BDC

BDC is an acronym that can refer to several distinct concepts depending on the context. Notable uses span finance, firearms optics, and chemistry, among others, so the meaning is typically clarified by the field in which it appears.

In Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is a federal Crown corporation that provides financing and advisory services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Its mandate is to support entrepreneurship and growth by offering loans, equity investments, and consulting services to Canadian businesses. BDC operates as a development bank with a focus on helping companies scale, innovate, and compete in domestic and export markets.

In the United States, a business development company (BDC) is a type of closed-end investment company regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940. BDCs invest in small and mid-sized companies, often employing a combination of debt and equity investments. They are publicly traded or publicly registered and are subject to rules governing disclosure and conflicts of interest, with a common emphasis on generating current income for investors through dividends.

In firearms and optics, a bullet drop compensator (BDC) describes a sight feature or reticle designed to account for bullet drop over distance. By using marked hash lines or a specific aiming pattern, shooters can estimate the necessary elevation adjustment to hit targets at longer ranges.

In chemistry and materials science, BDC stands for benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate, a ligand used as a linker in metal-organic frameworks and related coordination polymers. It is the dianionic form of terephthalic acid and contributes to the construction of porous crystalline materials.

Context is essential, as BDC has multiple, unrelated meanings across disciplines.