- Uber, Slack, and the We Company are among some of the most valuable private startups in the US.
- Major VC investments in the past year have shaken up the list, with video gaming and cryptocurrency startups entering the rankings.
- Using data from PitchBook, we’ve compiled a list of the 27 startups in the US with the highest valuations.
Tech companies are continuing to garner major investments from venture capitalists.
Major tech startups like Uber, Airbnb, and SpaceX are among the most highly valued private companies, PitchBook reports. But recent major investments into burgeoning tech startups – including Juul and Pokemon Go-creator Niantic – have brought new players into the spotlight. At this point, there are almost too many billion-dollar startups to count.
Uber’s $72 billion valuation solidifies the company’s spot at the top. However, the ride-hailing platform plans to go public this year, so the No. 1 spot will soon be up for grabs. Other companies in the rankings, including Slack and Lyft, are rumored to soon file for IPOs, so the standings could change soon.
Here are the 27 most valuable VC-backed startups in the US:
(tied) 24. Credit Karma — $4.0 billion
Company role: Platform for consumer finance and free credit score reports
Founded: 2007
Latest investment amount: $175 million (June 2015)
Read more about Credit Karma on PitchBook.
(tied) 24. Wish — $4.0 billion
Company role: Digital shopping app for items directly from suppliers
Founded: 2010
Latest investment amount: $500 million (May 2017)
Read more about Wish on PitchBook.
(tied) 24. Houzz — $4.0 billion
Company role: Platform for home remodeling and design
Founded: 2009
Latest investment amount: $400 million (June 2017)
Read more about Houzz on PitchBook.
(tied) 24. DoorDash — $4.0 billion
Company role: On-demand food delivery app
Founded: 2013
Latest investment amount: $250 million (August 2018)
Read more about DoorDash on PitchBook.
(tied) 24. Niantic — $4.0 billion
Company role: Augmented reality video games, including "Pokémon Go"
Founded: 2010
Latest investment amount: $245 million (January 2019)
Read more about Niantic on PitchBook.
22. Intarcia Therapeutics — $4.1 billion
Company role: Therapeutic drugs for chronic diseases
Founded: 1995
Latest investment amount: $615 million (August 2017)
Read more about Intarcia Therapeutics on PitchBook.
21. Peloton — $4.2 billion
Company role: At-home stationary bikes and other fitness equipment
Founded: 2012
Latest investment amount: $550 million (August 2018)
Read more about Peloton on PitchBook.
(tied) 19. SoFi — $4.4 billion
Company role: Financial services for loans and wealth management
Founded: 2011
Latest investment amount: $500 million (March 2017)
Read more about SoFi on PitchBook.
(tied) 19. Compass — $4.4 billion
Company role: Platform for real estate agents and customers
Founded: 2012
Latest investment amount: $400 million (September 2018)
Read more about Compass on PitchBook.
18. Machine Zone — $5 billion
Company role: Multiplayer mobile games developer
Founded: 2007
Latest investment amount: $330 million (August 2016)
Read more about Machine Zone on PitchBook.
17. Robinhood — $5.6 billion
Company role: Financial investments platform
Founded: 2013
Latest investment amount: $363 million (May 2018)
Read more about Robinhood on PitchBook.
16. Magic Leap — $6.4 billion
Company role: Augmented reality and 3D imagery technologies
Founded: 2010
Latest investment amount: $963 million (March 2018)
Read more about Magic Leap on PitchBook.
15. Tanium — $6.7 billion
Company role: IT security systems
Founded: 2007
Latest investment amount: $200 million (October 2018)
Read more about Tanium on PitchBook.
14. Slack — $7.1 billion
Company role: Collaboration and communication platform for workplace
Founded: 2009
Latest investment amount: $427 million (August 2018)
Read more about Slack on PitchBook.
(Note: Slack confidentially filed to go public on February 4th.)
13. Instacart — $7.9 billion
Company role: On-demand grocery delivery app
Founded: 2012
Latest investment amount: $871 million (December 2018)
Read more about Instacart on PitchBook.
12. Coinbase — $8.1 billion
Company role: Bitcoin exchange platform
Founded: 2012
Latest investment amount: $300 million (October 2018)
Read more about Coinbase on PitchBook.
11. Pinterest — $12.3 billion
Company role: Online content sharing platform
Founded: 2008
Latest investment amount: $150 million (June 2017)
Read more about Pinterest on PitchBook.
10. Samumed — $12.4 billion
Company role: Drugs for degenerative diseases
Founded: 2008
Latest investment amount: $438 million (August 2018)
Read more about Samumed on PitchBook.
9. Epic Games — $15.0 billion
Company role: Developer of video games, including "Fortnite"
Founded: 1991
Latest investment amount: $1.3 billion (October 2018)
Read more about Epic Games on PitchBook.
8. Lyft — $15.1 billion
Company role: On-demand ride-hailing app
Founded: 2007
Latest investment amount: $600 million (June 2018)
Read more about Lyft on PitchBook.
7. Palantir — $20.5 billion
Company role: Data fusion platforms for companies
Founded: 2004
Latest investment amount: $20 million (November 2016)
Read more about Palantir on PitchBook.
6. Stripe — $22.5 billion
Company role: Online payment platform
Founded: 2010
Latest investment amount: $100 million (January 2019)
Read more about Stripe on PitchBook.
5. SpaceX — $30.5 billion
Company role: Space transport vehicle manufacturer
Founded: 2002
Latest investment amount: $500 million (January 2019)
Read more about SpaceX on PitchBook.
4. Airbnb — $31 billion
Company role: Online marketplace for short-term home rentals
Founded: 2008
Latest investment amount: $1 billion (September 2017)
Read more about Airbnb on PitchBook.
3. Juul — $38 billion
Company role: Nicotine vaporizer developer
Founded: 2017
Latest investment amount: $12.8 billion (December 2018)
Read more about Juul on Business Insider and on PitchBook.
2. The We Company (formerly WeWork) — $47 billion
Company role: Shared workspaces for small businesses
Founded: 2010
Latest investment amount: $5 billion (January 2019)
Read more about WeWork on PitchBook.
1. Uber — $72 billion
Company role: On-demand ride-hailing app
Founded: 2009
Latest investment amount: $2 billion (October 2018)
Read more about Uber on PitchBook.