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ElevenLabs Staff to Sell Shares at $6.6 Billion Valuation

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ElevenLabs, the fast-growing voice cloning AI startup, is allowing employees to sell shares at a $6.6 billion valuation, double its January 2024 value of $3.3 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The move highlights the ongoing competition among AI firms to retain top talent by offering stock liquidity.

The tender offer will enable staff who have worked at the company for at least a year to sell up to $100 million worth of shares, giving them an opportunity to cash out while allowing investors to boost stakes. Sequoia Capital and Iconiq are leading the deal, joined by Andreessen Horowitz and other backers.

Founded by Piotr Dabkowski (ex-Google) and Mati Staniszewski (ex-Palantir), ElevenLabs has seen explosive growth. Its headcount jumped from 77 employees to 331 in a year, while annualized recurring revenue surged from $100 million in October 2024 to $200 million in mid-2025. The company aims to hit $300 million by year-end.

The valuation leap puts ElevenLabs among the most valuable AI startups in the world. It comes as OpenAI also explores an employee stock sale that could value it at $500 billion, underscoring how AI’s growth is reshaping private markets.

StubHub Targets $9.2B Valuation in U.S. IPO Amid Live Events Boom

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StubHub, the ticket resale platform backed by Madrone Partners, is seeking a valuation of up to $9.2 billion in its planned U.S. IPO, the company said Monday. The listing comes after being postponed in April due to tariff uncertainty, making StubHub one of the latest firms to return to equity markets following improved sentiment.

The New York-based firm aims to raise up to $851 million by selling 34 million shares at a price range of $22 to $25 each, with J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs leading the underwriting. Shares will trade on the NYSE under the ticker “STUB.”

StubHub has had a winding ownership history: founded in 2000 by Jeff Fluhr and Eric Baker (now CEO), it was sold to eBay in 2007 for $310M before being acquired by Baker’s other venture viagogo for $4.05B in 2020. The company was once valued at $16.5B in 2021, though its current IPO target is well below that.

Despite cautious pricing, some investors suggest the IPO may price higher, given strong demand for live events. Rival Live Nation’s Ticketmaster has seen record ticketing volumes driven by blockbuster tours such as Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter.” StubHub’s own revenue rose 3% to $827.9M in the first half of 2024, though net losses more than doubled to $111.8M.

The IPO will test investor appetite for consumer-focused platforms in a market dominated by tech and crypto listings. As IPO strategist Matt Kennedy put it: “The bankers will also try to sell the deal on its valuation, which is below prior expectations.”

If successful, StubHub could capture investor enthusiasm for the booming experience economy, even as regulatory and competitive pressures linger in the ticketing industry.

Hg Considers Sale of $1.9 Billion Financial Data Firm FE fundinfo

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Buyout firm Hg is preparing to potentially sell its financial data company FE fundinfo, valued at around $1.9 billion, sources told Reuters. The London-based firm, which provides investment data and performance analytics to asset managers and financial institutions, is expected to generate roughly £70 million ($93.2 million) in EBITDA this year and could command a valuation exceeding 20 times earnings.

While no final decision has been made and preparations remain at an early stage, Hg is anticipated to launch a sales auction by late 2025, although the timeline could extend into 2026. FE fundinfo is likely to attract interest from global exchanges, wealth management firms, and private equity groups.

This move follows a trend of high-valuation deals in the financial technology and data sector, including SS&C Technologies’ £766 million acquisition of Calastone and BlackRock’s £2.55 billion purchase of Preqin last year. FE fundinfo itself was formed in 2018 through the merger of three companies—FE, F2C, and fundinfo—the same year Hg invested.

The company has been active in expanding its footprint with five acquisitions in the past year, such as data firm Fundipedia, UK’s Lunar AI, and German fintech Dericon. FE fundinfo aims to streamline investment efficiency by connecting fund managers and distributors to share trusted information.

Hg and FE fundinfo declined to comment on the potential sale.