All terms
Investment & FinanceStartup Lifecycle
Preferred Stock
Class of equity with rights superior to common stock.
Reviewed by Christian Espinosa, Founder, Blue Goat CyberLast reviewed May 5, 2026
Definition
Preferred stock is the security class issued to venture investors. It carries a liquidation preference, anti-dilution protection, dividend rights, protective provisions (veto rights over key actions), and often board representation - rights not held by common stockholders.What this means in practice
Each round (Series Seed, A, B, C…) typically issues a new series of preferred with its own preference and rights, stacked in reverse order of issuance.Cross-references
Part of
A larger framework or document this term belongs to.
Primary references
3 sourcesLink health: 2 verified 1 bot-blocked· last checked 2026-05-09
NVCA·1SVB·1PitchBook·1
- 1
NVCA model docsVerifiedNVCAnvca.org
- 2
Silicon Valley Bank - Healthcare ReportsVerifiedSVBsvb.com
- 3
PitchBook - MedTech CoverageBot-blockedPitchBookpitchbook.com
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