---
title: "Founder & CTO Glossary | Artem Zaitsev"
slug: "knowledge"
type: "page"
lang: "en"
date: "2026-10-16"
last_modified: "2026-10-16"
version: "1.0"
summary: "Curated definitions for the financial and technical terms that appear in planning sessions and investor updates. Practical insights, formulas."
author: "Artem Zaitsev"
tags: ["startup glossary", "founder terms", "CTO terminology", "business metrics", "venture capital terms"]
use:
  training: allow
  rag: allow
  embedding: allow
attribution: required
---

# Founder & CTO glossary

Quick references for the metrics, financial concepts, and technical jargon that come up in board decks and diligence calls.

## Glossary Terms

- [Burn Rate](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/burn-rate) — The speed at which a startup spends its available cash reserves, typically measured monthly.
- [Runway](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/runway) — The amount of time a company can operate before running out of cash at its current burn rate.
- [Product-Market Fit](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/product-market-fit) — The critical moment when a product successfully satisfies strong market demand in a target segment.
- [Churn Rate](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/churn-rate) — The percentage of customers who stop using your service over a given period.
- [Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/customer-acquisition-cost-cac) — The average cost to acquire a new customer, including all marketing and sales expenses.
- [Convertible Note](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/convertible-note) — Short-term debt that converts into equity during a future funding round, typically with a discount.
- [Cap Table](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/cap-table) — A detailed breakdown of company ownership showing who owns what percentage of equity.
- [Minimum Viable Product (MVP)](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/minimum-viable-product-mvp) — The simplest version of a product that can be released to test market demand and gather feedback.
- [Term Sheet](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/term-sheet) — A non-binding document outlining the key terms and conditions of an investment deal.
- [Seed Funding](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/seed-funding) — The initial capital raised to validate a business idea and build an early version of the product.
- [Unit Economics](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/unit-economics) — The direct revenues and costs associated with a single unit of your business model.
- [Series A Round](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/series-a-round) — The first significant round of institutional venture capital financing to scale operations.
- [Bootstrapping](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/bootstrapping) — Building and growing a business using only personal finances and operating revenue.
- [Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/go-to-market-gtm-strategy) — A comprehensive plan for launching a product and reaching target customers effectively.
- [Valuation](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/valuation) — The process of determining the current worth of a company in monetary terms.
- [Due Diligence](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/due-diligence) — Thorough investigation and assessment of a business before finalizing an investment or deal.
- [Equity](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/equity) — Ownership stake in a company, typically represented by shares of stock.
- [Scaling](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/scaling) — Growing revenue exponentially while keeping costs under control to improve profitability.
- [Gross Margin](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/gross-margin) — The difference between revenue and cost of goods sold, expressed as a percentage.
- [Market Segmentation](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/market-segmentation) — Dividing a broad market into smaller groups with shared characteristics and needs.
- [Total Addressable Market (TAM)](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/total-addressable-market-tam) — The total revenue opportunity available if a product achieves 100% market share.
- [Pivot](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/pivot) — A fundamental change in business strategy based on market feedback and performance data.
- [Lead Generation](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/lead-generation) — The process of attracting and capturing potential customers' interest for sales pipeline.
- [Vesting](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/vesting) — The process of earning the right to equity over time, typically through continued employment.
- [Pre-Money Valuation](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/pre-money-valuation) — A company's estimated value immediately before receiving new investment capital.
- [Angel Investor](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/angel-investor) — An individual who provides early-stage capital and mentorship to startups in exchange for equity.
- [Revenue Model](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/revenue-model) — The framework that defines how a business generates income from its products or services.
- [Business Model Canvas](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/business-model-canvas) — A one-page visual framework for describing and designing a company's business model.
- [Initial Public Offering (IPO)](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/initial-public-offering-ipo) — The process of offering company shares to the public for the first time on a stock exchange.
- [Retention Rate](https://zaitsevartem.com/knowledge/retention-rate) — The percentage of customers who continue using your product over a specific time period.