Unicorn Types

A structured glossary of terms used to classify startup growth stages, valuation tiers, and high-growth company categories.

Decacorn

A private company with a valuation of ≥ $10B.

Hectocorn

A private company valued at ≥ $100B.

Soonicorn

A company showing strong signals of approaching unicorn status — typically late-stage traction, growth momentum, or top-tier investors.

Minicorn

An early-stage, promising startup — usually pre-$100M valuation, seed to Series A, with strong founding signals.

Gazelle

A high-growth startup expected to reach unicorn status within 3–5 years.

Cheetah

A startup projected to reach unicorn valuation within 2–3 years based on acceleration metrics.

Definitions Illustration