As we close out Q1, the private markets continue to be an attractive option for investors seeking higher returns and access to unique investment opportunities. While the private markets have always been a dynamic space, recent years have seen a surge in innovation and valuation, which have disrupted traditional industries and created new ones. 

In 2023, we can expect to see a number of trends shaping the private markets, including a wide range of industries, including technology, A.I., financial serivces, consumer product and more. With the What's Next 2023 report, we look into PrivCo's data and insights on emerging trends, disruptive innovations, and game-changing strategies, continued growth in private equity and venture capital, and greater adoption of technology to streamline investment processes and enhance returns.

We pride ourselves on providing actionable data that you can trust. PrivCo’s ability to transform billions of unstructured raw data points into unique insights. We verify the data through a multi-layered, real-time verification process using Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), and highly skilled data scientists. The result is an easy-to-read curated company profile that includes financials, funding rounds, growth signals, and actionable insights, so you can quickly understand the most critical developments in the private markets today!

It's essential to stay ahead of the curve and be aware of the latest trends and shifts in the private industries. That's where PrivCo's What's Next in 2023 dataset comes in - our team of expert analysts and researchers have compiled a comprehensive list of trending companies across the hottest industries.

WhatNext2023-PrivCo

Fill out the form below for pricing details on the complete dataset, which includes company information, financials, employee data, valuation, and other growth signals.

Purchase the Complete Company Dataset!

Hottest Private Industry Trends of 2023

As the saying goes, “what goes up must come down,” and that was certainly the case for startup valuations, deal sizes, and employee counts after a couple of blockbuster years in venture funding. While headlines, news clips, and social media posts swirled with news of a looming recession, the average American was attempting to balance out a budget with an average increase of $433 in household spending due to inflation.

Reach out to your Enterprise account manager for the extended report. 

The PrivCo50 list covers the most valuable private companies that raised a sizable funding round in 2022. These companies reflect where venture funding interest remained despite a pullback in overall investments.

Private Companies Most Valued Ranking 2022

PrivCo50-E2022

Interested in the complete industry insight dataset? 
Contact us today for pricing information.

Request the PDF for this Insight

Companies That Beat the Odds in 2022

For fans of our last insight, which covered the most valuable teams in baseball, basketball, soccer, and football, we've got more. Hockey fans rejoice!

While bets for this year's Stanley Cup winner might heavily favor the [Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs](https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nhl-power-rankings-bm11/), valuations are a different story. Ranked #11 in the most likely to win category yet number one in valuation, the New York Rangers prove yet again how an NYC franchise can beat the competition. The Madison Square Garden Sports' team has a cool $800MM in valuation over the Boston Bruins. 

Here are the top 10 NHL teams as ranked by team valuations:

| Team                                                                  | Valuation       | 1-Year Change |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| [New York Rangers](https://privco.com/company/new-york-rangers)       |  $2.2 billion   |           10% |
| [Toronto Maple Leafs](https://privco.com/company/toronto-maple-leafs) |  $2 billion     |           11% |
| [Montreal Canadiens](https://privco.com/company/montreal-canadiens)   |  $1.85 billion  |           16% |
| [Chicago Blackhawks](https://privco.com/company/chicago-blackhawks)   |  $1.5 billion   |            7% |
| [Boston Bruins](https://privco.com/company/boston-bruins)             |  $1.4 billion   |            8% |
| [Los Angeles Kings](https://privco.com/company/los-angeles-kings)     |  $1.3 billion   |           27% |
| [Edmonton Oilers](https://privco.com/company/edmonton-oilers)         |  $1.275 billion |           16% |
| [Philadelphia Flyers](https://privco.com/company/philadelphia-flyers) |  $1.25 billion  |            4% |
| [Washington Capitals](https://privco.com/company/washington-capitals) |  $1.2 billion   |           29% |
| [Seattle Kraken](https://privco.com/company/seattle-kraken)           |  $1.05 billion  |           20% |

Some teams iced the competition in year over year valuation, with the Washington Capitals coming in 29% over last year. The Los Angeles Kings also saw a hockey-stick curve on their valuation, climbing 27%.

To find out what teams are earning the most in revenue and other financial figures, head to the platform to learn more. 

We're looking at the top teams in hockey ranked by valuation, not by bodychecks and broken teeth (or trophies).

MV-NHL-Teams

Valuations on Ice

Looking for entertainment this holiday season? You’re in luck with football, and the other football (soccer), in full swing. The NFL dominates Thursday and Sunday nights and are past the midway mark in its 18-week season. And all eyes are on the “beautiful game” as soccer fans worldwide tune into the World Cup, bringing players from the top clubs back to their home countries to duke it out. 

We’re asking, do all these trophies and yardage gains translate to bigger valuations? Why are investors trading shares of sports teams like art collectors exchanging Picassos? We’re looking into this and more in this month’s Insight!


Our ranking of the most valuable sports teams in soccer, baseball, football, and baseball.

sports header

Interested in the complete industry insight dataset? Contact us today for pricing information.

Business of Sports

Celebrities are loved for their charisma, athletic skills, acting chops, and beauty. But leading roles and tournament trophies aren't the only things celebs are adding to their resumes. The glitter of Silicon Valley has officially hit Tinseltown. 

We're looking at some of the investments of Hollywood's brightest stars, starting with:

Harvard-educated actress __Natalie Portman__ has a vested interest in sustainability and women's issues. The evidence is in her portfolio, which includes the vertical farming agtech company __[Bowery Farming](https://system.privco.com/company/bowery-farming)__, dairy alternative __[Oatly](https://system.privco.com/company/oatly)__, and femtech healthcare company __[Maven Clinic](https://system.privco.com/company/maven-clinic)__. She’s even co-owner of the newly minted Angel City football club.

Shaquille O’Neal, known ubiquitously as "__Shaq__," has had more than a few slam dunks on and off the court (and we're not talking about [Kazaam](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116756/_)). He's invested in [Google](https://system.privco.com/company/alphabet), [Lyft](https://system.privco.com/company/lyft-inc), and other megacompanies after hanging up his jersey and adding a master's degree and a doctorate to his accolades. Why do all that after becoming a millionaire basketball player? He cites the unfortunate statistic that most basketball players end up broke just two years after retiring. Read more about his success [here](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/03/how-shaq-investment-in-google-lyft-ring-created-new-class-of-venture-capitalists). 

MLB Star Alex Rodriguez only has loose ties to Hollywood if you count his called-off engagement to A-List actress Jennifer Lopez. But the former shortstop has several home runs under his belt in investing. He founded A-Rod Corp. in 1995 with his investment in an apartment building and counts rapid delivery service [goPuff](https://system.privco.com/company/gopuff) and modern orthodontic company [Candid](https://system.privco.com/company/candid) among his more venture-based investments. 

Finally, no Hollywood Angel list would be complete without the lovable actor turned investor [Ashton Kutcher](https://system.privco.com/investor/ashton-kutcher) whose investments span industries from health care ([Elemy](https://system.privco.com/company/elemy)) to AI ([Forethoght Technologies](https://system.privco.com/company/forethought-technologies)). His venture firm, [A-Grade Investments](https://system.privco.com/investor/a-grade-investments-2), famously turned $30MM into $250MM in six years. 


How celebrity angel investors are enlightening startup gains.


Shaq_Empire

City of Angels

To start, what is generative AI?

If you've been on social media lately, you may have noticed the latest trend of people sharing their AI-generated selfies. Uploaded photos combine with art techniques and styles from famous works of art to generate new images in seconds. This is one form of Generative AI.

According to [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2022/11/how-generative-ai-is-changing-creative-work#:~:text=Generative%20AI%20models%20are%20incredibly,%2C%20summaries%2C%20and%20even%20videos.), generative AI is a coded model that "can take in such content as images, longer text formats, emails, social media content, voice recordings, program code, and structured data. They can output new content, translations, answers to questions, sentiment analysis, summaries, and even videos." 

For this reason, among others, major tech companies and shiny new startups are gearing up to compete in the generative AI arena, a fast-growing segment with all the makings of a Wild West tech space, where code is written faster than laws can keep up. 

The question then becomes, who is the creator? Is it the coder who creates the model, the AI itself, or the artist whose original work was used to create new content? For artists and designers who've poured years into developing their artistic practice, these generative AI models are [ripping off years of their experience in seconds](https://www.theverge.com/23444685/generative-ai-copyright-infringement-legal-fair-use-training-data). Copyright means little when generative AI uses art to learn and create its own iterations. 

While [lawsuits get filed](https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/8/23446821/microsoft-openai-github-copilot-class-action-lawsuit-ai-copyright-violation-training-data) and acquisitions become commonplace, we're looking at the Top 3 Generative AI companies based on revenue:

No. 1 [Github](https://system.privco.com/company/github-inc) was acquired by the tech giant Microsoft in 2018.
No. 2 [Jasper](https://system.privco.com/company/jasper-4) reached unicorn status earlier this year in their $125MM Round A.
No. 3 [Writer](https://system.privco.com/company/writer) is an AI-based writing assistant worth $80MM after two years in business.

Honorable mention: [OpenAI](https://system.privco.com/company/openai) gets a mention for its contributions to the discussion. Founded by a group of tech All-Stars, including Elon Musk, this company is an interesting case study in the legalities of generative AI. Read more about its connection to Twitter [here](https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/ceo-elon-musk-pauses-openai-chatbot-s-access-to-twitter-s-database-122120400561_1.html).

To see all the top companies in generative AI, use our [saved search](https://system.privco.com/search/company/179434709638a8625c2638).


A look at the generative AI companies complicating copyright.

Jason Allen’s A.I.-generated work, “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial.” 

Ai Art

Artist or AI?

A [recent poll](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/search-engine-journal_socialmedia-twitter-socialmedianews-activity-6995396984576634880-5wXa/) showed that Twitter users are flocking from the social media app infamously under new management. Ever since Elon Musk grabbed the helm of the app, users, and many, [many employees](https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/21/23471021/elon-musk-twitter-layoffs-sales-partnerships-workers), have been leaving the app in droves. 

#### A new era in social media

We appear to be entering a radical shift in social media's history. Meta has [laid off thousands](https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/11/17/23463164/silicon-valley-layoffs-tech-boom-over) as [huge investments](https://www.https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/26/meta-plans-to-lose-even-more-money-building-the-metaverse.html) in the metaverse haven't quite panned out. Twitter is on the [brink of extinction](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/technology/elon-musk-twitter-workers-quit.html) as key employees pack their bags and take their infrastructure knowledge with them.

The Atlantic smugly proclaims, "[The Age of Social Media is Ending – It should have never begun.](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/11/twitter-facebook-social-media-decline/672074/)" And celebrities from Whoopi Goldberg to Gigi Hadid are taking their clever jokes and online spats elsewhere.

But where are they going? For insight into how users have mounted and dismounted from social media, it's helpful to look at the historical precedent. Luckily, researchers have been following engaged online users from LiveJournal in the early 2000s to Tumblr in the 2010s to discover what makes a [migration effective](https://www.salon.com/2022/11/20/mass-migration-from-twitter-is-likely-to-be-an-uphill-battle--just-ask-ex-tumblr-users_partner/). One point that stands out is an effective alternative.

#### The Top 4 Twitter Alternatives
Cue [Mastodon](https://www.privco.com/company/mastodon-social), the closest rival to Twitter's format and the enviable winner of mass migration from Twitter. 

![Mastodon Twitter](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/7eYFJs2vh0SwySWMbiAEpV/c4c66d1aacac4cb917f92555c224919b/Screen_Shot_2022-11-21_at_2.18.53_PM.png)

Their home screen proudly proclaims that it's "social networking that's not for sale." They are a free, open-source German non-profit supported by users. Testimonials applaud the app's ability to provide real opportunities for connection and emphasis on privacy and safety. 

Who else ranks as a Twitter alternative?

[Discord](https://www.privco.com/company/discord) is the fan favorite amongst the chronically online. It started with gamers and has now grown to include communities or crypto enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and even book clubs. 

[Tumblr](https://privco.com/company/tumblr-inc) is aiming to recapture some of the 100 million users it had at it's height of popularity in 2014. The company has seen dwindling revenues since but is poised to earn more with Twitter users looking for the "alternative" alternative. 

[Hive Social](https://system.privco.com/company/hive-social), a latecomer with a sudden [surge of new users](https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/21/twitter-alternative-hive-jumps-to-top-20-on-the-u-s-app-store-after-surge-of-sign-ups/), is trying to draw swarms of new users to their updated social network. They're brand new with only 3 employees and a $300K crowdfunded round that closed last week. 

Mass exodus takes time, network strength, and leaders with clout. Where Twitter will be in two years, let alone two months, is anyone's guess. Stay tuned.


Learn about the top contenders vying for twitter users leaving the nest. 

twitter headliner image (475 × 375 px)

Alternatives to Twitter

While venture capital funding and public markets continue to face tremendous challenges, there are companies close to achieving billion-dollar status in spite of and, in some cases, even because of the impending challenges for businesses in a post-pandemic world. We’ve named 50 private companies we believe will achieve unicorn status in the near future before an IPO, acquisition, or business breakdown.

To identify the next potential unicorns, we looked at the data from PrivCo to pinpoint startups with valuations below $1BN and ranked them by their performance based on recent funding activity, revenue, and employee growth. 

Key Takeaways from this Insight:
- The top growth categories for up and coming unicorns are Fintech, Healthtech, Sustainability, and Cyber Security.
- The companies with the highest revenues were primarily in finance and healthcare.
- The industries that experienced the highest revenue and employee growth rates were in fintech, healthcare, and cybersecurity. 
- The average years in business for these companies is 7.52 years.

Here are 25 of our predicted next-gen of unicorns: 

| Company                                                                           | Total Raised | Category                |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|:------------:|-------------------------|
| [OpenSpace](https://privco.com/company/openspace)                                 |    $200MM    | Construction            |
| [HawkEye 360](https://privco.com/company/hawkeye-360)                             |    $304MM    | Aerospace & Defense     |
| [Coralogix](https://privco.com/company/coralogix)                                 |    $238MM    | Artificial Intelligence |
| [Enable Injections](https://privco.com/company/enable-injections)                 |    $297MM    | Health Care             |
| [Paycargo LLC](https://privco.com/company/paycargo)                               |    $290MM    | Fintech                 |
| [Astronomer](https://privco.com/company/astronomer)                               |    $283MM    | Artificial Intelligence |
| [Kin Insurance](https://privco.com/company/kin-insurance)                         |    $246MM    | Insurtech               |
| [Verana Health](https://privco.com/company/verana-health)                         |    $289MM    | Health Care             |
| [CelLink Corporation](https://privco.com/company/cellink)                         |    $311MM    | Sustainability          |
| [Tifin](https://privco.com/company/tifin)                                         |    $206MM    | Fintech                 |
| [Mavrck](https://privco.com/company/mavrck)                                       |    $272MM    | Marketing               |
| [Critical Start](https://privco.com/company/critical-start)                       |    $255MM    | Cyber Security          |
| [LinkSquares](https://privco.com/company/linksquares)                             |    $171MM    | Fintech                 |
| [Castle Creek Biosciences](https://privco.com/company/castle-creek-biosciences)   |    $309MM    | Health Care             |
| [Cleerly](https://privco.com/company/cleerly)                                     |    $281MM    | Health Care             |
| [Connecteam](https://privco.com/company/connecteam)                               |    $169MM    | Workplace Management    |
| [Genesis Global Technology](https://privco.com/company/genesis-global-technology) |    $270MM    | Fintech                 |
| [H1 Insights](https://privco.com/company/h1-insights)                             |    $220MM    | Big Data                |
| [FreshRealm](https://privco.com/company/freshrealm)                               |    $247MM    | Consumer Products       |
| [Scipher Medicine](https://privco.com/company/scipher-medicine)                   |    $227MM    | Health Care             |
| [Mosyle Corporation](https://privco.com/company/mosyle)                           |    $248MM    | Cyber Security          |
| [Semperis](https://privco.com/company/semperis)                                   |    $240MM    | Cyber Security          |
| [Brightline](https://privco.com/company/brightline-2)                             |    $212MM    | Health Care             |
| [Gorgias](https://privco.com/company/gorgias)                                     |     $72MM    | Customer Service        |
| [Madison Reed](https://privco.com/company/madison-color)                          |    $224MM    | Consumer Products       |
Read on to find out more about what makes these industries the ascending stars of private companies. 


Our prediction of the next generation of post-pandemic unicorn companies.

Next-Gen Unicorns

By now, we’re all well aware that the supply chain has been disheveled since the start of the pandemic. Lockdowns, resource and worker shortages, and ill-timed blockages at the Suez Canal all contributed to the pressures on suppliers and vendors to get goods to bored shoppers and amateur interior designers stuck at home. 

But there are signs the pressure is abating. Data from logistics management platform Flexport reveals a 35% decrease in the number of days cargo is taking from initial shipment to hitting the shelves and a halving of the cost of a shipping container. But the return to pre-pandemic shipping times and costs may be an overcorrection for a market that’s gotten used to sky-high prices and long wait times. Companies that overbought pandemic-darling home goods like furniture and televisions are now selling them off at steep discounts. Adding to the predicament, customers fearing a recession and sweating inflation and the war in Ukraine are pulling back on demands for big purchases.

What will contribute to a more efficient, predictable, and less inflationary supply chain? At least part of the solution comes from improved technologies, software, and logistics tools. We combed the data to find some of the most innovative companies in supply chain solutions. 


Who has the solution for our supply chain woes? We’re looking at the most innovative companies solving for the supply chain.

Cover Image

In-Depth Financial Coverage on Top Supply Chain Private Companies.

Interested in the complete industry insight dataset? Contact us today for pricing information.

SOS: Save Our Supply Chain


If you live in a metropolitan city, chances are you’ve noticed an uptick in casual marijuana smoking on the city’s streets and grassy knolls. A recent visit to Washington Square Park provided ample opportunity to see a cottage industry of marijuana dealers, selling their hand-rolled joints, jars of cannabis, and THC and CBD gummies from California and Denver outposts. For cities that have legalized the recreational consumption of the drug–or plant, depending on who you ask–the skunk-like stench of the plant might hit you more often than cigarette smoke.

#### Some Stats
In 2021, legal consumption across the nation rose significantly, reaching a value of $13.2BN, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of [25.5% from 2022 to 2030](https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/legal-marijuana-market). Enrollment in medical marijuana programs saw a [four-fold increase](https://www.statnews.com/2022/06/13/enrollment-in-medical-cannabis-programs-saw-four-fold-increase-study-finds/) between 2016 and 2020, with chronic pain cited as the most common reason for registration. The pandemic brought excesses in drinking, shopping, and, as it turns out, cannabis consumption. Legal marijuana [sales increased 120%](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/30/pandemic-marijuana-use-increase-covid) in 2020 alone. 

#### Where there’s smoke, there’s investment
Investors have surely taken notice. Our list of the top 25 reveals trends in delivery, e-commerce, B2B software, therapeutics, and beverages. Here’s a closer look at our top 3 companies in cannabis. 

![infographhhh](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/3onIcWP93SHLqrvnUYpZXG/545b3ffb5810cd4a6a6a2b6f6e23e92d/infograph.png)


Cannabis Companies

Top 25 Cannabis Private Company List.

Interested in the complete industry insight dataset? Contact us today for pricing information.

Fill out the form below and we'll send you the list.

Highest Growth Cannabis Companies

As public and private company valuations are undergoing significant shifts, we at [PrivCo](https://www.privco.com/) have been working to bring you the most accurate financial picture of private companies. With even more targeted data, PrivCo is poised to provide new enterprise tools and resources to perform due diligence on a specific company, growth metrics to source new customers, and/or gain an informed competitive advantage.

Here are the latest product updates and releases from PrivCo.

#### Best-in-Class Data 
- We’ve recalibrated our data collection & modeling algorithms to get you an increased level of accuracy with recent revenues, projections, fundings, employee benefit plans, and valuations.
- We’re the __industry leader__ for up-to-date private company financials, with over 96% of our coverage including 2021 financials.  
- We now have over __110M+ data points__ across 80 industries and 95% coverage of year-over-year financials. 

#### The Platform
- We’ve made improvements to our __advanced search filter__, making it easier than ever to access your unique targets in seconds.
- It’s now faster and easier to __extract valuable insights__ with Excel or PDF downloads.
- __Improved UX, Better Accessibility__. Keyboard shortcuts for our accessibility community.  Updated color scheme across watchlist growth rates.

#### Access to the Experts
Enterprise customers can access PrivCo’s research team for specific __data enrichment__ of hard-to-find financial information.

#### Data-Driven Content
- We’re celebrating two years of publishing [the Daily Stack](https://www.privco.com/dailystack) and want to thank our growing readership. 
- You asked, and we’ve answered with increased in-depth reporting in our biweekly [Insights](https://www.privco.com/insights). 

__Unlock the middle market__ of private companies' data today with [PrivCo](https://www.privco.com/pricing). Use promo code __PrivCo50__ for $50 off on a Select Subscription.  For group licenses or API access, [contact](https://www.privco.com/contact) our enterprise team for a consultation today.

Jon Chu
Chief Product Officer @ PrivCo


A message from our Chief Product Officer.

Updates

PrivCo's Q2 Product Updates


The latest climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized a heating planet's disastrous and likely consequences. That is unless we dramatically reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and extract carbon already emitted into the atmosphere. That's a big what-if as governmental policy and investment have yet to address the 
crisis with the urgency required, despite increasingly desperate pleas from climate scientists. The IPCC report’s section on investment recommends a 2x increase of investment in climate technologies. As many have pointed out, this goes beyond paper straws. 

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine rages on, casting a harsh light on our energy dependence on fossil fuels. The U.S. imported 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil and refined petroleum a day in 2021, directly or indirectly contributing to Putin’s war chest. With embargos now placed on Russia and gas prices spiking in the U.S., President Biden has urged places like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to pick up the slack to meet our energy needs. 

There’s never been a better time for private industry to step up to address the climate crisis. In this report, we examine the 25 highest-growth leaders in climate tech, from electric aviation to the future of farming. 

Here are the top 5:

![top 5](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/48nbPV1WJuaWtWACQTlleF/9f142f34c68aaa67654017558e9d812f/0aec9d5e-885f-45fe-89da-7ab06bcdfa71.png)

Our data shows that high-growth companies are aggregated in __biological engineering__ for __sustainable farming__ and __animal product alternatives__, __micromobility__, and __innovative engineering__.

25 High Growth Companies in Climate Tech, Building a Greener Economy.

leaders in climate tech

25 highest-growth leaders in climate tech, from electric aviation to the future of farming.

Interested in the complete industry insight dataset? Contact us today for pricing information.

Leaders in Climate Tech

##### About Us 
PrivCo harnesses the power of our proprietary machine learning to deliver comprehensive private market intelligence. Search PrivCo's platform to discover U.S. private companies with $1MM or more in revenue across 110M+ data points and 780K+ company profiles.

##### Methodology 

PrivCo 50 determines the fastest-growing startups in the U.S. and ranks them based on their performance in a given period. To generate this report for the first quarter of 2022, we looked at the data from PrivCo and evaluated startups by their employee and revenue growth and funding raised in Q1 between January 1 to March 31, 2022.

#### The PrivCo 50

A lot has changed since our last PrivCo 50 ranking in Q2 of 2021. Since then, the leading company, [Epic Games](https://www.privco.com/company/epic-games-inc "Epic Games"), has doubled its last investment round, bringing in a $2BN funding round in April of 2022. Formerly bullish public markets are undergoing a market correction, setting back IPO dates and reconfiguring valuations for private companies. This time last year, we saw strong growth in fintech (14.2% of Q2, 2021 funding), SaaS (14.4%), and aerospace/defense (9%). So what does the data show us about the new year?

#### 2022 Growth Markets
Since the start of the new year, we've seen continued interest in the post-pandemic demand for beauty and personal care products like [Harrys](https://www.privco.com/company/harrys) and [IL MAKIAGE New York](https://www.privco.com/company/il-makiage-new-york). The war in Ukraine has heightened our sense of urgency toward cyber security as the new frontier of wartime defense leading to huge investments in [Securonix](https://www.privco.com/company/securonix) and [BlueVoyant](https://www.privco.com/company/blueteamglobal). Overall, Q1, 2022 demonstrated a concentration of interest in __e-commerce__ (both brands and tools), __fintech, analytics, crypto__, and __SaaS__ companies.

![Top Industries](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/47ijpr2oWpLeQEYrZC0esC/9fa6278f185ea584c676a843ef6aec08/Screen_Shot_2022-04-14_at_10.50.22_AM.png)

#### Hiring Sprees

Headlines from the start of the year showed us what happens when rapid growth can't be sustained. Pandemic darling Peloton laid off 2,800 employees in February, and Better.com has had three rounds of layoffs after seeing a slowdown in mortgage applications as interest rates rose.
Still, for some companies, their growth trajectory is just beginning. These companies were onboarding new employees at a lightning pace. 

![Employee growth](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/fsQgc78nKFpbeaxvl9uBw/bb3bfacabeb2ff70c9cec1e0b64e9953/Screen_Shot_2022-04-15_at_9.04.31_AM.png)

[Veho](https://www.privco.com/company/veho) raised a $170MM Round B in February from Tiger Global and SoftBank to fuel hiring for their package delivery logistics company. E-commerce brands [Allbirds](https://www.privco.com/company/allbirds), [Everlane](https://www.privco.com/company/everlane), and [Harrys](https://www.privco.com/company/harrys)see the value and joined in on the deal.  

##### Celebrity Endorsed & Founded
[Skims](https://www.privco.com/company/skims), if you haven't heard, is the shapewear brand headed by Kim Kardashian. Much like another frontrunner on this list, [Savage X Fenty](https://www.privco.com/company/savage-x-fenty) headed by Rihanna, it helps when your founder is a celebrity. Both have achieved unicorn status and Rihanna is exploring taking the company public as of March. 

PrivCo harnesses the power of our proprietary machine learning to deliver comprehensive private market intelligence. Search PrivCo's platform to discover U.S. private companies with $1MM or more in revenue across 110M+ data points and 780K+ company profiles.

q1 2022 image

Fastest Growing Companies from Q1, 2022

[ClimateTech Cure for 'Doomism'](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/76d1080bef) celebrates the milestones and innovators breaking the spell of climate doomscrolling. (April 2022).

[Mad Scientists](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/637190b046) covered the increasingly desperate calls for climate action from leading climate scientists. (April 2022).

[Regenerative Farming 🌿](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/09ff153581) covered the niche agtech category taking VC by storm. (February 2022).

[OKRs and the Climate Crisis](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/818168b9c1) looks at applying personal and business goal setting to the climate crisis. (November 2021).

[ESG Investing & the Future of Wealth](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/9f5a5bdd6f) unpacked what Environmental, Social, Governance investing is, and how it stands to grow during the greatest wealth transfer in history. (November 2021).

[COP26 Summit and Greener Promises](https://www.privco.com/dailystack/ccd9415ce7) covered the annual summit devoted to environmental policy and advocacy. Better believe that both activists and fossil fuel corporations showed up. (November 2021).

To celebrate Earth Day's theme, "Invest in Our Planet," we've compiled a shortlist of recent DailyStack content related to environmental investing and climatetech innovators. 


Earth Day Invest Cover

Fill out the form below and we'll send you the report.

Earth Day 2022: Invest in Our Planet

PrivCo harnesses the power of our proprietary machine learning to deliver comprehensive private market intelligence. Search PrivCo's platform to discover U.S. private companies with $1MM or more in revenue across 110M+ data points and 780K+ company profiles.

#### Crypto Then & Now

Bitcoin, the most ubiquitous cryptocurrency, originated during the 2008 financial crash amidst the popular anti-establishment ideology of the day. In the years since aspects of a utopian ideology for the digital monetary system still exist but have also been co-opted by many of the Wall St. tastemakers it sought to undo. The following companies represent the most well-funded and institutionally palatable examples of crypto-related private companies.

| Company | Total Funding | Description |
|---------|-----------|-------------|
|   [FTX Exchange](privco.com/company/ftx-exchange)   |    $1.7BN       |    Crypto Trading         |
|    [Figure Technologies](privco.com/company/figure-technologies)     |    $1.5BN       |   Crypto-Backed Mortgage Lender       |
|   [Fireblocks](privco.com/company/fireblocks)      |     $1.4BN      |     Digital Asset Platform for Institutions        |
 |  [NYDIG](privco.com/company/nydig-execution)      | $1.4BN |    Bitcoin Financial Services |
| [Forte](privco.com/company/forte-labs) |     $939MM         | NFT & Game Tokens  | 

## Crypto makes it mainstream

As long as cryptocurrencies and DeFI (decentralized finance) have been around, there have been naysayers and true believers, with equally strong convictions. Rather than being backed by a Federal agency, the currency's value actually depends on that balance of supply and demand; the more people who buy into the currency, the higher its value. 

With the onslaught in recent years of media attention, the rise of amateur trading brought on by the pandemic, and an influx of cash from venture capitalist crypto believers, it seems that the scale has been tipping. The price of Bitcoin hit 7x its pre-pandemic value before we descended into the "[crypto winter](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/25/crypto-winter-investors-fear-bitcoin-has-further-to-drop.html)" of recent months.


The top 30 companies in DeFi, NFT, blockchain, and cryptocurrency.


Titans of Crypto

### About Us
PrivCo harnesses the power of our proprietary machine learning to deliver comprehensive private market intelligence. Search PrivCo’s platform to discover U.S. private companies with $1MM or more in revenue across 110M+ data points and 780K+ company profiles.

### Methodology
PrivCo’s private market intelligence includes exceptional industry and vertical tagging. To determine the predicted trends and fastest-growing industries we compared the total funding data for recent years using keywords to see which industries and verticals are receiving the most attention and venture capital funding from investors.

## What's Next?
2021 was a banner year for funding dollars raised reaching $643BN overall. That money amounted to the modernization of every industry, from weight loss to defense technology to life insurance. With our return to office plans dashed yet again, the trend towards better tools for remote teams continued with a greater emphasis on no-code platforms for collaboration. Trading platforms benefited from a continuous increase in amateur investors and the crypto-curious. Increased costs for customer acquisition through ads on Facebook and Instagram meant more brands are flocking to content creators for their ad spending. How will these and other factors shape the next biggest companies of 2022?

![2022 Trends ](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/6vl611r2CTI8KoaZz43e6H/f6957dcbb811e955be960ff4c05827d4/20943599.jpg)

### Up-and-Coming Verticals
Our data revealed the top six keywords for up-and-coming verticals (those that have not yet seen consistent funding interest over multiple years). These keywords are: __military, influencer marketing, prototyping, graphic design, life insurance, and lifestyle__. 

### High-Growth Mature Industry Keywords
##### Cyber security takes off
We then looked at which industries have maintained and built upon their dominance in funding to determine the top mature verticals. Trends reveal steady progress towards a more secure digital world with fraud protection, identity management and cyber security all in the top mature keywords of 2021. Private companies in cyber security have already raised $3.2BN in February alone and the Russian invasion of Ukraine will surely contribute to further investment in the area. Meanwhile, the Great Resignation continues to put a spotlight on e-learning providers as workers upskill before returning to the job market.

The top mature industry keywords are: __fraud protection, identity management, edtech, business development, digital health, email, trading, database management, e-learning, cyber security, and billing. __

![High Growth Mature Industry Keywords](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/VAnpcWdVk1j8lyhgP5GKm/048fa60911637c375f0b721ed7d04be5/Screen_Shot_2022-02-28_at_9.31.37_AM.png)

### Spotlight: Top 5 Highest Growth Companies by Revenue

Of the hottest industry keywords, these are the top 5 highest growth companies by revenue:

| Company             | Location           | Revenue Growth Rate                                    | Vertical                                        |
|---------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| [Fivetran](https://www.privco.com/company/fivetran)           | Oakland, CA        | 233    | Database Management|
| [Socure](https://www.privco.com/company/socure)                | New York, NY      | 214        | Fraud Protection    |
| [Lacework](https://www.privco.com/company/lacework)              | Mountain View, CA | 204    | Cyber Security                       |
| [Hinge Health](https://www.privco.com/company/hinge-health)             | San Francisco, CA       | 191    | Digital Health
| [Snyk](https://www.privco.com/company/snyk)      | Boston, MA     | 152                                  | Cyber Security |

PrivCo's ranking of the hottest investment sectors for 2022. 


What's Next

Fill out the form below for a sample company list.

What's Next in 2022

We’re examining the data to see what funding for diverse leadership can tell us about the private sector’s response to calls for diversity and inclusion. We’ll also explore key features of the cultural trends and policy shifts that affect diversity in leadership.

What you can learn from this report:

- Top 50 private companies with diverse leadership
- Highlights of the 10 highest valued companies from our list
- A spotlight list of VCs representing diverse leadership in their ranks

## REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

2021 was a milestone year of growth overall for diverse leaders and diversity in VC investors.  The report showcases 2021’s unicorns founded by diverse leaders, including all-in-one business neobank Brex, database collaboration tool Airtable, agricultural technology company Indigo AG, and workforce skills enhancement platform Guild Education among many others in automotive/transportation, fintech, consumer products/retail, technology, and HR/compliance.  

Additional highlights include:

- 2.9% % of total funding was raised by women, up from 2.3% in 2020.
- Black-founded companies more than doubled overall funding from $1BN in 2020 to $2.2BN in 2021.
- $5.8BN of total funding was raised by Asian-founded companies.
- $1.6BN of total funding was raised by Latinx-founded companies.

For press inquiries and further questions, please email pr@privco.com.

PrivCo's ranking of invesments raised by diverse leaders in 2021.


Funding Diversity '21 Cover

Fill out the form below and we’ll send you the report.

Funding Diversity 2021

Despite the pandemic and worldly events, these private companies were invested heavily in 2021 as the society attempts to return to the norm. All companies were ranked based on a number of metrics including funding, market valuation, projected revenue, and growth.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS through September, 2021 has been a phenomenal time of growth for private companies. Notable industries that out performed others include healthcare, SaaS, FinTech, E-Commerce, Enteprise Software, Cyber Security.

What you can learn from this report:

- Top industries thriving to grab that Unicorn status
- Top Next 100 Private Companies next in line to reach $1BN
- A spotlight list of up and coming ten private companies

## Introduction
Today, globally there are over 900 unicorn startups or companies with this status. While the time to achieve unicorn status seems to be shrinking significantly since the days of popular graduates like Facebook and Google, the status remains a shiny badge for startups. To identify the next potential unicorns, we looked at the data from PrivCo to pinpoint startups with valuations below $900MM and ranked them by their performance based on recent funding activity and employee growth. 

Key Takeaways from the Ranking
SaaS or ‘System as a Service’ companies ranked highest. Three out of the top ten companies in this category. 17 companies out of the 100 companies ranked are categorized as mainly SaaS companies.

Healthcare takes second place with 14 ranking companies. However, funding received in the healthcare category is the highest when looking at totals amongst the ranked 100 companies.

A majority of the top 10 companies that ranked in the list were founded in 2015, with the earliest company dating to 1999. 
The top growth categories for unicorns are video games, SaaS, and fintech. 

In this report, we focus on the top rank 100 top performing and valued private companies based on funding and growth by employees and revenue. We also take a look at the top industries and spotlight the top 10 private company leading the herd.

## Notable Takeaways

- SaaS companies ranked highest.  Three our of the top ten companies in this category. 17 companies out of the 100 companies SaaS based businesses.
- Healtcare takes second place with 14 ranking companies. However, funding recieved in the healthcare category is the highest when looking at totals amongst the ranked 100 companies.
- Majority of the top 10 companies were founded 2015 withthe earliest company dating to 1999.

### Industries Trends of 2021

#### SaaS
The pandemic forced many companies to reduce overhead spending, it has also forced a digital transformation [almost overnight](https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-covid-19-recovery-will-be-digital-a-plan-for-the-first-90-days) as organizations scrambled to adopt an online workflow. 

#### Enterprise Software
Global spending on enterprise software [recorded](https://www.statista.com/statistics/203428/total-enterprise-software-revenue-forecast/) $426BN in 2020 which highlights why SaaS startups are on the top of mind when it comes to potential new unicorns. 

#### Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity proved to be more important than ever to help enterprises combat against threats and attacks in the cyberspace

#### Video Games
Epic Games takes the leaderboard for high growth unicorns due to their high funding round in 2021 as well as high valuation. 

#### E-commerce
From supporting logistics to offering platforms to connect clients to services, e-commerce capability providers are experiencing tremendous growth

#### FinTech
Payment processing software services was a huge focus of 2020 and financial services leveraging trends in data is a norm

#### Artifical Intelligence
In the third quarter of 2021, investors poured $17.9 billion into global AI startups. The amount of money raised has risen every quarter since Q1 2020, when AI startups raised a local minimum of $6.3 billion.

#### BioTechnology
Healthcare is continually benefiting from technological advancements from mRNA to CRISPER. Investors continue to bet on the potential for startups to speedily develop advanced methods to treat, analyze, or even cure diseases. At the same time, the impact of the coronavirus has shone a light on the importance of medical advances, mental health, and more. and the need to invest in next-generation treatment.

## Company Spotlight

| Company             | Location           | Vertical                                     | Rounds of Funding                                        |
|---------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| [Squire](https://www.privco.com/company/squire "Squire Company Profile")      | New York, NY      | Black-founded, Booking                                 | 9 |
| [Dremio](https://www.privco.com/company/dremio "Dremio Company Profile")           | Santa Clara, CA       | Enterprise Software      | 6                                         |
| [Outdoorsy](https://www.privco.com/company/outdoorsy "Outdoorsy Company Profile")                | Austin, TX      | Marketplace         |   10                                        |
| [Corvus](https://www.privco.com/company/corvus-insurance "Corvus Company Profile")              | Boston, MA       | InsurTech   | 5                           |
| [Harness](https://www.privco.com/company/harness-2 "Harness Company Profile")             | San Francisco, CA     | Developer Tools    | 4                |
| [Aspiration](https://www.privco.com/company/aspiration "Aspiration Company Profile")      | Marina del Rey, CA  | Consumer Finances                                | 6            |
| [Digital Asset](https://www.privco.com/company/digital-asset "Digital Asset Company Profile")            | New York, NY | Crypto       | 6                                          |

## Appendix
This report is current as of the initial date of publication in December 13, 2021 and may be changed by PrivCo at any time. The companies profiled are focused on the U.S. market of privately-owned companies based on their performance including funding rounds, employee, and revenue growth until September 30, 2021. 

This report is intended for general guidance only. It is not intended to be a substitute for detailed research or the exercise of professional judgment. PrivCo shall not be responsible for any loss whatsoever sustained by any organization or person who relies on this publication. The data used in this report may be derived from third-party sources and PrivCo does not independently verify, validate or audit such data. The results from the use of such data are provided on an “as is” basis and PrivCo makes no representations or warranties, express or implied.

PrivCo’s dataset is constantly expanding and as data is added to the platform over time, some of the numbers in this report may shift at the time of viewing in comparison to the platform. A company may not have founders listed, or the data may not be updated on PrivCo’s company profile yet. 

For additional data inquiries, please reach out to research@privco.com.

A predictive analysis of private companies that are next in line to reaching unicorn status.

UniCover

Rise of the Unicorns!

PrivCo 50 takes a look at the fastest-growing startups in the U.S. and ranks them based on their performance in a given period. To generate this report for the second quarter of 2021, we looked at the data from PrivCo and evaluated startups by their employee and revenue growth as well as funding raised in Q2 between April 1 to June 30, 2021.

What you can learn from this report:

- Top funded companies of Q2
- Investment breakdown by industry
- A spotlight list of companies in growth industries
- Funding Activity Comparison (Q2 vs Q1)

## Introduction

In December 2020, we released our first report for the whole of 2020 looking at the top-performing companies during the pandemic. In 2021, we are boosting our research capabilities by going even deeper and looking at the activity quarterly.

- [Top 50 Most Resilient Companies of 2020](https://www.privco.com/insights/privco50-covid19-growth-companies "Top 50 Most Resilient Companies of 2020")

- [Fastest Growing Startups of Q1 2021](https://www.privco.com/insights/top-growth-private-companies-Q1-2021 "Fastest Growing Startups of Q1 2021")

## Key Findings

- Gaming takes front and center. Q2 was dominated by the $1BN funding round of Epic Games in early April as the pandemic spurred gaming user growth, but also enthusiasm for mainstream AR/VR capabilities heightened

- Aerospace growth. Aerospace startups thrived in the second quarter prompted by the first hints of space tourism as billionaire-owned aerospace companies Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.

- Fintech thrives. From consumer-focused neobanks to mortgage solutions on the blockchain, top-ranking fintech startups’ ability to break conventional ways of handling transactions had investors eagerly offering their support 

## Growth in 2021
While the first of 2021 saw a continued abundance of pandemic-spurred businesses thriving, it is notable that industries funded have shifted from immediate needs such as grocery delivery, to industries anticipated to grow post-pandemic such as SaaS enterprise solutions, cybersecurity, marketing automation, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology-focused startups.

## Quarterly Overview

__Highlights__

The billionaires’ race to space was focal of Q2, trickling into Q3 as billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezo’s aerospace companies successfully completed their space rocket flights in July. The buzzword ‘space tourism’ is expected to continue in Q3.

Upset of China-based tech startups as the Chinese government cracks down on data security issues. Following Alibaba’s crackdown, the vehicle for hire service Didi Chuxing took a big hit post its US IPO as the Chinese government cracks down on overseas listings. This has sent a wave of uncertainty for other Chinese companies looking at a US IPO.

While the war between Apple and Epic Games started in 2020, the ensuing battle has smaller startups pleading for change and relief from Apple’s iron grip on the mobile economy. [The battle was won by EPIC, with Apple winning the war.](https://www.vox.com/recode/22666897/apple-epic-trial-verdict "Vox: Epic’s win over Apple is actually an Apple victory")

__Going Public__

IPO: 177 companies IPOed in Q2 and 577 in the first half of 2021, in comparison to 480 IPOs in all of 2020. Notable IPOs in Q2 include Israel-based Monday.com who debuted on the stock market with a $6.8BN valuation and is the highest valued startup born out of the country. Others include Sweden-based Oatly at a $10BN valuation, cybersecurity firm SentinelOne with an $8.9BN valuation, and Jessica Alba-backed baby products company The Honest Company that was valued at $1.44BN on its IPO date. The most controversial IPO of this quarter goes to Didi Chuxing who hit the US stock market at a $70BN+ valuation, only to be cracked down by the Chinese government on alleged cybersecurity issues.

__Direct Listing__

Squarespace was listed on the NYSE in May, choosing a direct listing over an IPO. SPAC: Q2 was a relatively sluggish quarter for the number of SPACs due to fear of greater regulation and less-than-impressive post-deal stock performances, but still boasted an impressive roster of companies that went public. Bill Gates-backed biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks announced its merger with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp for $1.7BN (valued at $17BN). Spare change investment company Acorn announced its plans to go public via SPAC in May for a value of $2.2BN. Another fintech startup, digital banking service Dave also announced its merger intentions with VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings, set to be valued at $4BN.

### Breakdown of Recorded Company Types on PrivCo

![Q2-Growth-Industry](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/6JQXfxMWG9gZnu4iWUr5jR/0df5990ad1c51db2696e3040a2145dd0/Screen_Shot_2021-09-13_at_12.27.36_AM.jpg)Top Growth Companies of Q2,2021 - Breakdown of Growth Company by Industries on PrivCo

## Gaming

Epic Games’ giant round of funding in Q2 is a case in point of how gaming has become one of the fastest-growing industry. Top-level growth indicators include Roblox’s successful IPO in March, giant increases in demand for a Playstation 5 and Nintendo Switch consoles, and over 150+ gaming startups raising funds in the last 6 months. There are no hints of the gaming industry slowing down. MarketsandMarkets predicts the global gaming industry is set for a CAGR of 12% between 2020 and 2025.

Amongst the different types of gaming, these three forms of gaming—VR,
social gaming, and Esports—are on the top of our to-watch list. For example, VR has become more mainstream thanks to devices like Facebook’s Oculus Quest, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 32.75%. Social gaming took a huge boost from the pandemic with over 50% of gamers mentioning they have spent more time playing games during COVID-19. Lastly, even with live sports returning in 2021, esports is thriving as they diversify their ways of engaging with the audience from incorporating traditional sports leagues into their games, to changing their format to become more league-based, or even positioning themselves as lifestyle brands.

## FinTech

Fintech growth shows no sign of stopping. From a small (but mighty) three-company list in 2020, the number of companies exhibiting growth has jumped threefold this quarter. Fintech startups that continue to break traditional banking standards and rules are gaining traction. For example, startups that offer no-frills access to digital banking capabilities like neobanks Brex, Paxos, and Current may not completely dismantle the megabanks of corporate America, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t attracting many new customers, and with thier popular low to zero fees banking they are at least forcing traditional financial institutions to change their ways. On the other side of the spectrum, startups like Plaid and Zeta Services are offering their tech stack to power financial institutions’ journey to digitization or enhance their capabilities even further. Plaid, for example, was named in the 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50 list for the first time as a result of its ability to help other leading financial services like Coinbase, Robinhood, and more sync with traditional banking institutions. Plaid also made its round of headlines last year after the Department of Justice block the deal for credit card company Visa to buy the company. Financial literacy is another trend that is growing in 2021 and becoming increasingly important as families are eager to start early in teaching their children how to spend wisely. Greenlight Card, a company that guides parents to teach their children how to save using its app and debit card products, is a leader in this space. The growing movement of decentralization and blockchain ledgers has also fueled the growth of companies like Figure Technologies, which offers equity mortgage refinances, and student and personal loans on its blockchain. With the transparency of public ledgers, blockchain capabilities no longer revolve around the trendier NFTs and bitcoins, but are increasingly translating into other real-world financial solutions for an average person.

## Aerospace & Defense

While commercial aerospace had a terrible 2020 and still faces many uncertainties in 2021, this industry as a whole is driven by the potential of space exploration, militarization, as well as air mobility advancements. With the successful flights into space by both Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, it can be expected that more spotlight will be placed on space exploration and rockets development, namely with companies like Relativity Space. EVOTL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) is expected to soar to $1.5TR globally by 2040, and companies like BETA Technologies are in the race to see who can go to market first. Many of its competitors are going public via SPAC, but with recent scrutiny on this method of going public, it is still hard to tell who will be a clear leader in air mobility. Finally in the area of defense, with growing pressures from China and Russia who have been focusing on strengthening their military capabilities in space, companies like Anduril Industries are trying to stay ahead of the game by working directly with the US government and its allies.

## SaaS

Without a doubt, 2020 was a great year for SaaS companies. They were able to help solve the digital transformation problem for many enterprises, as offices shut down and employees were forced to work from home. Global spending on enterprise software recorded $426BN in 2020 as enterprises compressed their digital adoption plans from years into weeks. Even as the world has steadily opened up, enterprise solutions remain a high-growth industry each quarter as digital tools and solutions have become a standard. Top ranking DailyPay’s growth is a signal of the times as many Americans continue to struggle financially and require services like DailyPay to receive their paycheck immediately. In a recent survey conducted by LendingClub, 54% of Americans across a wide range of income and age, are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Take a deeper dive into our Top Enterprise Software Company of 2021 report [here](https://www.privco.com/insights/top-enterprise-software2021 "Top 50 Privately-Held Enterprise Software Companies") to take a further look at trends in this space.

## Funding Activity

2021 continues to be a record year for funding in terms of money raised per round, although Q2 has dropped slightly from Q1, down 23% on average funding per round. While deal counts in comparison to 2020 have dropped, funding raised in comparison to the previous year grew almost 35%. On average, companies that raised money in Q2 of 2021 are doubling their funding.

![Funding Comparison Q1-Q2](//images.contentful.com/5r58mz7ojzs1/O0Xwq6y6np8ydkScnnL4M/4aabc8ee3715fdcc4363719814a225a7/Screen_Shot_2021-09-13_at_12.55.26_AM.jpg)

### Spotlight: Top 10 Companies

| Company             | Location           | Industry                                     | Vertical                                        |
|---------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| [EPIC Games](https://www.privco.com/company/epic-games-inc "EPIC Games Company Profile")      | Cary, NC      | Software                                   | Gaming |
| [Caris Life Sciences](https://www.privco.com/company/caris-life-sciences  "Caris Life Sciences Company Profile")           | Irving, TX        | BioTechnology      | Drug Research|
| [Perch](https://www.privco.com/company/perch "Perch Company Profile")                | Boston, MA       | Technology Services         | E-Commerce, Retail    |
| [SambaNova, Systems](https://www.privco.com/company/sambanova-systems "SambaNova Systems Company Profile")      | Palo Alto, CA     | Software   | Big Data, AI, Analytics       |
| [Relativity Space](https://www.privco.com/company/relativityspace "Relativity Space Company Profile")              | Inglewood, CA | Aerospace     | 3D Printing, Manufacturing                       |
| [Kajabi](https://www.privco.com/company/kajabi "Kajabi Company Profile")             | Irvine, CA       | Software     | EdTech, E-Commerce, E-Learning
| [Noom](https://www.privco.com/company/noom "Noom Company Profile")      | New York, NY  | Software                                | Health Care, Wellness, Minority-led       |
| [DailyPay](https://www.privco.com/company/dailypay "DailyPay Company Profile")           | New York, NY  | Software      | FinTech, Payroll, B2B                      |
| [Anduril Industries](https://www.privco.com/company/anduril-industries "Anduril Industries Company Profile")           | Irvine, CA | Software       | Aerospace & Defense, Augmented Reality, Security, Military             |
| [Plaid](https://www.privco.com/company/plaid-inc "Plaid Company Profile")        | San Francisco, CA     | Software & Internet Services       | FinTech, API, Banking                     |

## Endnotes and Methodology

This report is current as of the initial date of publication in Aug 2021 and may be changed by PrivCo at any time. The companies profiled are focused on the U.S. market of privately-owned companies based on their performance including funding rounds, employee, and revenue growth until June 30, 2021.

This report is intended for general guidance only. It is not intended to be a substitute for detailed research or the exercise of professional judgment. PrivCo shall not be responsible for any loss whatsoever sustained by any organization or person who relies on this publication. The data used in this report may be derived from third-party sources and PrivCo does not independently verify, validate or audit such data. The results from the use of such data are provided on an “as is” basis and PrivCo makes no representations or warranties, express or implied.

PrivCo’s dataset is constantly expanding and as data is added to the platform over time, some of the numbers in this report may shift at the time of viewing in comparison to the platform. A company may not have founders listed, or the data may not be updated on PrivCo’s company profile yet.

For additional data inquiries, contact the Investment Data Research team at research@privco.com.


An in-depth report that evaluates the revenue and investment raised by private companies in Q2, 2021 in comparison to the previous quarter. 

Q2_Cover

Updated dataset is available for purchase

PrivCo 50 Q2, 2021

Despite broad based cuts in spending, companies invested heavily in digital transformation while adapting to shifts in the workplace as a result of the pandemic. All companies were ranked based on a number of metrics including funding, market valuation, projected revenue, and growth.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS 2020 through June, 2021 has been a phenomenal time of growth for enterprise startups. Notable deals include acquisitions of Wrike, Aspect Software, and Blue Yonder, and IPO’s by Squarespace, UiPath, Sprinklr, and QOMPLX.

## Introduction
2020 was a phenomenal year of growth for enterprise software startups. Despite spending by many companies seemingly reduced, especially in terms of headcount, organizations poured money into their digital transformation as they scrambled to adapt to an online workflow, and drive growth digitally midst the pandemic. Global spending on enterprise software recorded $426BN in 2020, and we expect 2021 figures to only increase as companies continue to find ways to enable a distributed workforce while delivering better customer experiences, maintain or enhance cybersecurity protocols, and more. McKinsey reports that the predicted five year business digital adoption was compressed into a period of eight weeks as the result of the pandemic. 

In this report, we focus on key trends and rank 50 top-performing enterprise software companies based on funding and growth by employees and revenue. We also take a look at eight enterprise software trends and spotlight leading startups of these trends.

The data in this report was extracted and features data until June 2021.

## Notable Deals

- Wrike was acquired by Citrix Systems for $2.25BN
- Aspect Software was acquired by Noble Systems for $1BN
- Blue Yonder was acquired by Panasonic for $7.1BN

## Notable Exits 
- UiPath, notable for its robotic process automation, IPO’ed in April and was notably one of the biggest IPOs of enterprise software companies, after Snowflake and Qualtrics, bringing in $1.3BN on its debut day. 
- Squarespace, famous for its low-code website building platform,  went public via direct listing at a $6.5BN valuation
- Customer management platform Sprinklr went public in mid June after downsizing its IPO and raised $266MM. 
- QOMPLX, a cloud-native risk analytics company, went public via SPAC in March.

### Enterprise Software Trends of 2021

#### Data Management
Startups offering processing and management capabilities from utilizing AI and automation to bridging the gaps between varying databases will be a continuing trend

#### Infrastructure
Startups that add value to cloud storage infrastructure capabilities continue to help this category grow

#### Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity proved to be more important than ever to help enterprises combat against threats and attacks in the cyberspace

#### Development
From low to no-code development, software companies are revolutionizing the ability for enterprises to iterate and go-to-market

#### E-commerce
From supporting logistics to offering platforms to connect clients to services, e-commerce capability providers are experiencing tremendous growth

#### Financial
Payment processing software services was a huge focus of 2020 and financial services leveraging trends in data is a norm

#### Workplace Productivity
A COVID-19 phenomenon that has pushed enterprises to spend big money to improve workplace productivity and event execution

#### Sales Enablement
As companies were forced to transact mostly online during the pandemic, sales enablement software have become a top of mind purchase for companies

## Company Spotlight

| Company             | Location           | Vertical                                     | Rounds of Funding                                        |
|---------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| [Bevy](https://www.privco.com/company/bevy "Bevy Company Profile")      | Palo Alto, CA      | Workplace Productivity                                   | 3 |
| [Highspot](https://www.privco.com/company/highspot "Highspot Company Profile")           | Seattle, WA       | Sales Enablement      | 7                                         |
| [Divvy](https://www.privco.com/company/divvy "Divvy Company Profile")                | Lehi, UT       | Financial         |   6                                        |
| [Squire Technologies](https://www.privco.com/company/squire "Squire Company Profile")              | New York, NY       | E-Commerce   | 9                           |
| [OutSystems](https://www.privco.com/company/outsystems "OutSystems Company Profile")             | San Ramon, CA     | Low-Code Development    | 6                |
| [Tanium](https://www.privco.com/company/tanium "Tanium Company Profile")      | Kirkland, WA  | Cybersecurity                                | 12            |
| [Cockroach Labs](https://www.privco.com/company/cockroach-labs "Cockroach Labs Company Profile")            | New York, NY | Infrastructure       | 6                                          |

## Appendix
This report is current as of the initial date of publication in July 2021 and may be changed by PrivCo at any time. The companies profiled are focused on the U.S. market of privately-owned companies based on their performance including funding rounds, and employee and revenue growth until June 2021. 

This report is intended for general guidance only. It is not intended to be a substitute for detailed research or the exercise of professional judgment. PrivCo shall not be responsible for any loss whatsoever sustained by any organization or person who relies on this publication. The data used in this report may be derived from third-party sources and PrivCo does not independently verify, validate or audit such data. The results from the use of such data are provided on an “as is” basis and PrivCo makes no representations or warranties, express or implied.

PrivCo’s dataset is constantly expanding and as data is added to the platform over time, some of the numbers in this report may shift at the time of viewing in comparison to the platform. A company may not have founders listed, or the data may not be updated on PrivCo’s company profile yet. 

For additional data inquiries, please reach out to research@privco.com.

Measuring the business performance of privately-held enterprise software companies (as of June, 2021).

Ent-Cover-2

Updated dataset is available for purchase.

Top 50 Privately-Held Enterprise Software Companies

Grocery delivery service continues the trend from the previous PrivCo 50 as the fastest-growing industry since the pandemic. The PrivCo 50 ranking takes into consideration all privately-owned companies based on their performance in a number of areas across the business including funding, market valuation, projected revenue, and growth.

Our Industry Leading Research team composed the following datapoints:
- Ranking of Q1,21 Top 50 private companies
- Analysis of key growth industries
- Ranking of the top investment rounds
- Details including valuation & funding on top 10 growth companies
- Overall Q1'21 funding activities 


Measuring business performance of private companies between January 1 to March 31, 2021.

Q1,2021 PrivCo 50 Cover

GoPuff Headlines the Q1'21 PrivCo 50 Top Growth List!

What you can learn from this report:
- Highlights of 2020 in healthcare including notable VC activity, deals, and exits
- Company profiles of top 50 performing healthcare startups including value and funding
- Summary of eleven areas of focus in healthcare of these top performing startups
- Top active VCs in healthcare

PrivCo reviews 50 top-performing healthcare startups and the eleven areas in healthcare they are pioneering growth.


Healthcare Report Cover

Investments Trends To Watch in Healthcare

Minority-led companies were the most hurt by the pandemic in 2020, seeing 26% less money raised compared to 2019. However, the average capital raised per company was the highest amongst all the groups researched, signaling that investors who did invest were more open to larger sum investments in each company.

What you can learn from this report:

- Funding comparison of diverse private companies between 2019 and 2020
- Funding concentration by state and city
- Verticals where funding was most concentrated
- A spotlight list of underrepresented companies

## Introduction

Historically, women-founded or women-led organizations, as well as organizations led by minority groups receive less funding than companies founded or run by white men. Although society is continually shifting and awareness of the gaping differences and challenges for business-owners of underrepresented groups is rising, we take a closer look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline for almost all minority groups despite the Black Lives Matter movement and subsequent pledges by many enterprises to support more diversity. Through this report and also the continuous improvements of its private market intelligence platform, PrivCo aims to spotlight underrepresented companies in the private market. 

In this report, we compare funding and concentration of the funding by location and verticals, as well as spotlight companies to watch, grouping the companies tagged on PrivCo under minority-led, women-led, and women-founded. Women-led refers to companies with people publicly identifying as a female and part of the C-suite of the organization. Women-founded refers to companies with people who identify as female and are founders of the organization. Lastly, minority refers to people who are identified as non-white.

## Key Findings

- Minority-led companies were the most hurt by the pandemic in 2020, dropping 26% in the money raised compared to 2019, from $2.3BN to $1.8BN. The number of companies that raised funds also halved. 
- However, the average capital raised per company was the highest amongst all the groups researched, signaling that investors who did invest were more open to larger sum investments. 
- While women-led and women-founded companies fared better in terms of capital raised, there was still a decline from $24.9BN in 2019 to $22.3BN in 2020. Female entrepreneurs managed to woo investors better than the companies that were women-led. 
- In comparison, total funding raised grew from 2019 to 2020 from $130.2BN to $144.6BN. However, while the companies that raised funds dropped by 11.6%, the average funding size per company grew. 
- Underrepresented groups that have raised funding tended to be headquartered in California or New York. While women-led or women-founded companies also were popular in Massachusetts, the closest third concentrated state of companies that raised funding that was minority-led was in Texas while Washington was also a thriving location for female leaders. 
- Women leaders who raised funding operated in businesses in healthcare including biotech and R&D, as well as technology such as big data and SaaS. 
- Meanwhile, minority-led companies lean towards E-commerce, finance, and education, as well as healthcare.

## Diversity in 2020

2020 was a monumental year for recognizing diversity and inclusion. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others lit a spark for many to bring once uncomfortable conversations of racial injustice to the dinner table, offices, and board meetings. This in turn has had a huge impact on how companies and governments react to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Like the #MeToo movement in 2017, society as a whole are more eager to embrace and put diversity first when thinking about hiring and investing. While some companies may have rushed to implement some form of inclusion efforts into their company, in 2021, companies that don’t implement any inclusion efforts will be facing many challenges especially in acquiring talent and business.

### Breakdown of Recorded Company Types on PrivCo

![Funding Diversity - Breakdown of Recorded Company Types on PrivCo](//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/1akp4NeDKl0wSZ8iCbd8Sh/adffe6672e4dfc279d39d267f543b31a/image_9.png)

*Note: There is a slight % overlap of companies matching multiple tags, for example, women-found and women-led.*

## Minority Diversity

Minority-led companies were amongst the group most impacted by the pandemic. Although 2019 funding only represented 2.3% of the total funding raised in the same year by all companies, this dropped to 1.2% in 2020, or just $1.8BN. To put it into perspective, the total funding raised by minority-led companies is equal to Quibi alone, the failed content startup that shuttered in the same period and lost $1.75BN of capital raised. 

### Some Positive Notes

Not surprisingly, the number of companies who raised capital in 2020 also decreased by 80% but those who did, on average, raised $10MM more. This is $2.9MM more than the overall funding average per company, showing that while less companies raised funds, those that did gained the confidence of their investors.

### Breaking Down the Data

- **-26%** — Decrease in minority-led capital raised in 2020 compared to the previous year
- **1.2%** — Percentage of funding raised by minority-led companies vs. all companies 2020
- **-80%** — Decrease in companies that raised capital compared to the previous year
- **1.4%** — Percentage minority-led companies that raised funding vs. all companies in 2020
- **+2.9MM** — Difference in raised capital per minority-led company in comparison to general funding between 2019 and 2020.

### Concentration of Funding

![Funding Diversity - Map of Funding Concentration](//images.contentful.com/5r58mz7ojzs1/6WLhrnNLaC8lz16fMkIV3c/ce2d512cc2837fa9403cc43c7da402f7/image_10.png)

Minority-led companies raised money were concentrated in the following verticals:

- Commerce
- Haircare 
- Finance
- Education 
- Marketplace
- Healthcare
- Enterprise software

## Female Leaders

In the public world, all S&P 500 companies now have at least one woman on the board, and according to executive search firm Spencer Stuart of the 432 new independent directors added to S&P 500 boards, 59% were women and minority men. California took a step further to increase female leadership by enforcing a bill that requires public companies headquartered in California to name at least one female director by the end of 2019. Still, women leaders are rare. Of the 560+ IPOed companies in the past 12 months, only three were women-founded and only 8 had a female CEO.

In addition, according to [a study by Mercer](https://www.mercer.com/content/dam/mercer/attachments/private/gl-2020-wwt-global-research-report-2020.pdf "Mercer - Global Research Report - 2020"), women minorities continue to be underrepresented: 81% of women in executive roles are white compared to 6% who are Black, 3% who are Hispanic, and 8% who are Asian or Pacific Islander.

### What About the Private World?

In the private world, women leadership fared better than the minority group, although still disproportionately less than white-led companies, with only 13.4% of raised funding falling to female leadership. Grouped altogether, companies with female leadership drew in 11.9% less funding than the previous year and the number of companies that raised funds dropped by 44.9%. However, companies that did raise funds, on average raised $7MM more than companies in 2019.

### Founders vs. Leaders

When you break down and compare women-led companies versus women-founded companies, women-founded companies actually grew their funding raised in comparison to the previous year by 3.5% (although still 6.5% down from total funding growth of 10.0%). Racking in $8.9BN, female founders hustled their way to $8.8MM more funding on average per company, which is actually $1.5MM more than general funding. On the contrast, women-led companies averaged $5.7MM more capital per company in 2020, almost half of what women-founded companies managed to raise on average.

### Breaking Down the Data

- **-22.1%** — Decrease in women-led companies’ capital raised in 2020 compared to the previous year
- **3.5%** — Increase in women-founded companies’ capital raised in 2020 compared to the previous year
- **50%** — Women-led companies only raised half of what women-founded companies raised per company average

Women-led companies raised money were concentrated in the following verticals:

- Healthcare 
- Research & Development 
- Enterprise software/SaaS
- Biotechnology
- Manufacturing
- Artificial intelligence
- Big Data
- Analytics

Women-founded companies raised money were concentrated in the following verticals:

- Technology
- Healthcare
- Software 
- Biotechnology 
- E-commerce
- Apparel

### Concentration of Funding

![Funding Diversity - Women Led - Map of funding concentration women-led](//images.contentful.com/5r58mz7ojzs1/6r80dv4njWB2vUHZQwCJSf/6c238800d93b2df35ba45ac387939b80/image_8.png)

## Company Spotlight

| Company             | Location           | Vertical                                     | Classification                                        |
|---------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| [Beauty Bakerie](https://www.privco.com/company/beauty-bakerie-cosmetics-brand "Beauty Bakerie Company Profile")      | San Diego, CA      | E-commerce                                   | Black-founded, Women-founded, Women-led, Minority-led |
| [One Trust](https://www.privco.com/company/onetrust "One Trust Company Profile")           | Atlanta, GA        | Compliance Software & Internet Services      | Minority-led                                          |
| [Noom](https://www.privco.com/company/noom "Noom Company Profile")                | New York, NY       | Fitness Software & Internet Services         | Minority-led                                          |
| [Squire](https://www.privco.com/company/squire "Squire Company Profile")              | New York, NY       | Personal Care Software & Internet Services   | Black-founded, Minority-led                           |
| [Cadre](https://system.privco.com/company/cadre-realestate "Cadre Company Profile")               | New York, NY       | Real Estate Software & Internet Services     | Black-founded, Minority-led                           |
| [Compass](https://www.privco.com/company/compass "Compass Company Profile")             | New York, NY       | Real Estate Software & Internet Services     | Black-founded, Minority-led, Women-led                |
| [Verge Genomics](https://www.privco.com/company/verge-genomics_private_stock_annual_report_financials "Verge Genomics Company Profile")      | San Francisco, CA  | Biotechnology                                | Asian-founded, Women-founded, Minority-led            |
| [BetterUp](https://www.privco.com/company/betterup_private_stock_annual_report_financials "BetterUp Company Profile")            | San Francisco, CA  | Education Software & Internet Services       | Minority-led                                          |
| [Amplitude](https://system.privco.com/company/amplitude "Amplitude Company Profile")           | San Francisco, CA  | Analytics Software & Internet Services       | Minority-led                                          |
| [Fiscal Note](https://www.privco.com/company/fiscalnote-inc "Fiscal Note Company Profile")         | Washington, DC     | Analytics Software & Internet Services       | Asian-founded, Minority-led                           |
| [Summersalt](https://www.privco.com/company/summersalt_private_stock_annual_report_financials "Summersalt Company Profile")          | Sanint Louis, MO   | Apparel, Footwear & Accessories              | Women-founded, Women-led                              |
| [Laurel & Wolf](https://www.privco.com/company/laurel-and-wolf-inc "Laurel & Wolf Company Profile")       | West Hollywood, CA | Interior Design Software & Internet Services | Women-founded, Women-led                              |
| [Run the World](https://www.privco.com/company/run-the-world "Run the World Company Profile")       | Mountain View, CA  | Conference Software & Internet Services      | Asian-founded, Women-founded, Women-led               |
| [Brightway Insurance](https://www.privco.com/company/brightway-insurance "Brightway Insurance Company Profile") | Jacksonville, FL   | Insurance Services                           | LGBTQ, Minority-led                                   |
| [Leprino Foods](https://www.privco.com/company/leprino-foods-co "Leprino Foods Company Profile")       | Denver, CO         | Food & Beverage Producers                    | LGBTQ-led                                             |
| [Land O Lakes](https://www.privco.com/company/land-olakes-inc "Land O Lakes Company Profile")        | Saint Paul, MN     | Agricultural Products                        | LGBTQ-led, Women-led                                  |
| [Arcus](https://www.privco.com/company/arcus-fi "Arcus Company Profile")               | New York, NY       | Fintech                                      | Minority-led, Latinx                                  |
| [Brex](https://system.privco.com/company/brex "Brex Company Profile")                | San Francisco, CA  | Consumer Finance                             | Minority-led, Latinx                                  |

## Endnotes and Methodology

The data contained in this report comes directly from PrivCo and is based on data and calculations from the PrivCo database at the time of writing in February 2021. The data is focused on the U.S. market of privately-owned companies based on their performance including funding in the 2019 and 2020 calendar year.

Women-led refers to companies with people publicly identifying as a female and part of the C-suite of the organization. Women-founded refers to companies with people who identify as female and are founders of the organization. Minority refers to people who are identified as non-white.

PrivCo’s dataset is constantly expanding and as data is added to the platform over time, some of the numbers in this report may shift at the time of viewing in comparison to the platform. A company may not have founders listed, or the data may not be updated on PrivCo’s company profile yet.

If you notice missing data or want to request updates, please reach out to research@privco.com.

An in-depth report that evaluates the capital raised by minority-led companies as well as female-founded and female-led organizations in 2020 in comparison to the previous year. 

Funding Diversity '20 Cover

Funding Diversity 2020

In this Top Industry Trends Report, PrivCo looks at which industries are trending in the second half of 2020. We examine the top eight industries in our in-depth report - Enterprise Software, Consumer Services, HealthCare, SaaS, e-Commerce, Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, and Mobile.

In-depth coverage of the top ranking companies that performed well in sales and funding in their respected industries.

It covers everything you need to know about the companies that shaped their respective industry leading into 2021.


Top Industry Trends_2021

Top Industry Trends in 2021

We have recently published [PrivCo50](https://www.privco.com/insights/privco50-covid19-growth-companies "PrivCo50"), where Stripe became the most resilient FinTech company of 2020!  We take a deeper look into the rise of Stripe from it's inception to present day.

Stripe-Company-Report-Logo

Company Spotlight: Stripe

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) states that in the U.S. alone, $95.7BN was spent on pet care in 2019.

Pets (or at least the dogs) are having  the time of their lives with unlimited human interaction in 2020. As pet parents are forced to work from home with the outbreak of COVID-19, the uptick in registered pet parents have risen dramatically. Shelters and rescues have seen ground-breaking spikes in adoptions and foster applications as at-home workers seek comfort with furry best friends midst quarantine restrictions. But while these furry friends have seen a lot more attention during this time, the pet business has, in fact, been booming long before COVID-19. 

Inside look at the rise of pet ownership, care and service industry.

PetCare

Exploring Digital Pet Care Growth

We have recently published [PrivCo50](https://www.privco.com/insights/privco50-covid19-growth-companies "PrivCo50"), where Instcart placed #1 on the Top 50 most resilient companies of 2020 list.  We are continuing our indepth looking into Instacart financial growth in 2020.

Instacart's rocket growth during the pandemic of 2020.

Delivery-Company-logo

Company Spotlight: Instacart

__INSTACART TAKES #1 SPOT IN PRIVCO’S TOP 50 RANKING__

PrivCo, a leader in private market intelligence, selected its PrivCo 50 ranking, a report that measures the business performance of private companies between March to October 2020, the months heavily impacted by COVID-19. The report found that grocery delivery service __Instacart__ was the fastest-growing business during the pandemic. The PrivCo 50 ranking takes into consideration all privately-owned companies based on their performance in a number of areas across the business, including funding, market valuation, projected revenue, and growth.

Ranking top-performing businesses between March-October 2020.

PrivCo 50 Logo

Top 50 Most Resilient Companies of 2020

Our industry report gives a data-driven look at private health & fitness growth companies and their revenues, top deals & investments, active investors, and deal activity in Q2/Q3 2020.

An inside view into the rise of digital on-demand fitness companies since the start of the pandemic.

3644843

Future of Fitness

In a world where remote learning has boomed during the pandemic, we round up a list of the growing K1-12 EdTech companies.  This report features data-driven insights from our finanical market intelligence platform. 

We take a look at top remote learning investment trends in key financial verticals, funding activities, top deals, and more.

Online_Learning_Cover

The Progressive Shift to Online Learning

<a href="http://privco.com/company/j-crew-group-inc" rel="noopener">J. Crew</a>, once a venerated purveyor of all things American prep, filed for bankruptcy this week. The coronavirus shut-in certainly put a big strain on its retail viability. However, the company’s problems started long before Covid-19. According to <a href="http://www.privco.com" rel="noopener">PrivCo</a>, a private company financial data startup, J. Crew has not seen a positive net income margin in five years.
It goes without saying that the fashion retail space has been extremely challenged for some time. In the sad wake of Henri Bendel, <a href="http://www.privco.com/company/barneys-new-york" rel="noopener">Barneys</a>, <a href="http://www.privco.com/company/lord-and-taylor-llc" rel="noopener">Lord and Taylor</a> and most recently <a href="http://www.privco.com/company/the-neiman-marcus-group-inc" rel="noopener">Neiman Marcus</a>, there is no shortage of sensational headlines proclaiming that retail is dead. At the same time, the industry has also seen exploding growth, with companies like Fashion Nova enjoying a 600% YoY growth rate, as a result of their loyal celebrity following and teen-friendly Instagram marketing.
When you contrast the fates of a legacy brand like J. Crew with a (no pun) Fashion Nova, a few lessons can be drawn. Part of J. Crew’s fall is the result of a cultural and design shift, while the second part touches on a vast business miscalculation. Below are some of the factors that contributed to J. Crew’s demise.
1. Influence matters
Some of the most successful and largely Internet-based brands have heavily relied on influencers.
Michelle Obama, circa 2008, may have been the peak J. Crew influence, back before the word itself even entered the public lexicon. After her now famed wearing of a J. Crew frock to a very public event, her popularity and all-American style energized and publicized the lilting brand. In a 2010 study, New York University professor David Yermack found that J. Crew’s stock increased 25% after Obama wore J.Crew on “The Tonight Show” in October 2008. Since the Obamas left office things have only gotten worse for J. Crew as Millennials have sought out craft-beer and bespoke experiences and rejected anything perceived as too commercial, including J.Crew’s branding.
2. Taste goes Urban
The early 2010s was clearly J. Crew’s heyday. The clean-cut, prep school look is equal parts good American virtue and aspirational fashion. Coming out of the financial crisis, nostalgia and austerity pushed people towards the lower price point of the wholesome lifestyle brand.
Indeed, 2010, the year before J. Crew was taken private by two private equity firms, saw the highest net and gross margins at 7.8% and 44.1% respectively.
However, there was a cultural shift brewing. As urban centers and Brooklyn hipsters gained more and more cultural influence, tastes in fashion shifted. The pastel, nautical and equestrian themes inspired by gardens, sails, and sables started to lose their allure. Hip hop style rooted in deep urbanism began to chip away at the collegiate inspired stylings of J. Crew.
The company made a yankee effort to modernize its brand, along with the likes of <a href="http://www.privco.com/company/kate-spade-llc" rel="noopener">Kate Spade</a> and the style evolution success story that is <a href="http://www.privco.com/company/tory-burch-llc" rel="noopener">Tory Burch</a>. For J. Crew, the overhaul may just have come too late.
3. Pricing
In 2013, at a J. Crew pinnacle, fashion director Jenna Lyons raised pricing across the product line. Leveraging Lyons’ style and visibility, J. Crew brought the brands to the runway, elevating both design and pricing.
Many loyal customers were outraged over $400 cashmere tops, sequin skirts, and velvet pumps. Instead of aspirational, J.Crew landed firmly out of reach and also out-of-touch, as brands emphasizing diversity and inclusivity took center stage, pushing J. Crew further, and irretrievably into the red.

There are many problems that ultimately culminated in J. Crew’s fall. Some missteps, but many are symptoms of a changing tide.

jcrew

Contact Us For Information on our Industry List of Private Companies

Troubled seas hit an iconic American brand

The pace of private companies seeking to go public has slowed nearly to a halt. In April, private companies filed only two S-1s. Despite the decrease in these filings, the number of startups in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry has held steady, representing nearly 50% of all S-1s filed since March 12, when COVID-19 was declared a national pandemic.

Although that the absolute number of pharma and biotech companies remained stable (single-digit filings pre month), the steady stream of companies going public is a sign of resilience in the industry. The makeup of these types of pharma and biotech companies are turning stable as cancer research accounts for a majority of all companies.
<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/7LtNcMToPZM3xS4NCeRg7Q/4f7317eb7e82566e25a80715c8ee5c14/S-1_Filing_Counts.png" alt="S-1 Filing Counts">
At PrivCo, we see two reasons that Pharma and Biotech companies are opting to go public. First, the sector has achieved oversized returns in the public markets since Covid-19. The large-cap S&amp;P biotech sector ETF gained 21%, the best monthly gain since its inception in 2006. The S&amp;P 500 health care index saw its best monthly gain in twenty years, on hopes for significant progress in the fight against Covid-19. Companies are capitalizing on the overall heightened industry multiples to boost their fundraising.
<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/5r58mz7ojzs1/3I32nXg2NFyddnxjkPb5Vo/1aa6a6d6a0f8526f148a319210ab640c/Percentage_of_biotech_pharma_filing_for_S-1.png" alt="Percentage of biotech:pharma filing for S-1">
Second, the Covid-19 pandemic has reduced the political risk of drug price regulation from Washington, boosting pharma companies’ forward-looking cashflows. The Pharma &amp; Biotech industry has a long R&amp;D timeline and a skewed risk-reward profile. Therefore, the prospect of greater profits poses a significant risk reduction for the industry.
<a href="https://privco.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=afbef99f8b259924f025fd161&amp;id=35b26ae2db" rel="noopener">Sign up</a> for <a href="http://www.privco.com/" rel="noopener">PrivCo</a>’s daily newsletter to get updates on the startup world, funding rounds, acquisition deals, organizational news, and perspective on the economy.

Similar to the funding and M&A market, the pace for private companies to seek a public exit has slowed to a halt.

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146M+

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1,000+

verticals across multiple industries

90,000+

users on the PrivCo platform

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