stakeholder – n : owner of an organization. The term is also used generally to describe people who have an interest of any kind in a business, transaction or deal.

Example: When a startup raises money, there are several interested parties who are not owners of the company, but are stakeholders in the transaction. The investors, and managers have an interest in the success of the transaction, and thus are stakeholders. Further, advisors, consultants, lawyers, accountants and other professionals are stakeholders, because they are interested in the success of the transaction. All employees of the company, whether stockholding or not, are stakeholders as the success of a fundraising transaction allows the jobs to exist.

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Adapted from "The CompanyCrafters Entrepreneur's Dictionary"
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