E188: Are AI Apps now investable?; Pre-IPO stocks that will never IPO?!; Are AI Platform valuations justifiable?

This Week in Pre-IPO Stocks

Send us a text

00:27 - Are AI Apps now investable?

AI applications like Harvey ($3B valuation), Cursor ($10B), and Perplexity ($9B) may form a sub-asset class. They act as service providers, cutting operational costs (e.g., reducing law firm expenses by 30-50%), but face risks from AI platforms like OpenAI encroaching unless they secure proprietary data or niche use cases.

11:30 - Pre-IPO stocks that will never IPO?!

Companies increasingly avoid IPOs, leveraging private markets for higher valuations and liquidity without public burdens like quarterly earnings. This trend, seen with figures like the Colson brothers, boosts secondary market opportunities.

31:13 - Are AI Platform valuations justifiable?

AI platforms like OpenAI, with rumored $2K-$20K/month PhD-level agents, hold stronger moats via data and infrastructure. Apps built on top struggle to justify valuations (e.g., $10B for Cursor), though strategic investments (e.g., OpenAI Ventures backing Harvey) may offer protection.

New AI ventures like Safe Superintelligence ($30B) and Thinking Machines Lab ($9B), founded by ex-OpenAI billionaires, ride a valuation surge dubbed “greater fool theory.” High employee compensation (e.g., millions in 1-2 years) might misalign incentives, potentially slowing innovation.