How 2026 IPO Market Sets Stage for Anthropic, OpenAI Public Debuts
Jim Neesen, managing partner at Connor Group, shared insights into the 2026 IPO market, noting a C-grade for IPO volume with 232 IPOs (a 4% increase) and an A-minus for proceeds at $99 billion (a 200% increase), but a C for trading performance, as only 55% of IPOs traded above their initial price. He anticipates Anthropic will pursue a public offering before OpenAI, with Anthropic currently boasting a $65 billion run rate, a nine-fold increase from the previous year, 300,000 enterprise users, and targeting a $2 trillion valuation.
The anticipated public debut of AI giants like Anthropic, potentially seeking a $2 trillion valuation, signals significant shifts in the tech and finance landscapes, offering new investment opportunities and setting valuation benchmarks for other emerging technologies.
The discussion also covered the impact of geopolitical events and inflation on IPOs, the selective nature of successful IPOs focusing on life sciences, healthcare, and AI, the resurgence of SPACs, and the importance of public company readiness for future IPO candidates.
