Money or supplies provided to a prospector or entrepreneur to finance their venture, often with the expectation of sharing in the profits.
American mining terminology from the 1860s: 'grub' (food/supplies) + 'stake' (a contribution of money). Originally referred to supplying prospectors with food and equipment in exchange for a share of gold discoveries.
Grubstake is an American success story—it's how prospectors in the Gold Rush got funded by investors who believed in them, and the word perfectly captures 'stake' (investment) + 'grub' (supplies to survive on)!
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