Mezzanine Level

Mezzanine level

The period in a company's development just before it goes public.

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Mezzanine Level

1. Informal; In bracketing, the second largest underwriting group responsible for placing a certain amount of a new issue with investors. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "major bracket." Brackets are listed in order of size on an advertisement detailing each new issue, known as the tombstone.

2. In venture capital, a term used to describe a company with more risk and more potential return than an IPO, but less than a startup. It is also used to describe a company in which venture capital has been invested six to 12 months before going public. In general, the mezzanine level is a company that once was a startup but has succeeded and is progressing toward public trade. See also: Mezzanine financing, Mezzanine debt.