However, when too many start-ups become unicorns, a new hierarchy of companies is emerging, the so-called "ten-headed beasts": their valuation exceeds10 billion dollars.
Represented by Uber and Airbnb, these companies are seeking more investment to achieve higher and higher valuations, and at the same time, they are firmly maintaining independent operations.
The following are American start-ups with a valuation of more than $10 billion.
7.Dropbox
Valuation:? $654.38+00 billion
CEO Drew Houston
In 2065,438+04, after obtaining a new round of financing of 66,543,870 million US dollars, the valuation of Dropbox reached10 billion US dollars. Since then, the company began to shift its focus to corporate customers, and released the enterprise version of Dropbox last year.
In 20 16, the company began to cut the excessive expenditure on employee benefits. Although Dropbox did not disclose its financial data, it was reported that its revenue last year exceeded $5 billion. Drew Houston, CEO, said in June that the company had achieved positive cash flow, which was a milestone for a fast-growing technology company.
According to several reports, Dropbox will make an initial public offering (IPO) in 20 17.
Step 6 fight for fun
Valuation: 1 1 100 million USD.
CEO Ben Silbermann
2065438+May 2005, Pinterest received $5.33 billion in Series G financing, with investors including Andreessen Horowitz, First Mark and Goldman Sachs. After this round of financing, the valuation of the San Francisco-based company quickly climbed to 1 1 billion dollars.
This platform for finding and nailing pictures has more than 65.438+75 billion monthly users, more than half of whom are international users. In recent months, the company has expanded its focus to overseas markets, such as Britain, France, Germany, Japan and Brazil, and doubled its advertising on the platform. Last August, Pinterest
Acquired Instapaper, a company that provides online labeling services.
In 20 16, there was a rumor that Pinterest would go public. In June+10, 5438, Pinterest appointed the first chief financial officer, which was a sign that Pinterest was close to IPO.
5. Space Exploration Technology Company
Valuation:? 654.38+0.2 billion USD
CEO elon musk
In 20 15, elon musk's Space X Company received the investment of Fidelity and Google 10 billion dollars, and its valuation rose to 12 billion dollars.
Less than a year later, the Falcon 9 rocket launched by Space X went into space, separated from the satellite and landed safely, making history in one fell swoop. Its successful launch and landing proved the possibility of recycling rockets (rather than letting them fall into the sea).
However, 20 16 years is a more difficult year for this company. In September, a rocket of Space X exploded during the test launch, destroying a satellite that facebook intended to lease. So Space X delayed the appearance of another heavy rocket, Falcon Heavy. The rocket, carrying astronauts from NASA, will be launched on 20 18.
4.WeWork
Valuation:? $654.38+0.8 billion
Co-founders Miguel McVeigh and Adam Neumann
In March last year, Wework, a startup focused on co-office, received an investment of $3 billion from Softbank, and its valuation rose to $654.38+08 billion, making it the fourth most valuable startup in the United States. According to Erin Griffith, a fortune magazine, Wework has hinted that it will go public in 20 17, during which it will also acquire some small companies.
3. Palantir
Valuation:? $20 billion
CEO Alex Karp
Last year, after a new round of financing of $200 million, Palantir's valuation reached $20 billion. Although it is reported that it earned $654.38+07 billion in contract revenue in 2065.438+05, Palantir may not be profitable.
This data mining company is notorious for its mystery. In June, it was reported that Palantir bought back 2.25 billion shares from its employees in exchange for their silence.
Palantir is supported by Arm, a CIA venture capital firm, and is said to maintain a cooperative relationship with the government. It has been reported that it played a certain role in the Snowden Prism Gate incident.
Recently, however, Palantir was involved in a dispute with the Ministry of Labor. The company was accused of discriminating against Asians in the process of recruiting engineer interns. In order to solve this accusation, Palantir agreed to pay the affected employees $65,438+$0,659,424 in unpaid wages and options.
2. Airbnb (short rent Platform)
Valuation:? 3 1 100 million USD
CEO Brian Ceschi,
Joe Gebia, product director,
Nathan Blatchick, Chief Technology Officer.
Airbnb, a housing rental company, met with challenges in 2006. However, this company is still the second most valuable startup in the United States.
Last year, Airbnb faced legal difficulties in San Francisco and new york, but it still got a new round of financing of 850 million yuan, and launched a new service called Trips in June 5438+065438+ 10, aiming to become a more comprehensive travel company.
2065438+In March 2007, Airbnb received 1 billion USD financing, and its valuation rose to 3 1 billion USD. It is said that Airbnb is paying close attention to the rumored direct listing path of Spotify. If possible, we may see the public trading of Airbnb shares next year.
1. Uber
Valuation: $68 billion
CEO travis kalanick
Uber is the most valuable startup in the United States and the world, surpassing its competitor Didi Chuxing, which is valued at $20 billion.
In recent years, this auto service company has received billions of dollars in financing, including 350 million dollars from Saudi Arabia investment company and 200 million dollars in the form of leveraged loans. In May, Uber announced a loss of 708 million yuan in the first quarter of 20 17, which was lower than the loss of 99 10/00000 yuan in the first three months. The company is looking for a CFO with experience in public companies, which means it may reconsider listing.
In addition to financial data, Uber's 20 17 is also extremely difficult. Its sexism, sexual harassment cases, the wave of executive turnover and fierce litigation with Waymo (a driverless company separated from Google, accusing Uber of stealing its own technology) were widely reported.
Original text:
10 billion dollar club: Meet the 7 most valuable start-ups in the United States.
In the past few years, we have seen the rise of private companies worth more than 10 billion dollars-the so-called "unicorn"
However, when too many startups become unicorns, a new category of startups appears: "decacorns", and the value of these companies exceeds10 billion dollars.
These are Ubers and Airbnbs in the world. These start-ups firmly maintain the status of private companies because they seek more millions of dollars at higher and higher valuations.
The following are American startups with a valuation of more than10 billion.
7.Dropbox
Drew angerer/Getty Photo Agency
Valuation:10 billion USD
CEO Drew Houston
After a round of financing of 6170,000 USD, Dropbox reached the valuation of1000 USD in 20 14 years. Since then, the company has shifted its focus to corporate customers and launched Dropbox Enterprise last year.
In 20 16, the company began to cut the huge expenditure of employee allowance, which cost the company $25,000 per employee every year. Although Dropbox did not disclose its financial situation, it was reported that it generated more than 500 million dollars in revenue last year. Drew Houston, CEO, said in June that the company's free cash flow is now positive, which is a milestone for a fast-growing technology company.
All kinds of reports believe that Dropbox will be listed sometime in 20 17.
Step 6 fight for fun
John Paschi/Getty
Valuation: 1 1 billion USD.
CEO Ben Silbermann
In May 1965, Pinterest raised $533 million in Series G financing from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, First Mark and Goldman Sachs, bringing the valuation of the San Francisco-based company to $65,438.
The monthly active users of the virtual discovery and locking platform exceed1750,000, of which more than half are international users. In recent months, the company has expanded its focus to overseas markets such as Britain, France, Germany, Japan and Brazil, and redoubled its efforts to increase advertising on its platform. Last August, Pinterest acquired Instapaper, an online bookmark service.
Throughout 20 16, it was rumored that Pinterest would be listed soon. In 10, the company appointed its first chief financial officer, which indicated that Pinterest might be approaching the IPO slowly.
5. Space Exploration Technology Company
dry/air in the sun
Valuation:1200 million USD
CEO elon musk
After financing 1 5 years 1 month from Fidelity and Google1billion dollars, Elon Musk's space exploration technology company was valued at1200 million dollars.
Less than a year later, Space Exploration Technology Company launched its Falcon 9 rocket into space, dropped a satellite, and then returned to the ground safely, making history. The success of launch and landing proves that it is possible to reuse expensive rockets instead of letting them fall into the ocean.
But 20 16 is a more challenging year for the company. In September, a space exploration technology company rocket exploded in the launch pad test, destroying a satellite that Facebook intended to rent. Since then, Space Exploration Technology has delayed the debut of another more powerful rocket system, Falcon Heavy, and delayed the launch of NASA astronauts to 20 18.
4.WeWork
Valuation:/kloc-0.8 billion USD
Miguel McVeigh and Adam Newman, co-founders of WeWork
In March this year, WeWork, a joint venture company, raised $300 million from Softbank, with a valuation of about $1800 million, making it the fourth most valuable startup in the United States.
According to Erin Griffith of Fortune magazine, WeWork has hinted that it will go public in 20 17, and may also acquire some smaller companies.
3. Palantir
Valuation: $20 billion
CEO Alex Karp
Palantir has raised about $2 billion in investment and reached a valuation of $20 billion last year. However, although the "booking" amount reported in 20 15 is $654.38+700 million (contract income), Palantir may not be profitable yet.
This data mining startup is notoriously mysterious. In June, it was reported that Palantir bought back $225 million of shares from employees in exchange for their silence.
Palantir was supported by the venture capital department of the CIA, and it was said that he had cooperated with the government. At one time, Palantir was accused of participating in government espionage activities exposed by Edward Snowden. It is said that it also helped the United States find Osama bin Laden, and helped the police screen a large number of videos through facial recognition to find the attacker of the Boston Marathon bombing.
However, Palantir recently had a dispute with the Ministry of Labor, and the company settled the accusation that its recruitment of engineers discriminated against Asians. It agreed to pay $65,438+$0,659,434 in back pay and stock options to the affected employees.
2. Airbnb (short rent Platform)
Valuation: 3 1 100 million USD
CEO Brian Ceschi, product director Joe Gebia, and chief technology officer Nathan Blatchick.
Airbnb, a housing rental startup, has a challenging performance of 20 16, but it is still the second most valuable startup in the United States.
Airbnb faced legal setbacks in San Francisco and new york last year, but it also raised a huge sum of US$ 850 million, and launched a new service called Trips in 1 1 month, aiming to become a more comprehensive travel company.
20 17 In March, Airbnb raised 1 100 million USD, and valued the company at 3 1 100 million USD. Now, it is reported that Airbnb is paying close attention to the rumored route of Spotify going public through direct listing-if it goes well, we may see Airbnb shares publicly traded next year.
1. Uber
Valuation: $68 billion
CEO travis kalanick
Uber is the most valuable startup in the United States and the world, surpassing its main competitor Didi Chuxing's valuation of nearly $20 billion.
This car-calling startup has raised billions of dollars in recent years, including $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabian investment funds and $2 billion in the form of leveraged loans. Uber announced in May that it lost $708 million in the first quarter of 2065, which was narrower than the loss of $996.5 million in the first three months. The company is also looking for a new CFO of listed company ex perience, which indicates that Uber may be considering listing.
In addition to finance, Uber has spent a worrying 20 17 years, reports of gender discrimination and sexual harassment, a series of senior executives leaving, and fierce lawsuits from Waymo, a self-driving car company spun off from Google, which accused Uber of stealing its technology.