IPO (Initial Public Offering)
The first sale of a company’s shares to the public on a stock exchange.
An IPO lists a company’s shares publicly, providing liquidity and capital but adding significant regulatory and reporting obligations. It is a rarer, later-stage exit reserved for companies of substantial scale.
Examples
A scale-up lists on AIM to raise growth capital. — Investors realise returns when a portfolio company IPOs.
How it relates to The Startup Foundry
While IPOs are far in the future for pre-seed startups, the discipline the Foundry instils early sets companies on the path to major outcomes.