{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture-agreement","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/joint-venture-agreement","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-agreement","term":"Joint venture agreement","group":"Doing the deal","definition":"A contractual arrangement where two or more parties combine resources for a specific project or business activity. For SBA purposes, a joint venture can lead to affiliation, impacting size standards.","what_it_means":"If the target business is part of a joint venture, or if you plan to enter one, the SBA will scrutinize the agreement. They might consider the joint venture partners affiliated, combining their sizes for eligibility. Review these agreements carefully during due diligence to assess ongoing eligibility for set-aside work or other SBA programs.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture-agreement","official_sources":[{"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"},{"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"}],"related":[{"slug":"affiliation","term":"Affiliation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/affiliation"},{"slug":"contract","term":"Contract","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/contract"},{"slug":"mentor-prot-g-agreement","term":"Mentor-protégé agreement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/mentor-prot-g-agreement"},{"slug":"small-business-set-aside-contract","term":"Small business set-aside contract","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/small-business-set-aside-contract"}],"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 agreement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/joint-venture-agreement","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}