Key facts
- SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are anticipated to conduct major initial public offerings.
- These IPOs could result in the creation of around 20 new billionaires.
- The combined valuation of these three companies could reach $4 trillion.
- Predicted proceeds from these IPOs are estimated at $200 billion.
- Employees who joined these companies at earlier valuations stand to benefit substantially from equity stakes.
SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are gearing up for initial public offerings that are expected to create a new wave of billionaires, potentially around 20 individuals. SpaceX is slated to debut as early as June 12, with a valuation that could reach $1.8 trillion. OpenAI and Anthropic are also preparing to go public this fall, with OpenAI's valuation estimated between $850 billion and $1 trillion.
These impending IPOs could significantly enrich employees who joined these companies when their valuations were considerably lower. For instance, employees who joined SpaceX in 2017 might see substantial returns on their equity given the company's projected surge in value. Similarly, staff at OpenAI who joined in 2021 could experience an estimated 6,000% increase in the value of their equity holdings.
Some employees have already begun liquidating their stakes, with OpenAI staff reportedly selling an estimated $6.6 billion in shares on the secondary market. This has raised concerns among analysts about the timing of these sales. Meanwhile, over 1,000 SpaceX employees, collectively holding an estimated $20 billion in assets, are reportedly working with financial advisors to negotiate lower advisory fees and seek the ability to take out loans against their equity before the standard 180-day post-IPO selling restriction period.