9 technology companies that will make their employees millionaires on the way to IPO

The next wave of technology IPOs is expected to create a new generation of employee millionaires, echoing the wealth creation seen in Silicon Valley’s past booms. With SpaceX preparing for what could be the largest listing in history targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation on Nasdaq attention is turning to other high-growth firms where equity-rich staff stand to cash in big. From AI pioneers like OpenAI and Anthropic to fintech disruptors such as Stripe and Plaid, these companies are not only reshaping industries but also setting the stage for life-changing payouts to employees as they march toward public markets.

SpaceX: Market valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is gearing up for one of the largest IPO in history as the company is targeting the valuation of $1.75 trillion. With the integration of SpaceX and Musk’s aggressive equity culture, insiders including hundreds of engineers and physicists are said to become millionaires when the shares of the company will debut on Nasdaq. As reported by Business Insider, SpaceX is aiming to raise around $75 billion in its IPO offering which is said to turn 3,000 local employees into millionaires.

OpenAI: Post-money market valuation of $852 billion

OpenAI has already seen employees cash out billions in secondary share sales. Ahead of its IPO, more than 600 staff became millionaires, with average payouts of $11 million. The listing is expected to further boost employee fortunes. More than 600 current and former OpenAI employees sold about $6.6 billion in shares in October 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Some 75 employees each sold the maximum allowed $30 million, according to the reports. The sale marked the first opportunity for many employees who joined after ChatGPT's launch to cash out, as OpenAI required workers to wait 2 years before selling their shares.

Anthropic: Pre-IPO valuation surged to $900 billion

Anthropic, backed by Google and Amazon, is expected to reward employees handsomely as it prepares for a public offering. With valuations soaring past $30 billion, its equity packages could turn early hires into multimillionaires. Anthropic's annualised run-rate revenue jumped from $19 billion in March to $30 billion in April, and is on track to cross $45 billion soon. That is a fivefold leap from the $9 billion it closed 2025 at CEO Dario Amodei told a developer conference earlier this month that the company had planned for 10x growth this year and instead got 80x—fast enough that its own infrastructure has struggled to keep up.

Canva: Market valuation of $42 billion

Australia’s Canva is valued at over $42 billion and gearing up for a U.S. IPO. Employees holding stock options are likely to see life-changing payouts, mirroring the wealth creation seen at Atlassian. A recent report by Fortune revealed that recently Canva launched an employee share sale which values the business at $42 billion minting a new wave of millionaires among its staff overnight.

Stripe: Market valuation of $159 billion

Stripe which has the market valuation of $159 billion has delayed its IPO multiple times in the past. The thousands of employees of the company are said to benefit from of the most anticipated market listings. In an interview titled CNBC, Stripe co-founder and president John Collison said that the company will offer good liquidity to both its employees and exiting shareholders.

Databricks: Private market valuation of $134 billion

Valued at $134 billion, Databricks is rumoured to go public soon. The company which focuses on AI-driven data analytics is expected to turn its employees with stock options into millionaires. The company also raised $15.3 billion in a funding round in late 2024 which is said to one of the largest private funding rounds. It also used some amount of the capital facilitate employee share sales alongside the primary fundraise.

Chime: Market valuation of around $10 billion

The US-based neobank, Chime has been one of the much-awaited fintech IPOs for several years. The company which is known for offering fee-free banking services to consumers filed for an IPO in 2025, giving employees a clear line of sight to a liquidity event. However, before the final filing the company facilitated secondary transactions that allowed employees to cash out a portion of their holdings as the company's valuation climbed.

Plaid: Market valuation $8 billion

The fintech infrastructure company Plaid is preparing for a long-anticipated public offering. The company recently an $8 billion valuation in a secondary funding round, driven by surging demand for its fraud detection and financial connectivity tools. Plaid’s IPO is expected to be one of the most closely watched fintech listings, with employees holding equity stakes positioned to benefit significantly.

Decagon: Market valuation of 4.5 billion

Decagon, though younger than others on this list, is already valued at billions thanks to its AI breakthroughs. Early employees could see outsized returns if the company’s IPO momentum matches investor expectations. Founded in 2023 by Jessie Zhang and Ashwin Sreenivas, the company crossed a $1.5 billion valuation within roughly 18 months of launch, driven by enterprise demand for AI agents that can handle complex customer support workflows.