“It's no wonder that people want to invest in pre-IPO companies…if you want to get that same kind of return that you used to get in an IPO back in the early 2000s, you almost have to come into the pre-IPO space.” - Kelly Rodriques
Takeaways
- The landscape for IPOs has shifted dramatically with companies going public much later at higher valuations compared to the early 2000s.
- AI has emerged as a driving force in the investment landscape, attracting significant interest and capital.
- Forge Global operates as a key infrastructure provider for the private market aiming to democratize access to private market investments.
- With the increasing availability of information and platforms like Forge Global, institutional and retail investors have had increased interest in pre-IPO opportunities.
- Investors interested in pre-IPO markets should stay informed about market trends, new company listings, and regulatory changes that could affect access and returns. That need for information is part of the problem the Forge Global hopes to solve.
Bio
Kelly Rodriques is the CEO of Forge Global, a leading global private securities marketplace. He’s accrued decades of domestic and international experience founding and successfully operating growth companies in the financial technology sector and his fintech experience spans both investing and financial services leadership. Formerly, he was the CEO of Pensco, Totality and Novo and was an Operating Partner with Ignition Growth Capital; He founded and remains managing partner of Operative Capital, an early stage financial technology investment fund.
