Open Architecture – a type of computer architecture or software architecture that allows adding, upgrading and swapping components. For example, the IBM PC has an open architecture, whereas the Amiga 500 home computer had a closed architecture, where the hardware manufacturer chooses the components and they are not generally upgradable. Workshare unveiled a new open architecture platform in September.
Open Source Software (OSS) – Open Source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in. The law firm, Morris Manning and Martin, has a blog about Open Source law.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit corporation formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of open source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the open source community.
Opportunity – a broad term to imply the overall investment opportunity in your venture if you are pitching to an investor
Opportunity Costs – The cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action. Put another way, the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action.
Options – A privilege, sold by one party to another, that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation to buy or sell a stock at an agreed-upon price within a certain period or on a specific date. Critical Outcome Technologies issued stock options on Monday as part of a CEO compensation package.
Shachar Oren – The CEO of the ATDC graduate company, Neurotic Media. As the co-founder of Neurotic Media, Shachar has steered the company's strategic direction from inception to becoming the premier digital service provider in the B2B space. Shachar is also the system architect behind the company's patent-pending, ground-breaking technology platform.
Organizational Culture – describes the attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values of an organization. It has been defined as the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by groups in an organization and control the way they interaction with each other. Read ATDC's best practices for forming a productive organizational culture.
Outstanding Shares – stock currently held by investors, including restricted shares owned by the company's officers and insiders, as well as those held by the public. Shares that have been repurchased by the company are not considered outstanding stock. Avalon Technology recently announced a buy-back plan to reduce outstanding shares.
Oversight Systems – a recent ATDC graduate company that was founded to ensure confidence in the integrity and accuracy of financial reporting and underlying transactions for customers. The solutions and technology provide global industry leaders with the forensic audit capabilities so much in demand in today's environment of heightened regulatory enforcement and corporate compliance initiatives.
Oversubscribed – a situation in which the demand for an initial public offering of securities exceeds the number of shares issued. The goal of a public offering usually is to price the security issue at the exact price at which all the issued shares can be sold to investors. If there is more demand for an IPO than there is supply, it means a higher price could have been charged and the issuer could have raised more capital. Clearwater's IPO in 2007 is said to have been oversubscribed.