A seed-stage business is one that is typically in the idea or concept phase. There may be one or more people committed to the business concept, but there is no revenue yet.

Refers to the ability of a business to grow beyond a narrow audience to a larger one (usually beyond state lines) while maintaining an operations-to-revenue ratio where profits can be maintained during growth.

A nonprofit or not-for-profit organization is an entity whose primary objective is to support an issue or matter of private interest or public concern for non-commercial purposes, without concern for monetary profit.

The manufacturing industry includes any businesses involved in the transformation of raw materials into finished goods for sale.

A loan is a type of debt. The borrower receives an amount of money from a lender such as a bank or community development financial institution (CDFI), and the money is typically paid back in regular installments. This service is generally provided at a cost that is referred to as interest on the debt. Often a loan is secured with collateral. (See Collateral)

In New Mexico, there are several federal government laboratories and universities that create new technologies. Sometimes these technologies have commercial uses. Lab employees are allowed to use the technology as the basis for their own start-up ventures.

A business that is typically at or near breakeven in terms of operating expense to revenue and is poised to grow quickly.

Refers to growth that comes from adding new offices or manufacturing plants, moving beyond previously defined geographical borders or adding new products or business lines. It does not refer to growth that only comes from increased revenue.

The way an equity investor (See Angel Investor, Venture Capital) plans to cash-out of the company in which they invest so they can realize relatively short-term profits rather than waiting for the company to make substantial profits from sales revenue. An exit strategy could be: an IPO (Initial Public Offering) where a company goes public and shares now have value on the open market; or the sale of the company to a public or private entity.

An established business has measurable revenue history for at least two years.