SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Oct. 12, 2026 – Damian Maggio, fund manager at Global Venture Management, today shared five lessons for private-market investors from the 2026 technology IPO market, a year that included SpaceX’s Nasdaq debut in June.
“2026 reminded everyone that an IPO is a milestone, not a finish line,” said Damian Maggio of Global Venture Management. “The investors who did best planned for what happens after the listing.”
Maggio’s five lessons:
Know the lockup.
Pre-IPO holders usually can’t sell for a set period after listing, and prices can move a lot in that window.
Entry price matters as much as the company.
A great company bought at the wrong valuation can still disappoint.
Plan for distributions.
When a fund distributes shares in kind, each investor has to decide whether to hold or sell.
Diversify across companies and years.
Very few private companies reach an IPO, and timing is impossible to predict.
Read the structure.
Fund and SPV terms decide fees, timing, and what investors actually receive.
“Pre-IPO investing rewards patience and discipline,” Maggio said. “It also carries real risk, and it isn’t right for every investor.”
About Damian Maggio
Damian Maggio is the founder and fund manager of Global Venture Management, an SEC-registered investment adviser headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that focuses on private technology companies. Learn more at globalventuremanagement.com, on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/damianmaggio, and on X at @DamianMaggioGVM.
Disclosure:
For general information only. Not investment advice, and not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. SEC registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
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