D.C. saw massive growth this year with six new tech unicorns, a slew of funding announcements and several companies filing to go public. Washingtonians got a chance to be part of that growth by buying shares in some of the tech hub’s newest publicly traded companies.
Five tech businesses in the DMV area have gone public this year, almost half of which were done through special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) mergers — a growing trend in the tech industry.
Whether you’re looking to grow your stock portfolio or just curious about what companies went public this year, here’s a running list of the D.C. tech businesses that filed IPOs in 2021.
May 3 — Nasdaq: PRVA
Privia Health helps healthcare physicians streamline administrative work so they can focus more on what matters: taking care of patients. Privia offers solutions like appointment management, analytics and reporting, marketing services, payment networks and more to keep private practices running smoothly. In May, the company announced the closing of its IPO of 22.4 million shares of common stock at $23 per share.
June 29 — Nasdaq: XMTR
Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Xometry is an AI-enabled marketplace for on-demand manufacturing. With 5,000 suppliers, customers can simply upload 3D models, select the quantity and material type, and get an instant quote on CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication, urethane casting and more. Once the customer places an order, Xometry pairs the request with a manufacturer to create prototypes or scale production. Xometry went public in June, offering 6.87 million shares of common stock at $44 per share. The company planned to raise up to $252 million in its initial offering.
August 27 — NYSE: IRNT
IronNet Cybersecurity seeks to “transform cybersecurity through the power of collective defense.” Essentially, collective defence allows organizations to crowdsource cybersecurity data to identify and target new hacking tactics as they appear. IronNet is a leading provider of collective defense, employing a robust team of former NSA cybersecurity operators and providing solutions to today’s cybersecurity challenges. IronNet went public through a SPAC merger with LGL Systems Acquisition Corp. in August.
October 1 — NYSE: IONQ
In October, IonQ made history as the first publicly traded, pure-play quantum computing company. Boasting the world’s most powerful trapped-ion quantum computer, IonQ hopes to solve humanity’s hardest problems. Its quantum computer has a record breaking capacity of 32 quibits, making it a powerful piece of hardware. IonQ also went public on the New York Stock Exchange through a SPAC merger with dMY Technology Group III.
October 28 — Nasdaq: FLNC
Arlington-based Fluence Energy provides comprehensive energy storage services, including developing software that allows batteries to hold more energy and take pressure off the electric grid. In late October, the company began publically trading 31 million shares of common stock at $28 per share. The company expects to retain somewhere between $650.9 million and $750 million in net proceeds, depending on the underwriters purchasing additional shares.
Upcoming
While not public yet, a number of D.C.-based companies have announced plans to file IPOs soon, some of which may start trading before the year is up.
Tech companies like FiscalNote, Sirnaomics and Leonardo DRS are also eyeing IPOs, according to the Washington Business Journal.
