seed money

American  

noun

1. capital for the initial stages of a new business or other enterprise, especially for the initial operating costs.

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seed money British  

noun

1. money used for the establishment of an enterprise

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Etymology

Origin of seed money

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

As of mid-March, parents and guardians had signed up roughly four million children for the accounts, with more than 800,000 of them eligible for the $1,000 seed money, according to the Treasury Department.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Withdrawals for accounts with no contributions beyond the $1,000 seed money would be fully taxable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

A dispute over reforms to an SBA program that funds startups has cut the flow of seed money to Southern California’s defense tech firms.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

The seed money, though, is a big sell.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 19, 2025

“Give up what? We ain’t got nothing. Nothing but the seed money, two dollars.”

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison