With markets down and tech investors skittish, it’s been a challenging year for young, venture-backed startups. These 25 represent the ones we think have the best chance of reaching a billion-dollar valuation.
Israeli immigrant Barzilai, 38, launched two companies in his 20s. Like many founders, he offered his employees equity as part of their compensation package, but noticed few ever actually exercised their options. More than 55% of startup stock options go unexercised, leaving a stunning $33 billion on the table, he says. “Early startup employees are extremely valuable and many that should be wealthy today aren’t,” he says. “Equity needs to be equitable.
” For his third act, Barzilai and friends Golan and Radashkovich launched EquityBee in 2018 to help employees understand their options and cash out by connecting them with accredited investors. Employees get funds immediately for their private-company equity and avoid the risk of taking out a loan in hopes that their startup will go public or be acquired.