Data Room: Data rooms are spaces used for securely keeping data. For example, confidential documents that can only be accessed by those with authorisation are stored in data rooms. Data rooms can be physical, virtual or data centres. For example, Apple's iCloud is a data room.
De minimis (state aid): De minimis (state aid) is any help from a public body that a business has received or is going to receive. This is usually a small amount for monetary assistance, the maximum of which is capped so that funding cannot exceed a specific value. De minimis could be grants, resources, or assistance from governments, local councils, or agencies. These public bodies include central, devolved and regional ones.
De minimis (warranty): De minimis is a financial loss threshold below which a person giving a warranty is not liable under it.
Deal Flow: Finance individuals use the words "deal flow" to describe the quality and quantity of possible investment opportunities that a company, investor, or fund institution can access.
Debt Funding: Debt funding refers to a method for a business to raise finance through borrowing. The company will have to repay the borrowed money at an agreed later date. The business will usually have to pay added interest on the money they pay back.
Decacorn: A Decacorn is a venture backed, private business valued at more than US $10 billion.
See also: Unicorn
Deed of adherence: A document under which a future shareholder agrees to be bound by the terms of a pre-existing and shareholders' agreement.
Deferred share: A worthless share that has no rights.
Dilution: Dilution results from shareholding percentages being reduced due to the issue of new shares or other equity. We've got a handy equity calculator to help you model dilution for particular round configurations.
Director: In a business or organisation, a senior manager with responsibility for running the company is called a director. Directors have various responsibilities set out in company law.
Director's Loan: A director's loan is money taken by a director from the company that's not classed as a dividend, legitimate expense or salary.
Disclosure: Disclosure is the act of making investors formally aware of any relevant information that might otherwise be a breach of a warranty, thereby preventing a claim for breach of contract. We have a great article on the discloure and warranty process.
See also: Warranty Disclosure letter
Disclosure letter: A document under which a founder is able to make "Disclosures". We've got a great article detailing all of the documents produced by FounderCatalyst as part of a funding round. Also read our article on the discloure and warranty process.
See also: Warranty Disclosure
Diversify: Diversification is a business strategy that involves creating a new product or service and entering it into a market that your company has yet to operate.
Dividend: A dividend is when a company gives part of its profits to some or all of its shareholders.
Down round: A down round is where a company offers new shares for a price that is lower than that in a previous round.
Drag-along: A drag along clause enables a defined majority of shareholders to (if necessary) compel all other shareholders to accept a third party offer to purchase 100% of the company's shares, or its business.
Due diligence: Due diligence is the process of an investor "looking under the bonnet" of a business before they invest.