Reddit Ipo Strategy Rewarding Users Without Granting Control
Reddit, preparing for its IPO, will offer shares to its user contributors but not voting control, concentrating decision-making power among existing stockholders, directors, and executives.
This governance structure, detailed in Reddit’s S1 document, introduces additional risks for new investors by limiting their influence on corporate matters.
The company’s financials reveal a 21% increase in sales to $804 million last year, with losses narrowing by over 40% to $91 million, alongside notable investments in bitcoin, ether, and significant stakes held by entities affiliated with OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
Reddit’s revenue primarily comes from digital advertising, targeting a tiny fraction of the estimated $1 trillion digital advertising market.
The platform is exploring ecommerce and data licensing to diversify its income, recently implementing API access changes for AI model training, leading to user discontent.
Despite protests, CEO Steve Huffman’s stance on the value of Reddit’s data has remained firm, evidenced by a licensing deal with Google, underscoring the platform’s potential in generative AI.
The company’s multi-class share structure, favoring internal stakeholders, poses questions about governance and missed opportunities, such as earlier exploration of data licensing for AI training.
Reddit’s growth to 73 million daily active users highlights its appeal, but the governance model may have delayed recognizing this asset’s value. Stronger governance could potentially have leveraged Reddit’s unique position sooner, maximizing opportunities in the evolving digital landscape.
