start-up

A nickname for a business that is just getting started. It can also refer to a computer's "start-up program" or BIOS. Stories about business start-ups abound, and there's even several movies about them.

One particular story goes like this: A start-up found itself holding M&A negotiations with a buyer who just months before tried to drag it down with a lawsuit. Add to this scenario the fact that the adversary-turned-suitor was a $40 billion global giant and the start-up was an $80 million new economy rebel.

Historical perspective: Such was the case in 2001 with Vivendi Universal and MP3.com. Vivendi originally sought $450 million in court because it claimed that MP3.com was letting music fans illegally download and store music by Universal-licensed artists. It extracted a $53.4 million judgment, only to turn around and buy MP3.com for $372 million (plus a variety of other monetary incentives).