Move over unicorns — here are the Bay Area's 21 'minotaurs' Unicorns have been the talk of Silicon Valley since 2013, when venture investor Aileen Lee coined the term for venture-backed companies that were valued at $1 billion or more. Now there is a relatively new beast in the region that Axios has dubbed the "minotaur," without explaining the name. These startup creatures are venture-backed companies that have raised $1 billion or more in venture funding. (San Jose Biz Journal)