A new wave of technology initial public offerings (IPOs) is expected to create a fresh generation of employee millionaires, echoing the wealth creation seen during Silicon Valley's past booms. With SpaceX preparing for what could be the largest listing in history, targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation on Nasdaq, attention is turning to other high-growth firms where equity-rich staff stand to gain significantly. From artificial intelligence pioneers like OpenAI and Anthropic to fintech disruptors such as Stripe and Plaid, these companies are not only reshaping industries but also setting the stage for life-changing payouts to employees as they move toward public markets.
SpaceX: Targeting $1.75 Trillion Valuation
Elon Musk's SpaceX is gearing up for one of the largest IPOs in history, with the company targeting a valuation of $1.75 trillion. With the integration of SpaceX and Musk's aggressive equity culture, insiders, including hundreds of engineers and physicists, are expected to become millionaires when the company's shares debut on Nasdaq. According to Business Insider, SpaceX aims to raise around $75 billion in its IPO offering, which is said to turn 3,000 local employees into millionaires.
OpenAI: $852 Billion Valuation
OpenAI has already seen employees cash out billions in secondary share sales. Ahead of its IPO, more than 600 staff became millionaires, with average payouts of $11 million. The listing is expected to further boost employee fortunes. More than 600 current and former OpenAI employees sold about $6.6 billion in shares in October 2025, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. Some 75 employees each sold the maximum allowed $30 million. This sale marked the first opportunity for many employees who joined after ChatGPT's launch to cash out, as OpenAI required workers to wait two years before selling their shares.
Anthropic: Pre-IPO Valuation Surges to $900 Billion
Anthropic, backed by Google and Amazon, is expected to reward employees handsomely as it prepares for a public offering. With valuations soaring past $30 billion, its equity packages could turn early hires into multimillionaires. Anthropic's annualized run-rate revenue jumped from $19 billion in March to $30 billion in April and is on track to cross $45 billion soon. That is a fivefold leap from the $9 billion it closed 2025 at. CEO Dario Amodei told a developer conference earlier this month that the company had planned for 10x growth this year and instead got 80x—fast enough that its own infrastructure has struggled to keep up.
Canva: $42 Billion Valuation
Australia's Canva is valued at over $42 billion and gearing up for a U.S. IPO. Employees holding stock options are likely to see life-changing payouts, mirroring the wealth creation seen at Atlassian. A recent report by Fortune revealed that Canva launched an employee share sale which values the business at $42 billion, minting a new wave of millionaires among its staff overnight.
Stripe: $159 Billion Valuation
Stripe, with a market valuation of $159 billion, has delayed its IPO multiple times in the past. Thousands of employees are said to benefit from one of the most anticipated market listings. In an interview with CNBC, Stripe co-founder and president John Collison said that the company will offer good liquidity to both its employees and exiting shareholders.
Databricks: $134 Billion Private Market Valuation
Valued at $134 billion, Databricks is rumored to go public soon. The company, which focuses on AI-driven data analytics, is expected to turn its employees with stock options into millionaires. Databricks raised $15.3 billion in a funding round in late 2024, which is said to be one of the largest private funding rounds. It also used some of the capital to facilitate employee share sales alongside the primary fundraise.
Chime: Around $10 Billion Valuation
The U.S.-based neobank Chime has been one of the most anticipated fintech IPOs for several years. The company, known for offering fee-free banking services to consumers, filed for an IPO in 2025, giving employees a clear line of sight to a liquidity event. Before the final filing, the company facilitated secondary transactions that allowed employees to cash out a portion of their holdings as the company's valuation climbed.
Plaid: $8 Billion Valuation
Fintech infrastructure company Plaid is preparing for a long-anticipated public offering. The company recently achieved an $8 billion valuation in a secondary funding round, driven by surging demand for its fraud detection and financial connectivity tools. Plaid's IPO is expected to be one of the most closely watched fintech listings, with employees holding equity stakes positioned to benefit significantly.
Decagon: $4.5 Billion Valuation
Decagon, though younger than others on this list, is already valued at billions thanks to its AI breakthroughs. Early employees could see outsized returns if the company's IPO momentum matches investor expectations. Founded in 2023 by Jessie Zhang and Ashwin Sreenivas, the company crossed a $1.5 billion valuation within roughly 18 months of launch, driven by enterprise demand for AI agents that can handle complex customer support workflows.
