"Most favored nations" clauses are contractual agreements that ensure a party receives terms as favorable as those offered to any other party in similar agreements. In the context of corporate investments, these clauses can pose pitfalls for startups by potentially restricting their growth and autonomy. They may require the startup to provide the investing company with benefits or terms that are at least as favorable as those given to any other investor, which could limit the startup's ability to negotiate better deals with future partners. This can misalign with the startup's goal of becoming a large, independent company if it primarily serves the interests of the corporate partner rather than supporting the startup's long-term strategy.