The term "seed money" refers to a small amount of capital that is invested in order to start or initiate something. It's often used when talking about businesses, where it means an initial investment made by founders or investors to fund the early stages of development before seeking further funding from other sources such as venture capitalists or angel investors. The phrase comes from the idea that this money is like a seed that is planted and nurtured in order for something bigger to grow, much like how seeds are planted in soil to eventually produce crops.