From Pitchbook
National Unicorn Day was April 9, but “time” is a tricky concept in 2021—and we missed it. Even though Unicorn Day 2021 is in the rearview, the topic is always relevant and worth exploring.
As a refresher, unicorn companies are privately held startups that are valued at more than $1 billion. As of March 2021 per PitchBook data, there were 602 active unicorns globally, and 86 new companies made their debut as unicorns in Q1.
But of all the US startups that achieved unicorn status in 2020 and 2021 (so far), eleven have galloped to the front of the pack in terms of their gigantic post-money valuations.
🦄 Top 11 most highly valued new unicorns in the US* 🦄
*According to PitchBook data as of April 26, 2021; data is subject to change
Waymo
Unicorn date: May 12, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $30.75B
Founding year: 2009
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Google spin-off Waymo is the developer of an autonomous driving technology called Waymo Driver. Its goal is to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. Waymo One is the company’s ride-hailing service, while Waymo Via focuses on transporting commercial goods. Their products use sensors and artificial intelligence to detect pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles and roadwork. Waymo’s CEO of five years John Krafcik stepped down in April 2021 and was replaced by co-CEOs Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov just before the startup reached unicorn status.
See our Waymo profile preview.
Related industry vertical
Autonomous car technologies—one of hundreds of verticals tracked by PitchBook—are hardware and software solutions that enable self-driving or driver-assistance capabilities for cars, trucks and other vehicles. Dive into the autonomous cars vertical with PitchBook’s Q4 2020 Emerging Tech Research on mobility tech—which includes market maps of VC-backed companies, business model descriptions and more.
Rivian Automotive
Unicorn date: January 19, 2021
Most recent post-valuation: $27.6B
Founding year: 2009
Headquarters: Plymouth, Michigan
Rivian Automotive manufactures autonomous electric vehicles that come with high-power motors, durable 180 KWh batteries that can withstand temperatures from 130F to -25F, level 3 autonomy and drive units and more. Their R1T model trucks and R1S SUVs start at $67,500 with 300+ miles of range, and a 400+ mile R1T is set to debut in January 2022. The company’s $26.5 billion Series F funding round in January 2021 included venture funding from T. Rowe Price, Amazon.com, Third Point Ventures and others.
See our Rivian Automotive profile preview.
Related emerging space
Emerging spaces are nascent but growing areas that PitchBook tracks through its Emerging Spaces platform feature. Electric vehicle platforms, or companies that develop and manufacture electric vehicles, powertrains and platforms, are one of those emerging spaces. For more on electric vehicles, check out PitchBook’s Q3 2020 Analyst Note about how they’re poised to reshape the auto industry.
Ripple Labs
Unicorn date: October 1, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $10B
Founding year: 2012
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Ripple Labs’ blockchain platform helps financial institutions send money across borders instantly, reliably and cost-effectively. Banks and payment providers can leverage the digital asset XRP, a math-based virtual currency, to further reduce their costs, access new markets and enable customers to pay in any currency with no chargebacks. Ripple’s $200 million Series C funding round in October 2020 was led by Tetragon Financial Group with SBI Holdings, Transform Capital, 10X Capital and others.
See our Ripple Labs profile preview.
Attentive
Unicorn date: September 15, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $6.97B
Founding year: 2016
Headquarters: Hoboken, New Jersey
Attentive is the developer of a personalized mobile messaging platform that uses behavioral data to help brands send automated, personalized mobile messages across the customer lifecycle. From product recommendations and limited-time sales to payments and real-time customer service, Attentive enables ecommerce and retail businesses to connect with mobile shoppers in a new way through messaging. The unicorn startup raised $470 million of Series E venture funding in March 2021 from IVP, Tiger Global Management and Base10 Partners.
See our Attentive profile preview.
Snyk
Unicorn date: March 10, 2021
Most recent post-valuation: $6.54B
Founding year: 2015
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Snyk is a leader in cloud-native application security, and its security analysis tools help developers identify open-source vulnerabilities. The unicorn’s offerings secure authoring and consumption of open-source code and help developers find, fix and monitor known threats in open-source dependencies. Snyk raised $300 million of Series E venture funding in a deal co-led by Accel and Tiger Global Management in March 2021.
Zapier
Unicorn date: January 14, 2021
Most recent post-valuation: $5B
Founding year: 2011
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Zapier developed an online automation platform that links web-based applications like Salesforce, Intuit, Google and Dropbox. Zapier’s customers can move data between these apps (and others) to streamline their workflows and focus on other important tasks. In March, Mike Knoop was named the new president and Zapier made its first acquisition—the UK-based, no-code-focused e-learning platform Makerpad.
See our Zapier profile preview.
SambaNova Systems
Unicorn date: February 25, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $5B
Founding year: 2017
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
SambaNova Systems is the developer of an advanced systems platform and hardware that powers machine learning and data analytics. The company’s platform is focused on a system architecture that’s flexible, scalable and optimized for dataflow, enabling manufacturers with AI-powered hardware to create faster, more efficient algorithms. Most recently, SambaNova Systems raised $678 million of Series D venture funding through a deal led by SoftBank Investment Advisers in April 2021.
See our SambaNova Systems profile preview.
Related industry vertical
Artificial intelligence (AI) focuses on creating intelligent computers that can perceive their environment and make decisions to maximize the chances of reaching their goals. Machine learning (ML) is a subfield of AI that gives computers the ability to learn iteratively, improve predictive models and find insights from data without being explicitly told to do so. For more on the AI/ML industry vertical, download PitchBook’s Q4 2020 Emerging Tech Research report on the subject. It includes market maps of VC-backed companies, business model descriptions and an overview of key investors and acquirers in the space.
Ro
Unicorn date: July 27, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $5B
Founding year: 2017
Headquarters: New York, New York
Ro’s direct-to-consumer health platform is patient-centered, handling everything from diagnosis, to delivery of medication, to ongoing care. With a nationwide provider network, in-home care API and proprietary pharmacy distribution centers, the unicorn startup seamlessly provides high-quality, affordable healthcare without the need for insurance. Ro says it has facilitated more than six million digital healthcare visits in nearly every US county since 2017, including 98% of primary care deserts. In March 2021, the company riased a $500 million Series D round in a deal led by General Catalyst, FirstMark Capital and TQ Ventures.
Related industry vertical
Healthtech companies provide mobility and other information technologies to improve the healthcare industry while decreasing costs. This vertical includes the use of tech services to optimize patient, centered healthcare, like Ro’s offerings. Learn more about what healthtech is, how it’s different from medtech and the impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare in the US in our recent blog post.
Patreon
Unicorn date: September 1, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $4.26B
Founding year: 2013
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Patreon developed a platform that monetizes creators’ works through a direct relationship with their fans and supporters. The startup’s platform connects artists, musicians, writers and more with their fans to facilitate monetary support in exchange for exclusive access to the creator in the form of benefits, community, insights into the creative process, sneak peeks at unfinished or unreleased works, etc. Patreon enables supporters to become active participants in the work they love by offering monthly memberships, often at tiered prices. The company raised $155 million of Series F venture funding in April 2021, and the deal was led by Tiger Global Management.
See our Patreon profile preview.
Klaviyo
Unicorn date: November 17, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $4.15B
Founding year: 2012
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Klaviyo is the developer of a software platform used for marketing online businesses—from brand-building and scaling to moving brick-and-mortars online. Brands like Huckberry, Custom Ink and Chubbies use the platform to listen, analyze, act and build relationships using customer data. Klaviyo raised $200 million of Series C venture funding in November 2020 in a deal led by Summit Partners and Accel.
See our Klaviyo profile preview.
Better
Unicorn date: November 9, 2020
Most recent post-valuation: $6B
Founding year: 2014
Headquarters: New York, New York
Better provides mortgage and financial services that simplify, democratize and make home-financing and homeownership more accessible. The startup specializes in mortgages, real estate, title and homeowners’ insurance—all contributing to a streamlined home-buying process. Plus, Better’s digitized process eliminates commissions, fees and unnecessary steps along the way. In April 2021, the company reached an agreement to receive $500 million from SoftBank Group.
See our Better profile preview.
Related industry vertical
Real estate tech companies develop and leverage technologies to facilitate the purchase, management, maintenance and investment into both residential and commercial real estate—like Better. PitchBook’s Global Real Estate Report delves into real estate fundraising, dry powder levels and technologies, especially as they’ve been impacted by COVID-19.
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