CNBC's Robert Frank reports on the shifting strategy for startups.

Recent data indicates that the median age of companies going public has increased to 13 years, up from 9 years in 2019 and 6 years in the 1980s. This shift is attributed to the growing number of private companies, particularly unicorns, that are choosing to remain private for longer periods.

The revenue of companies at the time of their IPO has nearly doubled over the past two decades, and experts suggest that older, larger firms tend to perform well after going public. The availability of private capital and alternative liquidity options has reduced the urgency for companies to enter public markets, allowing them to mature further before an IPO.

Median age of companies going public rises to 13

All right, kind of goes to what we just talked about. For years, the sort of prevailing wisdom was private companies, they grow, and then they get public as soon as possible. But some new data shows that that strategy of going public quickly to IPO, whatever, is going by the wayside. Let's find out why. Here now, CNBC Wealth Editor Robert Frank, who writes about this in Inside Wealth. Robert. Brian, great to see you. So if you look at IPOs so far this year, the good news is there's been a lot of them, but their median age is now 13 years old. That's up from nine years old back in 2019. And if you go back to the 1980s, they were averaging or median six years old. So a big change over that period. There are now more than 1,200 unicorns. So that's private companies worth more than a billion dollars. And they're staying private longer. So they're maturing longer. The revenue of companies that are going public has nearly doubled over the past two decades, from $110 million back in 2005 to $218 million last year. That's all inflation adjusted. Now, the big question, Brian, is whether those older companies means that there's lower returns for investors by the time they go public. You hear private equity venture capital firms saying the early years for startups generate the highest returns. When I spoke to Professor Jay Ritter at the University of Florida, he told me that the larger firms that go public actually fare better over the long run. If you look, Brian, at the big IPOs this year, whether it's Corweave, Circle, Figma, Klarna, they've all done pretty well since going public. So it's true that companies are staying private for longer, but it doesn't appear to be as true that they're therefore worse investments by the time they go public. Well, to your point, there's so much money in the private markets, right? Yeah. I mean, if you look at institutional money from sovereign wealth funds to private equity, private credit, family offices, they don't need to go public anymore for that private capital. And even if they just want liquidity without going public, you've got forged global equities then that can give individual shareholders equity to sell their shares if they want. So they've got liquidity for employees and they've got capital for the company to grow. So if you don't have to deal with all that compliance and the short-termism of shareholders, why would you go public?

From Tel Aviv to the Nova Music Festival site, Israelis gathered to remember those who were killed in the October 2023 Hamas attack.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Israelis remember victims two years after Hamas attack

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Comedy Festival is attracting global stars including Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson and Kevin Hart, with reports that some are being paid more than $1 million each. The event is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's push to rebrand the conservative kingdom through sports and entertainment.

Riyadh

Riyadh Comedy Festival draws top U.S. comedians amid controversy

Three U.S.-based scientists have won the Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum mechanics. The physics award is the second 2025 Nobel Prize to be announced this week.

Stockholm

Three U.S.-based scientists win Nobel Prize in physics

As the war in Gaza reaches its two-year mark, Israel and Hamas continue negotiations in Egypt. Talks are centered on a proposed ceasefire deal, which includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

Cairo

Israel and Hamas resume Gaza ceasefire talks in Egypt

Israel has deported activist Greta Thunberg along with 170 others who were detained after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza last week. Some of those deported in recent days have reported mistreatment, allegations that Israel has denied.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza Flotilla interception

Leaders in the U.S. state of Illinois are taking President Donald Trump to court, looking to stop the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to the streets of Chicago. The White House argues that soldiers are needed to prevent so-called lawlessness.

Chicago

Chicago declares 'ICE Free Zones' amid clashes over raids

French President Emmanuel Macron has given Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu 48 hours to stabilize the government following his sudden resignation. Lecornu stepped down hours after naming his cabinet, amid criticism and growing political instability in a parliament without a clear majority.

Paris

Macron gives Lecornu two days to salvage government after resignation

Microchip maker AMD got a huge boost in the race to supply the artificial intelligence revolution. OpenAI, the company behind major AI platform ChatGPT, announced a deal for AMD to provide the AI startup with its high-performance processing chips starting next year.

Santa Clara

Rise of AI

AI chipmaker AMD strikes major deal with OpenAI

It's a race against time to save the remaining 200 or so stranded climbers on Mount Everest after a massive storm dumped at least three feet of snow over the weekend.

Gorakshep

About 200 Mount Everest climbers still stranded

Clashes broke out at ICE facilities in Chicago and Portland after President Trump ordered National Guard troops into both cities. The move has intensified tensions between federal authorities and local officials amid ongoing protests.

Clashes erupt as Trump deploys National Guard

Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was charged with felony battery involving serious bodily injury, and could face up to six years in jail, according to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.

Indianapolis

Mark Sanchez charged with felony, could face up to 6 years in jail

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced on Monday a lawsuit against the Trump administration over plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

Illinois, Chicago sue Trump over National Guard deployment

A selloff in French markets gathered pace after French media reports that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned. French stocks fell sharply, government bond yields were up 8 basis points and the euro was last down 0.65% at $1.1667.

French markets tumble after PM Lecornu resigns

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez has been charged with battery, intoxication, and unlawful entry after allegedly attacking a 69-year-old truck driver in Indianapolis. The driver stabbed Sanchez in self-defense, believing his life was in danger. Sanchez is currently hospitalised.

Ex-NFL star Mark Sanchez faces criminal charges in alleged assault

U.S. President Donald Trump's battle with Democratic-led cities is heating up after 200 California National Guard troops have been reassigned to Oregon, despite a judge blocking the deployment to Portland.

Portland

Trump sends National Guard to Oregon despite court block

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight and on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, witnesses said, as Palestinians hoped a U.S. plan to end the war would soon ease their suffering.

Jerusalem

Israeli strikes on Gaza continue ahead peace talks

Amenhotep III ruled between 1390 and 1350 BC and was one of the most prominent pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

Pharaoh's tomb reopened after more than 20 years of renovations

President Trump has thrust the U.S. military into a critical role deterring illegal crossings into this country at the southern border. As Charlie D'Agata reports, their presence is having unintended consequences.

Santa Teresa

U.S. military presence at southern border angers hunters, hikers

A new CBS News poll shows a majority of Americans disapprove of how President Trump and congressional Republicans and Democrats have handled the government shutdown. Willie James Inman reports on that and Mr. Trump's latest National Guard moves.

Washington

Americans fed up with shutdown, poll finds

Negotiators between Hamas and Israel will begin meetings in Cairo on Monday (October 6) for the release of the remaining 20 hostages and a prisoner swap.  There is a lot of pressure on both sides to get a deal done.

Negotiations between Israel, Hamas set to begin

Japan's ruling party picked hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its head on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country's first female prime minister in a move set to jolt investors.

Tokyo

Right-wing Sanae Takaichi set to be Japan's first female premier

For a second day, Israel is launching more strikes on the Strip defying demands from the U.S. to stop attacks. At least 61 Palestinians were killed in attacks across the Strip.

Israel intensifies Gaza bombardment despite U.S. pressure to stop

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in one fell swoop in the coming days.

Netanyahu: Gaza peace deal is 'close'

The government shutdown reached its fourth day on Saturday. The Senate on Friday went home after another failed vote to keep the government open. Willie James Inman has the latest.

No signs of compromise as government shutdown continues

Tensions are high in Portland, Oregon, as National Guardsmen could possibly be deployed there as early as this weekend. Federal agents and demonstrators squared off again, but Portland's mayor and chief of police say they don't need the help.

Protests in Portland as National Guard mobilizes

“I believe they are ready for a lasting peace.” the U.S president wrote on social media after Hamas announced it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians.

Trump urges Israel to stop bombing Gaza after peace breakthrough

Israel slowed its Gaza offensive on Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded it stop bombing in response to Hamas saying it was ready to free hostages under the U.S. plan to end the two-year-old war.

Could the Trump deal end the Gaza war?

Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the head of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is therefore likely to become the next prime minister and the first woman to lead the country.

Japan's ruling LDP elects first female prime minister

U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged Hamas's partial acceptance of a ceasefire proposal drafted with Israel, and ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza strip.

Trump orders Israel to stop bombing Gaza

The state Attorney-General says the city is violating the law by sharing license data with federal agencies. The El Cajon mayor has accused the state of 'bullying' cities.

Breakdown