The IPO Window Is Closing. Here Are the Startups To Watch as 2026 winds down and venture-backed companies race to go public before the year ends. SpaceX set a record with its June listing, but only a narrow window remains for others to follow.

What You Need to Know

Crunchbase data shows 58 venture-backed IPOs in the first half of 2026, compared to 27 in the same period last year. The window for additional listings is closing fast, with only a few months left. Anthropic, Oura and Notion are among the most anticipated candidates, each backed by strong investor demand and favorable market conditions. The IPO market is driven by AI companies and hardware innovators, signaling a shift in how venture returns are realized.

A Record Half-Year for IPOs

SpaceX's historic June debut on the Nasdaq raised $86 billion and helped push total venture-backed IPO proceeds to $110.8 billion in the first half of 2026. That dwarfs the $12.6 billion raised in the same period a year earlier. Crunchbase's data underscores the scale of this year's pipeline, even as the window narrows for companies that have not yet filed.

That compares with 27 large offerings in the first half of 2025, highlighting the surge in public listings. The momentum, however, may not extend into 2027 if market conditions shift or if investor appetite wanes.

Startups Poised for Public Debuts

Crunchbase's predictive intelligence tools flag several companies with a high probability of going public within six months. These firms share common characteristics that make them attractive to public market investors. Among the factors driving their readiness:

  • Strong revenue growth: Enterprise AI offerings have fueled rapid expansion at companies like Notion and Anthropic.
  • Significant fundraising: Each candidate has raised hundreds of millions or billions from private investors, reducing the need for small IPOs.
  • Experienced boards: Notion recently appointed directors with public-company backgrounds, a clear step toward an IPO.
  • Market demand: Consumer health hardware from Oura and crypto exchange Kraken are tapping into hot sectors.

Anthropic has raised $125 billion since its founding and is expected to seek a valuation of up to $100 billion in an IPO that could arrive as early as September. The AI startup plans to beat OpenAI to the public markets, though Crunchbase's model suggests a six- to 12-month timeline is more likely. Oura, the Finnish smart-ring maker, is mulling a September or October offering that could value it above $11 billion. Notion, a productivity-software company, has appointed a new board and reportedly posted strong revenue from AI features, signaling readiness for a near-term listing.

Kraken and SambaNova are also on the watchlist, though their timelines remain uncertain. Kraken filed confidentially with the SEC almost a year ago but paused amid market volatility. SambaNova, an AI chip startup, is part of a broader cohort of hardware companies eyeing public markets.

Why This Matters

The narrowing IPO window concentrates investor attention on a handful of high-value deals, amplifying their impact on the broader venture ecosystem. If Anthropic and Oura succeed in going public soon, they will provide a liquidity event for early backers and set valuation benchmarks for their respective categories. Conversely, a failure to list before year-end could signal a slowdown, forcing startups to seek alternative funding or delay exits. For the tech industry, the race to go public underscores the tension between private-market growth and the discipline of public market scrutiny. The outcome will shape how venture capitalists approach their portfolios and whether the current IPO bonanza is a peak or a plateau.