Who qualifies as an accredited investor?

An accredited investor meets SEC thresholds allowing participation in private placements: for individuals, income over $200K ($300K jointly) in each of the last two years, net worth over $1M excluding primary residence, or certain professional licenses. Entities qualify by assets or by all owners being accredited.

The definition is the gate through which nearly all startup and fund investing flows; most private rounds are open only to accredited purchasers.