The hottest Public Companies Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics
Afridigest 27 implied HN points 10 Jan 26
  1. The largest public companies in early 2026 are led by semiconductor and tech giants like NVIDIA, TSMC, and ASML, while banks and big e‑commerce firms top other regions.
  2. Africa’s biggest listed company is Naspers (~$52B), and much of its value comes from overseas investments (notably a Tencent stake) rather than building local infrastructure.
  3. By contrast, Mercado Libre (~$111B) grew by creating Latin America’s e‑commerce and fintech infrastructure, highlighting the open question of whether African markets can yet produce a similar homegrown mega‑cap.
Parth's Playground 51 implied HN points 25 Nov 25
  1. Investing in both early-stage and mature public companies involves similar processes. Both require assessing key milestones, or 'card flips', that can significantly change a business's trajectory.
  2. There's a gap in funding for medium-term investments. Most capital is either short-term focused or tied up in long-term index funds, leaving opportunities for those willing to invest in companies making meaningful changes over 18 months to 4 years.
  3. Investing in public companies is different from private investments. It allows for more patient buying, but it also requires managing the temptation to react to market fluctuations constantly.
Open Source Defense 28 implied HN points 13 Aug 25
  1. GrabAGun recently went public, which is important because there aren't many gun companies on the stock market. This could lead to more investment and new startups in the gun industry.
  2. Even though going public means more scrutiny and regulation, it also helps normalize the gun industry. This could be good for gun rights in the long run.
  3. The trend of decentralization is really helping gun rights. More companies can now access funding and it allows people to learn about guns more freely.
Alex's Personal Blog 65 implied HN points 05 Feb 25
  1. Palantir's stock has skyrocketed, making it the most expensive on the S&P 500. This raises questions about whether its high valuation is justified based on its earnings.
  2. The stock market is behaving irrationally, sometimes valuing companies like startups even when they are publicly traded and have slower growth forecasts.
  3. Investors should be careful with risky trades like shorting stocks because the market can stay irrational longer than you can handle.
Alex's Personal Blog 65 implied HN points 02 Dec 24
  1. Building in public means sharing both the successes and struggles of a startup. It's refreshing to see companies like Roam be transparent about their challenges.
  2. ServiceTitan is planning to go public soon, which could be a significant event in the IPO space. Their recent financial growth shows they are doing well, even if profits have slightly decreased.
  3. Europe's startup scene is not evolving as rapidly as expected. Despite some successful companies, the overall impact on the market has been limited.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:
Alex's Personal Blog 65 implied HN points 19 Nov 24
  1. ServiceTitan is planning to go public, targeting a large market in the trades with software and fintech services. This shows there's strong potential for growth in this essential industry.
  2. The company has attracted significant investment from top venture capital firms, indicating confidence in its business model and future profitability.
  3. Going public will benefit not only ServiceTitan but also the investors, providing them with returns after a long wait for exits.
The Security Industry 15 implied HN points 02 Apr 23
  1. In 2022, the cybersecurity industry saw 332 acquisitions, with the largest deal being VMware acquired by Broadcom for $60 billion.
  2. Most of the acquisitions in 2022 were strategic, where one vendor acquired another, like Google buying Mandiant.
  3. Special Purpose Acquisition Corps (SPACs) were used for acquiring cybersecurity companies, with notable large deals taking advantage of lower valuations.
Musings on Markets 0 implied HN points 24 Jul 11
  1. Businesses can choose to stay private or go public, and both choices have pros and cons. Staying private means less access to capital but more control, while going public allows for more investment but less personal control.
  2. There are new ways for private companies to get funding, like private share markets, which let them operate like public companies without strict rules and disclosure.
  3. Some private businesses, especially from China, are using a trick to go public by merging with small U.S. companies. This approach can hurt the investors because they have less information and power over the management.
Musings on Markets 0 implied HN points 19 Nov 12
  1. Lockup periods prevent insiders from selling their shares right away after an IPO. This helps keep the stock price stable and shows that insiders are committed to the company's future.
  2. When the lockup expires, insiders can choose to sell their shares for various reasons like needing cash or wanting to diversify their investments. Their selling decisions can signal how they view the company's stock price.
  3. Stock prices often drop when lockup periods end because more shares are available for trading. However, the overall impact can vary, especially for larger companies like Facebook, which may not see dramatic price changes.
CyberSecurityMew 0 implied HN points 01 Jan 24
  1. 4 companies raised funds across 5 sectors with 1 M&A deal and 1 terminated IPO.
  2. There are 29 cybersecurity public companies in China, and the report summarizes their market cap data in Q3.
  3. Z-One Consulting is a key player specializing in cyber security business research and acceleration in China, providing various strategic services for start-ups and enterprises.