Eric Lefkofsky, the serial entrepreneur with a net worth of nearly $4 billion, is gearing up for his fourth public listing with his company Tempus, a genomic testing and data analysis firm. Lefkofsky is no stranger to the public listing rodeo, having previously taken three of his founded businesses public.
One of his most notable ventures was Groupon, which went public in 2011 at a valuation of nearly $13 billion. However, Groupon faced its fair share of troubles post-IPO, including controversies surrounding Lefkofsky’s pre-IPO earnings and financial scrutiny from regulators.
Despite the challenges faced by Groupon, Lefkofsky’s other two companies, InnerWorkings and Echo Global Logistics, performed well for investors. InnerWorkings was sold to private equity in 2021, while Echo Global Logistics saw steady appreciation before being sold at a premium in 2021.
With Tempus, Lefkofsky is aiming to create a long-lasting and valuable company, inspired by his wife’s successful breast cancer treatment. The company’s revenues have been growing steadily, but it continues to face significant losses.
Lefkofsky’s influence at Tempus is evident, with his shares granted 30 votes per share, indicating his desire to maintain control of the company post-IPO. Despite the company’s potential, investors may expect Tempus to raise additional capital in the future, potentially impacting its share price.
As Tempus positions itself as an AI company, investors are cautious about its growth potential in the AI space. While the company plans to embed AI in its diagnostic tools, it remains to be seen how successful this strategy will be.
Overall, Lefkofsky’s journey with Tempus highlights the challenges and opportunities of taking a company public, and investors will be watching closely as the company prepares for its IPO.