The AI startup allowed 600 employees to sell shares, with 75 receiving $30 million each in a record liquidity event.
OpenAI enabled 600 current and former employees to sell shares in a single transaction, generating $6.6 billion in proceeds. The company raised its per-employee cap to $30 million, tripling the prior $10 million limit, after feedback that the lower threshold frustrated top talent.
The deal provided liquidity for staffers who had held shares for at least two years, excluding newer hires post-ChatGPT’s 2022 launch. About 75 employees received the full $30 million, marking one of Silicon Valley’s largest pre-IPO wealth distributions.
OpenAI’s valuation surged ahead of the sale, reinforcing its status as a leading AI startup. The transaction highlights shifting dynamics in startup liquidity as companies delay public listings.