valley of death
- noun
- Jargon
:
valle de la muerte
- University researchers struggled through the valley of death before any of their prototypes attracted investors.
Examples
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The startup is currently in the valley of death.
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Investors warned the CEO that without new grants they would remain in the valley of death.
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Many biotech startups fail in the valley of death, lacking the funding to move to trials.
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Many entrepreneurs fear the valley of death during their journey.
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Many startups face challenges as they navigate the valley of death before securing proper funding.
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Investors often hesitate at the beginning of a project, leaving entrepreneurs stuck in the valley of death.
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The team worked tirelessly to overcome the obstacles in the valley of death and bring their product to market.
Synonyms
91
3.6
A situation where no further progress or solution is possible
Antonyms
How Precarious
Surface Forms
Morphology
valley + of + death
The phrase combines familiar words 'valley' (a low point) and 'death' (end/demise), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can likely infer a metaphorical sense of a dangerous or fatal low point. However, the specialised entrepreneurship meaning (the specific funding/support gap between prototype and commercialisation) is domain-specific and not fully predictable from the parts, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Valley of death in business may come from the same image: a low valley between an early idea and real success where money and help disappear, leaving the project at risk. That's why people use it for the time when a start-up 'lacks the funding or support' to move forward.