š„2025 IPO Pipeline, Importance of Brand for GTM, Org Chart Benchmarks, Equity Distribution & More
Digesting Insights From the Data
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Importance of Brand for GTM
In this Growth Unhinged guest post, Kira Klaas breaks down how top companies like Notion, Figma, and Canva used brand as a force multiplier to scale their PLG motions. Klaas argues that the most successful startups donāt silo brand and growthāthey combine them from the start.
Organic = Brand Power: Notionās high branded search and Figmaās $12.5B valuation both trace back to organic momentum driven by strong brand identity, not just clever product features.
Tracking Brand Like a Pro: Brand health can be measured through viral loops, branded search volume, and CAC by acquisition channelāKlaas recommends starting small with 3ā4 brand metrics tied to growth goals.
Invest Early, Scale Wisely: Early-stage efforts should focus on touchpoint audits and storytelling; mature teams should allocate up to 35% of their marketing budget toward brand initiatives like UGC and ambassador programs.
āļø KEY TAKEAWAYS
Brand isnāt a soft add-onāitās a core growth engine. Tracking and investing in brand early on drives word-of-mouth, lowers CAC, and extends PLG performance beyond early traction.
The 2025 Liquidity Puzzle
Jackie DiMonteās latest analysis dives into whether 2025 could finally spark a liquidity wave amid years of muted exit values and locked capital. The article lays out a compelling data breakdown to question if weāre seeing the start of a sustained surge in liquidity or merely a small trickle.
Capital Lock-Up: Three years of depressed exit values echo early 2010s levels, even though a surge of capital flowed during 2020ā2022, resulting in over 800 unicorns still waiting for an exit.
IPO Activity Surge: Data from the Forge Tech IPO Calendar shows over 30 companies have either filed or announced IPOs, representing up to $167B in last private market value, with S1 filings around $33B, confidential filings at $48B, and announced deals topping $86B.
Acquisitions & Exit Trends: Notably, Googleās recent $32B acquisition of Wiz underscores a broader trend where acquisitions are trending upward, making up 40% of last yearās total and hinting at a potential rebound in overall exit value.
āļø KEY TAKEAWAYS
The article suggests that despite years of tepid exit activity and significant capital still locked up, the surge in IPO filings and strategic acquisitions might signal the early stages of a liquidity wave, though the scale remains uncertain.