The IPO readiness clock is running
Get your company
IPO-ready.
A public offering starts about two years before the bell rings. Understand the timeline — audits, governance, the S-1, underwriters, your cap table — and connect with an experienced IPO advisor who can help you get ready.
I’m looking for a IPO advisor
I'm preparing my company for an IPO
Answer a few quick questions — what you need, what’s in the way, how you like to meet. We match you with IPO advisors who fit.
Speak to an IPO advisorI’m a IPO advisor
I'm an IPO advisor
A verified profile, companys matched to your specialties, programs and events, and your own back office and CRM.
Get exclusive IPO referralsHow matching works
Start with what you need — we’ll find the IPO advisor.
01
Tell us what you need
What you’re looking for, what’s in the way, and how you like to meet — phone, video call and in person.
02
We match on fit
Specialties, the people they work with, credentials and format.
03
You choose who to hear from
See why each IPO advisor fits. Pick who may contact you — nothing is shared without your say-so.
3 areas of focus
IPO readiness & planning, Deal execution & advisory and Governance & post-IPO compliance.
IPO readiness & planning
IPO readiness planning, Financial reporting & audit readiness, SOX compliance & internal controls and Cap table & equity structure cleanup.
4 kinds →
Deal execution & advisory
Securities counsel & S-1 preparation, Underwriter & investment bank selection, IPO alternatives and Investor relations build-out.
4 kinds →
Governance & post-IPO compliance
Governance & board building and Post-IPO compliance & reporting.
2 kinds →
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Where do you want to start?
The 24-month IPO readiness timeline
What has to happen, and roughly when, on the runway into an IPO.
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Financial reporting & audits
PCAOB audits and the financial statement work that has to be in place before filing.
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Governance & board
Building the independent board and committees a public company needs.
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Legal & S-1 basics
What an S-1 is, what it contains, and how the SEC review process works.
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Choosing underwriters & bankers
How companies select and work with investment banks to take them public.
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Alternatives to a traditional IPO
Direct listings, SPACs and Regulation A+ compared to a traditional IPO.
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Equity & cap table cleanup
Getting a cap table and equity plans in order before investors and regulators see them.
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Investor relations
Building the IR function a public company needs from day one.
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Post-IPO obligations
What ongoing SEC reporting and compliance looks like after the bell rings.
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Who we help
Wherever you’re starting from.
Late-stage, venture-backed startups
to begin IPO readiness work 18-24 months before a target listing
Private-equity-backed companies
exit-ready financial reporting and governance to support an IPO or sale
Founders & CEOs
to understand the IPO process end to end and assemble the right advisory team
CFOs & finance teams
audit-ready financial statements and internal controls before going public
Boards & audit committees
an IPO-ready governance structure and an independent board
Companies weighing a direct listing, SPAC or Reg A+
to compare IPO alternatives before committing to a traditional offering
General counsel & legal teams
S-1 preparation support and securities law guidance
Companies building investor relations
to stand up an IR practice ahead of going public
Honest listings
IPO advisors, clearly labeled.
- Credentials shown plainly. Licenses, certifications and trainings are listed as each IPO advisor provides them and checked where possible.
- You stay in control. Nothing you share goes to a IPO advisor until you choose who may contact you.
- Your details stay private. We don’t sell your information.
- No miracle promises. IPO advisors may not promise guaranteed outcomes.
For IPO advisors
Your business, with a back office.
A verified profile, companys matched to your specialties, programs and events, and a CRM to follow up.
Matched requests
People choose you — you have 48 hours to reach out.
Your own CRM
Every request, stage, note and follow-up in one place.
Programs & events
Sessions, group programs, workshops and courses.
Credential badge
Licenses, certifications and trainings shown clearly.
Advisor listing
Free
3 specialties · Be found in the directory
ZIP Exclusive
$1,500/mo
8 specialties · Every referral in your ZIP code — exclusively yours
Region · 5 ZIP codes
$4,500/mo
8 specialties · Every referral across your 5-ZIP region — exclusively yours
State Exclusive
$7,500/mo
8 specialties · Every referral in your state — exclusively yours
Nationwide Exclusive
$32,500/mo
8 specialties · Every referral nationwide not held by a ZIP, Region or State partner
0 IPO advisors · 0 programs & events
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Pre-IPO Clock a way to invest in pre-IPO companies?
No. Despite the name, Pre-IPO Clock is not an investment platform and does not offer pre-IPO shares, valuations or returns of any kind. It's an educational site for companies that are preparing to go public, connecting them with experienced IPO advisors — bankers, auditors, securities counsel, governance and investor-relations specialists.
Why does the IPO readiness clock start two years out?
Most companies need roughly 24 months to build audit-ready financials, an independent board, internal controls and the other pieces regulators and underwriters expect — starting late is one of the most common reasons an IPO timeline slips.
What is a PCAOB audit, and why does it matter before an IPO?
A PCAOB audit is an audit performed by a firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, using public-company auditing standards — the SEC requires audited financial statements from a PCAOB-registered firm before a company can go public.
What is an S-1, and when does a company file one?
The S-1 is the registration statement a company files with the SEC to register securities for a public offering; it's typically drafted over several months and can be submitted confidentially for SEC review before it's made public.
Should we consider a direct listing, SPAC or Reg A+ instead of a traditional IPO?
It depends on your company's size, capital needs and timeline — each path has real tradeoffs in cost, control, capital raised and regulatory process, and an IPO advisor can walk through which fits your situation; this site doesn't recommend one path as universally better.
How do we choose the right underwriters or investment bankers?
Companies typically run a selection process — sometimes called a bake-off — comparing research coverage, distribution, sector experience and proposed deal structure across several banks before naming a lead underwriter.
How do IPO advisors receive referrals on this site?
IPO advisors can list for free, or reserve an exclusive territory — a ZIP code, five ZIP codes, a state, or the whole country — so companies in that area who ask for help are connected to them.