But not everyone is playing to pocket the most capital.
Expensify is readying to go public sometime this year, but its founder David Barrett said he doesn t know how much his company is worth. That s because the expense reporting software-maker hasn t had a private valuation in almost six years, the last time it raised venture capital, and has instead used profit to pay for its own expenses and growth.
It s one of the few profitable businesses on the roster to go public this year. And if it pulls off a direct listing as Barrett plans, Expensify will be one of even fewer companies to raise less than $100 million before going public in 2021.
If you re looking to land a job at Stripe, or at any other high-profile startup, a passive approach won t work.
Instead you ll need to start actively courting hiring managers and other employees at the company you re eyeing. That way, when the team is looking to fill a new role, they ll think of you first.
Rosemary Belden, talent acquisition manager at Square and previously the director of talent acquisition at venture-capital firm M13, put it this way: Startups often focus on executing until they need a position. Networking with recruiters or business leaders will help you be top of mind when a position does open up in your area of expertise. M13, Belden s former employer, has invested in companies including SpaceX, Lyft, Ring, and ClassPass.