factually
Index/Topics/IPO and M&A Exits

IPO and M&A Exits

The process of companies going public through initial public offerings (IPO) or being acquired through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and how secondary transactions affect these outcomes.

Fact-Checks

1 result
Jan 17, 2026

How do secondary transactions (like DuckDuckGo’s 2020–21 deal) affect employee and founder ownership?

Secondary transactions let existing shareholders sell shares to new buyers without issuing new equity, and in practice they have reshaped founder and employee ownership by providing liquidity, alterin...