Anthropic Investors See Massive Gains Ahead of Potential IPO

The artificial intelligence sector is on the verge of a major financial milestone. Anthropic is expected to go public later this year. Reports suggest the valuation could reach $2 trillion. This event promises significant returns for its investors. Even before the official listing, the company's private market value stands at $965 billion. This figure already translates into billions of dollars for key venture capitalists and early backers.

Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, made an early move in 2021. He participated in the Series A round when the startup was valued at $461 million. According to PitchBook data, Schmidt currently owns approximately 1% of the company. At the current private valuation, his stake is worth nearly $10 billion. This represents a substantial return on his initial investment.

Iconiq entered the picture with a significant late-stage investment. Last year, the firm wrote a $6 billion check to Anthropic. At that time, the company was already valued at $183 billion. The position is now worth $17 billion. Analysts suggest this amount could double once the initial public offering is complete.

Menlo Ventures has been a consistent supporter of the AI lab. The firm led the Series D funding round. Over time, Menlo Ventures has invested more than $1 billion in total. Its current stake is valued at $14 billion. This long-term commitment has yielded a massive financial return for the venture capital firm.

Sequoia joined the investor lineup earlier this year. The firm made its first investment when Anthropic was valued at $380 billion. It committed $3 billion to the deal. This purchase secured about 1% ownership. The investment has already more than doubled in value since the transaction closed.

Sound Ventures, co-founded by Guy Oseary and actor Ashton Kutcher, also holds a large position. The firm invested $35 million in the 2023 Series C round. It subsequently added $400 million to its holdings. This combined stake is now worth billions. Kutcher left Sound Ventures this year to launch a new venture capital firm, but the original investment remains intact.

Spark Capital holds a unique position among Anthropic investors. It is the only VC firm known to have a board seat at the company. Spark Capital invested $75 million during the 2023 Series C round. At that time, the company was valued at $5 billion. The position has grown more than ninetyfold. It is now valued at $7 billion.