venture catalystnoun.
A firm or person that obtains financing for new companies that would otherwise not have access to venture capital (cf. venture capitalist).
Example Citation:
Garage.com is part of a new and emerging group of so-called venture catalysts. Armed with more than just a catchy name, the catalysts help funnel some of Silicon Valley's venture capital to startups that for various reasons can't otherwise get their hands on it.
—Melanie Warner, "No Funding for Your Startup? Try a Venture Catalyst," Fortune, April 12, 1999
