Affirm and Roblox, which delayed their listings in 2020, are almost certain to go public, and they will be joined by some of the biggest tech companies, such as the crypto exchange Coinbase.
Here are the IPOs you need to know for 2021.
Roblox
The gaming platform postponed its IPO from December 2020 to 2021 after deciding to reassess its pricing strategies following huge pops from Airbnb and DoorDash IPOs. Sources told Reuters that Roblox considers Airbnb and DoorDash IPOs to be undervalued and hopes to secure a higher IPO price in the new year.
What it does: The free-to-play gaming platform is a huge success with more than 31 million average daily active users during the pandemic, up from 17 million the previous year. He earns money from the sale of “Robux” and a premium subscription service.
Finances: Because he turned his S-1 upside down, we already have a glimpse of the inside. The company has seen strong winds favorable to COVID-19, with revenue in the first three quarters of 2020 reaching $ 209 million, up from $ 72 million in the same period in 2019. The company was last valued. times by private investors to $ 4 billion in early 2020.
Names You Need to Know: A company run by founder, CEO and co-founder David Baszucki officially launched Roblox in 2006 after working there for a few years. Sadly, co-founder Erik Cassel died of cancer in February 2013. Roblox CFO Mike Guthrie is a later addition, joining Roblox in 2018 after going public with TrueCar. The big winning investor will be Altos Ventures, which owns more than 21% of the company.
What to look for: After pausing the IPO process, we’ll see if Roblox decides to add different pricing controls or take an entirely different route to a public listing. The game is unlikely to become less popular during the holidays, but in the longer term, the big question is whether Roblox can maintain its revenue and engagement levels in a post-COVID world.
