Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi rang the opening bell at the NYSE on May 10, 2019, in honor of the ridehailing giant's initial public offering. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images News)

An IPO is only a snapshot in time, one moment out of thousands in a company's journey. But it's a moment worth remembering.



It's the moment when a startup presents its best face to the world. The moment Wall Street investors are introduced to a shiny new toy. And, in some cases, a moment that can have a far-reaching impact across the whole of venture capital for years to come.



The 2010s were a decade dotted with debuts that help illustrate the recent story of Silicon Valley. Here are seven of the biggest VC-backed offerings of the 2010s and the lessons they helped us learn.

Tesla

The takeaway: Autonomous vehicles and electricity are the future of transportation.



Ten years ago, Tesla rang in the decade with the first IPO for an American automaker in more than 50 years, closing a lucrative first day of trading with a market cap of about $2.2 billion.



Tesla's listing marked the beginning of the IPO market's recovery from a post-recession nadir. But more importantly, the company's subsequent success helped spark a decade in which autonomous driving and electric tIransportation became two of the hottest technologies in venture capital, with companies like Cruise, Lilium, Zoox and Lime combining to raise billions.



It seems that at least part of the reason for the recent frenzy around Tesla's stock—it was up more than 100% in the first 50 days of 2020, giving the company a market cap north of $165 billion as of Feb. 19—was the company's place as an early mover in green transportation. As the realities of climate change sink in over the coming years, eco-friendly startups will only grow more common.

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March 25, 2020

PitchBook