Ready for Anything: IPOs, SPACs and Capital Market Shifts
The path to liquidity has rarely been harder to predict. IPO windows can open and close within weeks. The SPAC market continues to evolve. Private equity timelines shift unexpectedly. At the same time, growth companies are under increasing pressure to be prepared for multiple strategic outcomes.
To explore these challenges, we are bringing together a select group of CFOs, founders, investors, and advisors for a candid, off-the-record conversation about what it means to be truly ready for today's capital markets environment.
The evening is intentionally intimate, with no slides, no presentations, and no vendor pitches. Instead, the discussion will feature experienced operators and advisors sharing practical lessons learned from IPOs, SPAC transactions, public-company transitions, and strategic exits.
Topics will include:
When, and whether, to pursue an IPO in today's environment
The SPAC reset and how SPACs compare with traditional listings
Private market pressures and investor expectations
Dual-track and multi-track exit strategies
What boards, legal teams, bankers, and investors expect from management teams today
Who Should Attend
CFOs and senior finance leaders at growth stage and pre-IPO companies
CEOs and founders weighing a raise, a listing, or an exit
Venture capital investors
Investment bankers
Corporate development and M&A leads
Format
Panel discussion · Open Q&A · Networking · Food and drinks
Who'll Be There
Panelists
Raymond Yue, SVP of Finance, Avalara. Previously led Sumo Logic through its IPO and served as CFO at Talkdesk.
Louis Lehot, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP
Jeff Meyer, Managing Director, Protiviti
Moderator
Ellie Yashiro, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Bank
Hosts and sponsors
About the Hosts and Partners
Open Future Forum
Open Future Forum brings together the executives who shape Silicon Valley through private events and peer rooms across the CEO, CFO, CISO, and CMO communities. Learn more at https://openfutureforum.com.
Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner is a nationally recognized top law firm with a Chambers-ranked venture and emerging companies practice advising founders and venture investors from formation through financings, commercialization, M&A, and scale. We bring the speed, experience, and practicality startups need, with the rigor and deep specialist bench investors expect, so deals get done efficiently and companies stay ready to go from garage to global. Find us at the event, meet us at our San Francisco or Palo Alto offices, or contact Louis Lehot at llehot@foley.com.
Lockton
Lockton’s Global Technology Risk Practice advises technology companies, founders, finance leaders and investors on complex risk and insurance strategies across M&A, financing and growth. As the world’s largest independent insurance brokerage, they combine deep technology sector expertise with transaction advisory capabilities to help clients diligence risk, structure insurance solutions and navigate acquisitions, exits and scale. They help clients navigate emerging technology risks, including AI liability and performance, cyber and technology E&O, intellectual property, digital infrastructure, and the evolving exposures created by autonomous and AI-enabled technologies.
Robert Half | Protiviti
Robert Half and Protiviti support finance leaders with specialized talent and consulting expertise across accounting, finance transformation, technology, risk, compliance and business operations.
Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank, works with companies and investors across the innovation economy, providing banking, financing and expertise throughout the company lifecycle.
About the CFO Executive Forum
The CFO Executive Forum by Open Future Forum brings together senior finance executives for private, high-signal conversations about the issues they are navigating in real time.
Just experienced finance leaders comparing notes on decisions that matter.