early-stage
adjective [ before noun ]
ukusused to describe something such as a company or product that is starting to be developed or has only recently been developed:
early-stage business/company/firm
early-stage development/research The company is conducting early-stage research on vitamin D compounds for osteoporosis.
FINANCE
used to describe investment in companies or products that are starting to be developed or have only recently been developed:
early-stage investment/funding/financing
early-stage investors
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first-round financing