Takeaways from this year’s IPO winners and losers

Plus, are VCs warming up to defense tech? August 30, 2023 Hi, {NAME}. With all the [excitement about the IPO markets potentially opening up]( it’s worth looking at [what’s happened with the few startups that have ventured onto the public markets already this year](. While the record is very mixed, there are still some lessons for new IPO hopefuls to draw from their predecessors’ performances. 😑 [2023’s startup IPOs have a very mixed track record]( This year’s IPO class contains some very big winners (like restaurant chain [Cava]( — and some very big losers (despite its name, mortgage platform [Better]( is … not doing great). What to make of this mixed bag if you’re a startup eyeing a 2023 or 2024 IPO? Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Startup IPOs of 2023]( 🪖 [Are VCs warming up to defense tech?]( Tech investors have long been squeamish about backing military and defense startups. But with the war in Ukraine raging and tensions between the U.S. and China simmering, that may start to change, some people in the industry say, especially with the definition of defense tech broadening out from tanks and missiles to areas like space, cybersecurity and AI. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Defense Tech Funding]( 💰 [Apollo.io lands $100M at unicorn valuation]( [Bain Capital Ventures]( led a $100 million funding round for sales platform [Apollo.io]( at a $1.6 billion valuation — nearly double its previous valuation. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [Largest Rounds To Sales Tech Startups In The US In 2023]( ⏳ [A fundraising cliff may be on the horizon]( How long ’til it’s too late? That’s the question facing many early-stage startups that last raised funding during the 2021 boom times and now face a drought. A [Crunchbase]( data analysis suggests that the window for many Series A startups looking for their Series B is getting smaller. 🤖 [AI’s share of U.S. startup funding doubles]( While most startup sectors are seeing less investment, it seems companies in those industries that have compelling AI pitches are doing better at securing funding. In fact, more than 1 in 4 dollars invested in an American startup this year has gone to an artificial intelligence-related company. Related Crunchbase Pro list: [US Funding To AI-Related Startups]( 💸 [6 startup fundraising tips from an investor]( When it comes to fundraising, some of the things investors take for granted aren’t obvious to founders, writes [Brad Pruente]( of [Prime Movers Lab](. He shares six key pieces of advice for startup entrepreneurs pitching potential investors. [Crunchbase ROI Calculator]( [See the number of new accounts Crunchbase can add to your funnel with our advanced prospecting ROI calculator powered by Crunchbase data.]( [Calculate]( Recent Investments [Xpeng Motors]( [5.8B HKD]( / [Post-IPO Equity]( Xiaopeng Motors is an electric vehicle and technology company that designs and manufactures intelligent mobility solutions. Categories: Automotive • Autonomous Vehicles • Electric Vehicle • Manufacturing Founders: [Heng Xia]( [Xiaopeng He]( Investors: [Didi]( (Lead) [Mediafly]( [$80M]( / [Venture Round]( Mediafly offers a sales enablement and content management platform designed to enhance and streamline the sales process. Categories: CMS • Enterprise Software • Presentation Software • Sales Automation Founders: [Carson Conant]( Investors: [BIP Ventures]( (Lead), [Boathouse Capital]( [Intuition Robotics]( [$20M]( / [Venture Round]( Intuition Robotics provides care companion technologies for older adults. Categories: Artificial Intelligence • Human Computer Interaction • Robotics • Social • Software Founders: [Dor Skuler]( [Itai Mendelsohn]( [Roy Amir]( Investors: [Woven Capital]( (Lead), [iRobot]( [OurCrowd]( [+ 4 more]( More Fundings Company Amount / Round Lead Investor [Allseated]( $20M / [Venture Round]( - [ConverSight]( $9.0M / [Series A]( [Surface Ventures]( [FireFly Automatix]( $634K / [Venture Round]( - [LEXEO Therapeutics]( Unknown / [Corporate Round]( [Sarepta Therapeutics]( [Certara]( Unknown / [Grant]( [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]( [All Recent Funding Activity]( Recent Acquisitions [Circle Health Group]( Pending acquisition by [Pure Health]( for $1.2B More Acquisitions Company Acquired By Amount [NATURIUM]( [E.L.F. Beauty]( $355M [All Recent Acquisition Activity]( Upcoming Tech Events [Revolution.Aero San Francisco 2023]( September 6 - 7, 2023 in San Francisco An unparalleled platform that brings together the brightest minds and boldest ideas shaping the future of aviation. Don’t see your event? Reach out to us at events@crunchbase.com. #{Rails.configuration.daily.cb_url} Discover innovative companies and the people behind them. [Follow Us on Crunchbase]( [View Jobs on LinkedIn]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Like Us on Facebook]( 564 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94104 © 2023 Crunchbase Inc. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Unsubscribe]( from Crunchbase Daily.