Investor Eligibility and Private Access

Private-market terms for investor qualification, private transactions, lockups, and access constraints.

Investor Eligibility and Private Access terms explain investments in non-public companies, private funds, early-stage financing, sponsor-led deals, capital commitments, exits, and private-market access rules.

Use this branch when investor eligibility, capital calls, lockups, valuation method, sponsor economics, exit path, or private-transaction structure changes the investment decision.

Key Terms in This Branch

TermUse it for
Accredited InvestorPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.
Lock-in PeriodPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.
Lock-Up PeriodPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.
Non-Accredited InvestorPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.
Private TransactionsPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.
Qualified Professional Asset ManagerPrivate equity, venture, angel, crowdfunding, eligibility, capital-commitment, mezzanine, tax-vehicle, or exit terms.

What to Check

Check the offering documents, investor eligibility, capital commitment, lockup, liquidity limits, fees, carried interest, valuation method, tax treatment, governance rights, and expected exit path.

Common Mistakes

  • Treating private-market returns as directly comparable to daily priced public securities.
  • Ignoring capital-call obligations, lockups, valuation lag, and limited liquidity.
  • Reading IRR or multiples without checking cash-flow timing and fees.
  • Assuming eligibility or access means the investment is suitable.

Private investments can be illiquid, restricted, and complex; this page is educational and is not investment, legal, or tax advice.

In this section

Choose a subsection first. Deeper term pages live inside each subsection, which keeps large topic hubs readable.

Accredited Investor

An accredited investor meets a Rule 501(a) financial, professional, role-based, or entity test used in specified exempt securities offerings.

Lock-in Period

A lock-in period is a product or contract term that limits withdrawal, redemption, transfer, or penalty-free access for a stated time.

Lock-Up Period

A lock-up period temporarily restricts private-fund redemptions or sales by specified shareholders after an IPO or other transaction.

Non-Accredited Investor

A non-accredited investor does not satisfy any applicable accredited-investor category in SEC Rule 501(a) at the time status is assessed.

Private Transactions

A private transaction is a negotiated financing, asset sale, or securities transfer conducted between identified parties outside a public market.

Qualified Professional Asset Manager

Qualified Professional Asset Manager is a private-market finance concept used to evaluate non-public companies, funds, transactions, or investor liquidity.

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