Key Takeaways
- • Anthropic's stakes held by early backers already total billions at its latest private valuation of $965 billion, ahead of an expected public listing this year at up to $2 trillion, according to TechCrunch citing Bloomberg.
- • Eric Schmidt, who invested in the Series A in 2021 when Anthropic was valued at $461 million (per PitchBook), owns about 1% and his stake is worth nearly $10 billion.
- • Iconiq's $6 billion late-stage investment, made last year at a $183 billion valuation, is now worth $17 billion and could double at the IPO.
- • Menlo Ventures, which led Series D and has invested more than $1 billion, holds a stake now worth $14 billion; Spark Capital, the only VC with a known board seat, has turned a $75 million Series C check into a $7 billion position.
- • Sequoia's $3 billion investment earlier this year, at a $380 billion valuation, gave it about 1% ownership and has more than doubled its money.
Summary
Anthropic's expected public listing this year, at a valuation of as much as $2 trillion, is set to deliver substantial gains to both early-stage and later-stage investors. Even at the company's latest private market valuation of $965 billion, the stakes held by many venture capital firms and early backers already total billions, according to a TechCrunch analysis of Bloomberg reporting.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt invested in Anthropic's Series A in 2021, when the startup was valued at $461 million, according to PitchBook data. He currently owns about 1% of the company, a stake worth nearly $10 billion at the current private valuation.
Iconiq wrote a $6 billion check to Anthropic last year, when the company was valued at $183 billion. That late-stage position is now worth $17 billion and has the potential to double at the IPO. Menlo Ventures, which led Anthropic's Series D, has invested more than $1 billion in the company over time, a stake now valued at $14 billion. Sequoia backed the AI lab for the first time earlier this year, when it was valued at $380 billion; its $3 billion investment bought about 1% ownership and has already more than doubled.
Sound Ventures, launched by Guy Oseary and Ashton Kutcher, invested $35 million in Anthropic's 2023 Series C and has since added $400 million, producing a stake worth billions. Kutcher has since left Sound Ventures to launch a new VC firm. Spark Capital, the only VC firm known to hold a board seat at Anthropic, invested $75 million in the same 2023 Series C round, when the company was valued at $5 billion. That position has grown more than ninetyfold to an estimated $7 billion.
The figures are based on the last private round's price and will shift with the IPO valuation and market conditions.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt invested in Anthropic's Series A in 2021, when the startup was valued at $461 million, according to PitchBook data. He currently owns about 1% of the company, a stake worth nearly $10 billion at the current private valuation.
Iconiq wrote a $6 billion check to Anthropic last year, when the company was valued at $183 billion. That late-stage position is now worth $17 billion and has the potential to double at the IPO. Menlo Ventures, which led Anthropic's Series D, has invested more than $1 billion in the company over time, a stake now valued at $14 billion. Sequoia backed the AI lab for the first time earlier this year, when it was valued at $380 billion; its $3 billion investment bought about 1% ownership and has already more than doubled.
Sound Ventures, launched by Guy Oseary and Ashton Kutcher, invested $35 million in Anthropic's 2023 Series C and has since added $400 million, producing a stake worth billions. Kutcher has since left Sound Ventures to launch a new VC firm. Spark Capital, the only VC firm known to hold a board seat at Anthropic, invested $75 million in the same 2023 Series C round, when the company was valued at $5 billion. That position has grown more than ninetyfold to an estimated $7 billion.
The figures are based on the last private round's price and will shift with the IPO valuation and market conditions.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.