Pre-Money Valuation
Definition
The value of a company immediately before receiving new investment. If a company has a pre-money valuation of $10M and raises $5M, the investor owns $5M/$15M = 33.3% of the post-money company. Pre-money valuation determines how much dilution existing shareholders experience from a new investment.
Real-World Example
Your startup has a $40M pre-money valuation. A VC invests $10M. Post-money valuation is $50M. The investor owns 20% ($10M/$50M). Your existing shares are diluted by 20% — if you owned 1% pre-money, you now own 0.8% post-money.
Common Mistake
Confusing pre-money and post-money valuation when evaluating an offer. If a recruiter says "the company is valued at $100M" after a round that raised $25M, your shares were valued at $75M (pre-money), not $100M. The difference significantly affects your equity value estimate.
Why It Matters
Pre-money valuation directly determines how much dilution you experience from each funding round. It is the correct number to use when estimating what existing shares are worth before new money enters.
Related Terms
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