
上周Figma轟動一時的首次公開募股(IPO),重新引發了圍繞IPO定價和首日股價暴漲的長期爭論——這只新上市股票在首個交易日股價飆升333%,如此反應其實并不出人意料。隨著投資者對此次發行進行深入分析(而Figma的股價也有所回落,周一下跌27%),其他關鍵問題也隨之浮現:Figma的上市能否吸引其他初創公司加入IPO行列,從而終結科技行業的IPO“寒冬”?倘若如此,接下來會是誰?
華爾街投資銀行家們渴望將眾多處于后期階段、獲得風險投資支持且擁有強大客戶群體的科技公司推向公開市場。其中包括Databricks、Klarna、Stripe和SpaceX等多家市值高達數十億美元的公司,它們多年來一直是IPO傳聞的焦點。誠然,還有一批估值頗高的人工智能初創公司,從OpenAI和Anthropic,到埃隆·馬斯克的xAI。
這些公司很可能繼續成為焦點,但在Figma上市后我與數位投資者的交談中,他們提到其他一些公司更可能率先上市,包括Canva、Revolut、Midjourney、Motive和安杜里爾工業公司(Anduril)。
“成功的IPO對所有人而言都是積極信號,”Forerunner Ventures創始人兼管理合伙人克里斯汀·格林(Kirsten Green)表示,該公司投資組合中的Chime近期已上市,并在首個交易日中股價上漲37%。(Forerunner還投資了上市公司Hims & Hers以及包括Oura在內的處于后期階段的私營公司。) “我認為我們應當重新審視這一觀點:IPO是進入公開市場的A輪融資——而這確實能成為人們愿意甚至渴望推動公司上市的動力。”(仿佛為了印證這一觀點,醫療科技公司HeartFlow于8月1日提交了IPO的S-1文件,其估值達13億美元。)
PitchBook美國風險投資研究主管凱爾·斯坦福(Kyle Stanford)指出,截至今年6月30日,僅有18家風險投資支持的公司成功上市。他認為,這既受政策不確定性導致的融資阻力影響,也與2021年過度融資現象持續抑制風險投資有關。“Figma有望打破僵局,但本季度進展相當緩慢。”他說道。
盡管Figma作為設計軟件公司已實現盈利且擁有強大的集成人工智能能力,但斯坦福指出,這些特質并非IPO成功的必要條件。他認為投資者更希望公司能創造至少2億美元的營收,維持高速增長態勢,并優先考慮正自由現金流而非盈利能力。擁有人工智能相關的故事也“極為重要”,除非該公司增長迅猛且利潤率極高。
多位受訪投資者表示,Canva可能是最具說服力的案例,因為它是一家與Figma基本面相似的設計公司。設計協作公司Canva在18輪融資中成功籌集約5.89億美元,估值達320億美元,高于Figma IPO時的估值。“就Figma昨天的表現而言,Canva是大贏家,”Primary Ventures的投資者杰森·舒曼(Jason Shuman)表示。舒曼并非Canva的投資者,他指出,Canva年營收達30億美元且年同比增長率達35%,這是其業務具備持久性的標志。
其他人也持相同觀點。“在看到Figma的案例后,天啊,Canva必然會盡快尋求IPO。”Hedgeye Risk Management的董事總經理兼合伙人菲利克斯·王(Felix Wang)表示,他并非Canva的投資者。Canva在最近一次股票回購中估值達370億美元,該公司未回應《財富》雜志的置評請求。
王等人指出,Figma股價的飆升在很大程度上并非由其自身推動。相反,市場正處于歷史高位,引發了散戶投資者對新上市企業的投資需求。“他們甚至對這家公司一無所知,僅僅知道它是新上市的,”王談及散戶投資者投資 Figma 時說道。“他們會投入部分資金,更有趣的是:他們會在社交媒體上炫耀。”
Primary的舒曼認為,Figma之于Canva,就如同NuBank之于Revolut。他研究了金融科技公司NuBank,該公司自2025年初上市以來股價上漲約13%,他認為業務模式極為相似的Revolut可能會效仿其做法。Revolut在給《財富》雜志的一份聲明中表示:“我們的重點不在于是否或何時進行IPO,而是持續拓展業務、開發新產品、并為不斷增長的全球客戶群提供更優質、更實惠的服務。”
Primary的舒曼還指出,另一家潛在的IPO候選公司是芯片制造商Cerebras。他投資于垂直人工智能、B2B、中小企業及金融和國防領域的公司,不過并未持有Cerebras或Revolut的股份。(Cerebras于2024年9月提交了S-1文件,但由于監管機構對阿聯酋G42 3.35億美元的投資存在顧慮,其IPO被推遲。據《The Information》報道,如今,該公司已獲監管機構批準可公開上市,但因正在籌集10億美元資金,暫緩了IPO計劃。)
許多公司,包括規模最為龐大、最炙手可熱的私營公司OpenAI(據《紐約時報》報道,其估值剛攀升至3000億美元),都有強烈的動機維持私有化狀態。這是因為它們能夠避免因上市公司必須履行信息披露義務而受到公眾監督,同時還能獲得大量私人資本注入以維持資金流動性,而這往往是企業生存的關鍵。
然而,像OpenAI、Stripe(估值達910億美元)以及SpaceX(估值高達4000億美元)這樣的巨頭維持私有化狀態,或許會給公開市場帶來隱性成本。“我想從哲學角度談談,”Forerunner的格林表示。“公開市場的創立,部分初衷在于讓更廣泛的民眾能夠參與到經濟當中,共享經濟增長成果,而不是讓財富集中在少數人手中。”
有一家巨頭或許即將成為股市焦點。國防科技公司安杜里爾工業公司在G輪融資中獲得了305億美元的估值,由于其業務性質,該公司有理由維持私營狀態。但Pitchbook的斯坦福預測,它將成為下一家進行IPO的科技公司。斯坦福認為,除了安杜里爾工業公司的首席執行官宣稱其“必然”會上市之外,該公司的價值主張也是特朗普政府安全與國防領域工作重點的核心所在,這可能會使其成為投資者追捧的對象。
“除此之外,”他說,如今潛在IPO候選公司的名單很長:“可能還有約300家其他公司。”(財富中文網)
譯者:中慧言-王芳
上周Figma轟動一時的首次公開募股(IPO),重新引發了圍繞IPO定價和首日股價暴漲的長期爭論——這只新上市股票在首個交易日股價飆升333%,如此反應其實并不出人意料。隨著投資者對此次發行進行深入分析(而Figma的股價也有所回落,周一下跌27%),其他關鍵問題也隨之浮現:Figma的上市能否吸引其他初創公司加入IPO行列,從而終結科技行業的IPO“寒冬”?倘若如此,接下來會是誰?
華爾街投資銀行家們渴望將眾多處于后期階段、獲得風險投資支持且擁有強大客戶群體的科技公司推向公開市場。其中包括Databricks、Klarna、Stripe和SpaceX等多家市值高達數十億美元的公司,它們多年來一直是IPO傳聞的焦點。誠然,還有一批估值頗高的人工智能初創公司,從OpenAI和Anthropic,到埃隆·馬斯克的xAI。
這些公司很可能繼續成為焦點,但在Figma上市后我與數位投資者的交談中,他們提到其他一些公司更可能率先上市,包括Canva、Revolut、Midjourney、Motive和安杜里爾工業公司(Anduril)。
“成功的IPO對所有人而言都是積極信號,”Forerunner Ventures創始人兼管理合伙人克里斯汀·格林(Kirsten Green)表示,該公司投資組合中的Chime近期已上市,并在首個交易日中股價上漲37%。(Forerunner還投資了上市公司Hims & Hers以及包括Oura在內的處于后期階段的私營公司。) “我認為我們應當重新審視這一觀點:IPO是進入公開市場的A輪融資——而這確實能成為人們愿意甚至渴望推動公司上市的動力。”(仿佛為了印證這一觀點,醫療科技公司HeartFlow于8月1日提交了IPO的S-1文件,其估值達13億美元。)
PitchBook美國風險投資研究主管凱爾·斯坦福(Kyle Stanford)指出,截至今年6月30日,僅有18家風險投資支持的公司成功上市。他認為,這既受政策不確定性導致的融資阻力影響,也與2021年過度融資現象持續抑制風險投資有關。“Figma有望打破僵局,但本季度進展相當緩慢。”他說道。
盡管Figma作為設計軟件公司已實現盈利且擁有強大的集成人工智能能力,但斯坦福指出,這些特質并非IPO成功的必要條件。他認為投資者更希望公司能創造至少2億美元的營收,維持高速增長態勢,并優先考慮正自由現金流而非盈利能力。擁有人工智能相關的故事也“極為重要”,除非該公司增長迅猛且利潤率極高。
多位受訪投資者表示,Canva可能是最具說服力的案例,因為它是一家與Figma基本面相似的設計公司。設計協作公司Canva在18輪融資中成功籌集約5.89億美元,估值達320億美元,高于Figma IPO時的估值。“就Figma昨天的表現而言,Canva是大贏家,”Primary Ventures的投資者杰森·舒曼(Jason Shuman)表示。舒曼并非Canva的投資者,他指出,Canva年營收達30億美元且年同比增長率達35%,這是其業務具備持久性的標志。
其他人也持相同觀點。“在看到Figma的案例后,天啊,Canva必然會盡快尋求IPO。”Hedgeye Risk Management的董事總經理兼合伙人菲利克斯·王(Felix Wang)表示,他并非Canva的投資者。Canva在最近一次股票回購中估值達370億美元,該公司未回應《財富》雜志的置評請求。
王等人指出,Figma股價的飆升在很大程度上并非由其自身推動。相反,市場正處于歷史高位,引發了散戶投資者對新上市企業的投資需求。“他們甚至對這家公司一無所知,僅僅知道它是新上市的,”王談及散戶投資者投資 Figma 時說道。“他們會投入部分資金,更有趣的是:他們會在社交媒體上炫耀。”
Primary的舒曼認為,Figma之于Canva,就如同NuBank之于Revolut。他研究了金融科技公司NuBank,該公司自2025年初上市以來股價上漲約13%,他認為業務模式極為相似的Revolut可能會效仿其做法。Revolut在給《財富》雜志的一份聲明中表示:“我們的重點不在于是否或何時進行IPO,而是持續拓展業務、開發新產品、并為不斷增長的全球客戶群提供更優質、更實惠的服務。”
Primary的舒曼還指出,另一家潛在的IPO候選公司是芯片制造商Cerebras。他投資于垂直人工智能、B2B、中小企業及金融和國防領域的公司,不過并未持有Cerebras或Revolut的股份。(Cerebras于2024年9月提交了S-1文件,但由于監管機構對阿聯酋G42 3.35億美元的投資存在顧慮,其IPO被推遲。據《The Information》報道,如今,該公司已獲監管機構批準可公開上市,但因正在籌集10億美元資金,暫緩了IPO計劃。)
許多公司,包括規模最為龐大、最炙手可熱的私營公司OpenAI(據《紐約時報》報道,其估值剛攀升至3000億美元),都有強烈的動機維持私有化狀態。這是因為它們能夠避免因上市公司必須履行信息披露義務而受到公眾監督,同時還能獲得大量私人資本注入以維持資金流動性,而這往往是企業生存的關鍵。
然而,像OpenAI、Stripe(估值達910億美元)以及SpaceX(估值高達4000億美元)這樣的巨頭維持私有化狀態,或許會給公開市場帶來隱性成本。“我想從哲學角度談談,”Forerunner的格林表示。“公開市場的創立,部分初衷在于讓更廣泛的民眾能夠參與到經濟當中,共享經濟增長成果,而不是讓財富集中在少數人手中。”
有一家巨頭或許即將成為股市焦點。國防科技公司安杜里爾工業公司在G輪融資中獲得了305億美元的估值,由于其業務性質,該公司有理由維持私營狀態。但Pitchbook的斯坦福預測,它將成為下一家進行IPO的科技公司。斯坦福認為,除了安杜里爾工業公司的首席執行官宣稱其“必然”會上市之外,該公司的價值主張也是特朗普政府安全與國防領域工作重點的核心所在,這可能會使其成為投資者追捧的對象。
“除此之外,”他說,如今潛在IPO候選公司的名單很長:“可能還有約300家其他公司。”(財富中文網)
譯者:中慧言-王芳
Figma’s sensational IPO last week resurrected longstanding debates about IPO pricing and first day pops—an unsurprising reaction to the newly listed stock’s 333% surge in its first days of trading. As investors dissect the offering (and as Figma’s stock settles back a bit, falling 27% on Monday), other key questions have emerged: Will Figma’s debut entice other startups to jump into the fray, bringing an end to the tech industry’s IPO drought? And if so, who’s next?
There’s a long list of late-stage VC-backed tech companies with strong customer bases that Wall Street investment bankers would love to take public. Many of these multi-billion dollar companies, including Databricks, Klarna, Stripe, and SpaceX, have been subjects of IPO speculation for years. And then of course, there’s the crop of richly valued AI startups, from OpenAI and Anthropic, to Elon Musk’s xAI.
Those companies will likely continue to be in the spotlight, but in conversations I had with several investors following Figma’s debut, other names came up as more likely to IPO sooner including Canva, Revolut, Midjourney, Motive, and Anduril.
“Having positive IPOs is a good signal for everybody,” says Kirsten Green, founder and managing partner at Forerunner Ventures, whose portfolio company Chime recently went public and experienced a 37% pop in stock price on its first day of trading. (Forerunner also has investments in public company Hims & Hers and late stage private companies including Oura.) “I believe we should revisit this idea: an IPO is the Series A of being in the public market–and having that really be a motivator to people’s willingness, and maybe even eagerness to go public.” (As if on cue, HeartFlow, a medical technology company, filed an S-1 for its IPO at a $1.3 billion valuation on August 1).
Kyle Stanford, the director of research on US venture capital at PitchBook, notes that just 18 venture-backed companies have gone public through June 30 of this year. This, he says, is a factor of policy uncertainties that translate to funding headwinds as well as the overfunding that occurred in 2021 that continues to stymie venture capital. “Figma hopefully starts to break the dam, but it’s been a pretty slow quarter,” he says.
Though Figma, which makes design software, is profitable and has a strong set of integrated AI capabilities, these qualities are not essential to companies bound for IPO success, says Stanford. He says that investors would prefer companies to generate a minimum of $200 million in revenue that grows at high rates and prioritize positive free cash flow over profitability. Having an AI story is also “very important,” unless the company is very high growth and profitable by wide margins.
Canva may be a most-compelling case since it’s a design company with similar fundamentals to that of Figma, said multiple investors I interviewed. Design collaboration company Canva has raised about $589 million over 18 rounds at a $32 billion valuation, higher than that of Figma’s at the time of its IPO. “Canva is a big winner when it comes to what happened yesterday with Figma,” says Jason Shuman, an investor at Primary Ventures. Shuman, who is not an investor in Canva, points to Canva’s $3 billion annual revenue and 35% year-over-year growth as signs of its business’ durability.
Others agree. “Canva—after looking at Figma, holy crap—they’re going to try to IPO as soon as possible,” says Felix Wang, Managing Director and Partner at Hedgeye Risk Management, who is not a Canva investor. Canva, which was recently valued at $37 billion during a share buy back, did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
Wang and others note that the surge in Figma’s price is, in many ways, not actually driven by Figma. Rather, the market is at an all-time high, causing retail trader demand for companies new to market. “They don’t even know this company, but they know it’s a new company,” says Wang of retail traders investing in Figma. “They’re going to put some money into it, and then, more interestingly: they’re going to show it off on social media.”
As Figma is to Canva; NuBank is to Revolut, reasons Primary’s Shuman. He looks at fintech NuBank, which is up around 13% from its early 2025 IPO and thinks that Revolut, which has a very similar business model, could copycat. Revolut told Fortune in a statement: “our focus is not on if or when we IPO, but on continuing to expand the business, building new products, and providing better and cheaper services to serve our growing global customer base.”
Another potential IPO candidate in the near-future is chipmaker Cerebras, says Primary’s Shuman, who invests in vertical AI, B2B, SMB and finance and defense companies but has no stake in Cerebras or Revolut. (Cerebras filed an S-1 in September 2024 but its IPO was delayed by regulators concerned about a $335 million investment by UAE-based G42. Now, it’s been cleared by regulators for a public market listing, but the company has held off on an IPO as it fundraises $1 billion, reports The Information.)
Many companies, including the largest and hottest private company OpenAI (which just nabbed a $300 billion valuation, per the New York Times), have significant incentives to remain private. This is because they can avoid public scrutiny that arises from disclosures required of public companies and have access to significant private capital for liquidity infusions that are often essential.
Yet, the fact that behemoths like OpenAI, Stripe ($91 billion valuation) and SpaceX ($400 billion valuation) are private may even be a hidden cost for the public market. “I’m going to get philosophical,” says Forerunner’s Green. “Part of the public market was created so the broader population could participate in the economy and in the growth of the economy; it wasn’t meant to sit in a few people’s hands.”
One behemoth may be entering the stock market limelight. Anduril, the defense tech company that nabbed a $30.5 billion valuation on its Series G, has incentives to remain private due to the nature of its business. But Pitchbook’s Stanford predicts it to be the next tech IPO. In addition to Anduril’s CEO announcing it will “definitely” become publicly traded, its value proposition is core to Trump Administration priorities in security and defense, which could make it a hot pick for investors, Stanford reasons.
“Other than that,” he says the list of potential IPO candidates these days is long: “There’s probably about 300 other companies that it could be.”