IPO or Bust: The Truth About Deep Tech Exits (and How to Win)

The Essential Playbook for Biotech Founders and VCs: How Bob Swanson and Tom Perkins built the Genentech Equity Story

Dall-E Picture

“What happened?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he answered. He had recently done an IPO and expected a huge uptake in valuation after his company went public.

“We listed, and the valuation collapsed right after. Since then, nothing. Nobody buys the stock.”

This is a story I see frequently in the small-cap area. High hopes led to the decision to go public, but the team was aiming for the stars and landed in the mud.

In this article, I want to share my perspective on these questions:

• Why understanding the stock market matters
• What dimensions are often missing in scientific deep tech companies
• How to fix that

Let’s get into it:

The Exit Trap: Is Your Startup’s Fate Sealed Without an IPO?

It doesn’t matter what the founders are building. The same endpoint applies to those building a company with a solid customer base and revenue from day one, like clinical consultants…