{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/joint-venture","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"joint-venture","term":"Joint Venture","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A business arrangement where two or more parties collaborate on a specific project or business activity, sharing profits and risks. It's a temporary partnership for a defined purpose.","what_it_means":"If you're acquiring a business as part of a joint venture, the SBA will scrutinize the arrangement to determine affiliation and ensure all parties meet eligibility requirements. Be prepared to provide documentation on the venture's structure and the roles of all participants.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"},{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"}],"related":[{"slug":"affiliation","term":"Affiliation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/affiliation"},{"slug":"shared-economic-interest","term":"Shared Economic Interest","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/shared-economic-interest"},{"slug":"partnership","term":"Partnership","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership"},{"slug":"eligibility-certification","term":"Eligibility Certification","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/eligibility-certification"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What specific criteria must be met for a joint venture to be exempt from affiliation rules for a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-criteria-must-be-met-for-a-joint-venture-to-be-exempt-from-affiliation-rules"},{"question":"If multiple owners each guarantee the loan, are their liabilities typically joint and several or individual?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/if-multiple-owners-each-guarantee-the-loan-are-their-liabilities-typically-joint-and-sever"},{"question":"Can I use my business's retained earnings from a prior venture as equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-i-use-my-business-s-retained-earnings-from-a-prior-venture-as-equity-injection"},{"question":"Can my spouse's W2 income savings, held in a joint account, count towards the equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-my-spouse-s-w2-income-savings-held-in-a-joint-account-count-towards-the-equity-injecti"},{"question":"How does the SBA view an equity injection derived from a personal gift held in a joint account?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-the-sba-view-an-equity-injection-derived-from-a-personal-gift-held-in-a-joint-acc"},{"question":"Can a past business failure or dissolution from a previous venture impact my SBA 7(a) eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-a-past-business-failure-or-dissolution-from-a-previous-venture-impact-my-sba-7-a-eligi"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Joint Venture","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}