing them to earn a return on their investment while remaining behind the scenes.

Read More →

Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is a legal entity created as a financial "container" for a specific, isolated purpose. Typically structured as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Limited Partnership (LP), an SPV serves as a separate entity that shields the parent organization from financial risk while offering tax efficiency.

Read More →

Stock Warrant

Stock warrants are long-term securities created and issued directly by companies, granting holders the right to purchase (or sometimes sell) company shares at a predetermined price until a specific future date. Unlike standard options that trade between investors with proceeds going to sellers, warrant transactions funnel capital directly to the issuing company when exercised.

Read More →

Total Addressable Market (TAM)

Total Addressable Market (TAM) represents the complete revenue opportunity available for a specific product or service within a defined market space. Think of it as the theoretical ceiling for your business if you could capture 100% of your target market—an ambitious north star that guides strategic planning and investment decisions.

Read More →

Vulture Capitalist

A Vulture Capitalist is a colloquial term used to describe investors or firms that aggressively target distressed or underperforming companies, often seeking to profit from their turnaround or liquidation.

Read More →