Hockey Stick Growth
Definition
Hockey stick growth is the pattern of flat or slow progress followed by a sharp upward inflection, resembling the blade and shaft of a hockey stick.
How it comes up in fundraising
The term appears both sincerely (a real inflection after product-market fit) and skeptically (financial projections that conveniently inflect right after the fundraise).
Frequently asked questions
Do investors believe hockey stick projections?
Not on faith; a projected inflection needs a mechanism, like a proven channel scaling or a launched product line, or it reads as spreadsheet optimism.
What causes real hockey stick growth?
Compounding loops: network effects, word of mouth kicking in, or a repeatable sales motion suddenly fed with capital.
Cite this term
Round Funded. "Hockey Stick Growth." Startup Fundraising Glossary.
Stable URL, it will not change: https://www.roundfunded.com/en/glossary/hockey-stick-growth
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