Startup Trends: Q2 2026's highest sell-side demand: Where private market opportunity is potentially emerging
Unlike public markets, where shares trade continuously, access to shares of private companies often depends on one simple factor: whether existing shareholders are willing to sell.
That’s why sell-side activity matters.
During the second quarter of 2026, the ten companies featured below generated the highest level of sell-side demand on the Forge marketplace. In other words, these companies had the greatest volume of shareholder ask prices listed for a sale. Employees, founders and early investors often seek liquidity after years of holding shares in private companies, whether to diversify their portfolios, meet financial planning goals or monetize a portion of their ownership.
For accredited investors, increased sell-side activity can create meaningful potential opportunities. A larger pool of shareholders looking to sell can translate into greater access to shares of highly sought-after private companies that are otherwise difficult to acquire.
Below are the ten companies that attracted the most sell-side interest on the Forge marketplace during the second quarter of 2026.
1. Kraken
Founded in 2011, Kraken has grown into one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, offering trading across hundreds of digital assets along with staking, custody, derivatives and institutional trading services. The company has successfully navigated multiple crypto market cycles while expanding its global footprint and product offerings.1
As the company with the highest sell-side interest last quarter, Kraken was the official crypto exchange supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The partnership included a multi-city countdown concert last month, along with fan activations, product experiences and crypto education for the event’s nearly six billion viewers.2
Speculators have long awaited the San Francisco-based firm’s IPO. Kraken confidentially filed its S-1 in November of 2025, but in March put its public plans on hold.3
Kraken’s Forge PriceTM is $28.57 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $9.30 billion. The private company’s notable investors include Tribe Capital, Citadel Securities, DRW Venture Capital and Blockchain Capital.
2. Consensys
Consensys is one of the foundational companies building the Ethereum ecosystem. Best known for developing MetaMask, one of the world’s most widely used cryptocurrency wallets, the company also provides developer tools, institutional products and blockchain infrastructure using web3. Consensys received the second highest number of seller asks on the Forge marketplace last quarter.
Similar to Kraken, Consensys was speculated to go public early this year. However, recent reports suggest the private company’s public debut is on pause until the fall of 2026.4 Late last year, institutional investors at C1 Fund, Inc. (NYSE: CFND) announced it had invested and acquired a position in the private company. According to C1, the alliance will help Consensys strengthen its products and compete in the growing blockchain sector.5
Founded in 2014, Consensys’s Forge PriceTM is $29.94 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $1.51 billion. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company’s investors include J.P. Morgan Chase, Third Point, Think Investments and Softbank.
3. Ripple
Ranking third on the list of companies with the most sell-side demand is San Francisco-based Ripple. Ripple develops enterprise blockchain technology designed to modernize cross-border payments for financial institutions. Its payment network and digital asset infrastructure have attracted partnerships with banks and payment providers around the globe.
Most recently, the private company announced its launch of Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan. The launch follows regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency and is in partnership with Japanese financial services conglomerate SBI Holdings. The initiative will bring a U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin to Japan’s markets, reaching millions of new clients.6
Founded in 2012, Ripple’s Forge PriceTM is $106.89 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $17.58 billion. The firm’s notable VC investors include SBI Holdings, Seagate Venture Fund, CME Group and Accenture Ventures.
4. Postman
Founded in 2014, San Francisco-based Postman has become an essential platform for API development, enabling millions of developers and thousands of organizations to design, test, document and collaborate on APIs. Postman is fourth among companies with strong seller demand last quarter.
The company appears to be expanding on its core products. In January, Postman announced it had acquired Fern, a software company focused on creating API documentation and software developer kits (SDKs) for businesses. According to Postman’s announcement, the partnership will allow it to connect with more than 500,000 companies worldwide.7
In April, Postman announced it was collaborating with Microsoft on a project dubbed “Agent Mode.” Both companies hope the initiative will lead to an AI assistant capable of guiding a full API lifecycle for Microsoft’s product offerings.8
Postman’s Forge PriceTM as of July 27, 2026, is $7.00, implying a valuation of $2.22 billion. The private company’s investors include Insight Partners, Nexus Venture Partners, CRV and Coatue Management.
5. Redwood Materials
Carson City, Nevada-based Redwood Materials is building a domestic battery supply chain through lithium-ion battery recycling and the production of battery materials. Founded by former Tesla executive JB Straubel, the company partners with automakers, battery manufacturers and electronics companies to recover valuable materials and reduce dependencies on global supply chains.
Founded in 2017, Redwood Materials is the fifth company on the list with the highest seller demand. In April, the private company announced it was partnering with American automotive technology company Rivian (Nasdaq: RIVN). As part of the initiative, Rivian will provide its used EV battery packs to Redwood, which would in turn transform them into energy storage for Rivian’s manufacturing processes. The deal underscores the growing EV industry and its power needs.9
Redwood Materials’ Forge PriceTM is $36.37 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $4.60 billion. Its investors include Eclipse Ventures, NVIDIA, Goldman Sachs and Fidelity.
6. Harness
Harness ranked sixth among companies with the most sell-side demand. Harness provides software delivery and DevOps automation tools that help engineering teams build, test, secure and deploy applications more efficiently. Based in Junction City, Kansas, the company’s applications are known for incorporating AI to automate software workflows and increase reliability for businesses.
The company is rapidly integrating with other software platforms. In March the company rolled out its DevOps database management schedule to integrate fully with analytics software provider, Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW).10
Harness could also be positioning itself for an IPO soon. In May, the company announced the appointment of Bill Koefoed as its Chief Financial Officer. Koefoed previously served as CFO of software company OneStream, where he helped guide the company towards a public listing.11
Founded in 2015, Harness’ Forge PriceTM is $19.00 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $4.12 billion. The software firm’s notable investors include Goldman Sachs, Menlo Ventures, Citi Ventures and J.P. Morgan.
7. Precision Neuroscience
New York City-based Precision Neuroscience is developing next-generation brain-computer interface (BCI) technology designed to help restore communication and movement for patients living with neurological disorders. Founded in 2021, Precision Neuroscience ranked seventh in the highest sell-side demand last quarter.
In January, the biotechnology firm struck a key partnership with implantable cardiac device maker Medtronic (NYSE: MDT). The initiative between the two companies will allow them to leverage each other’s respective portfolio to reach more patients in need of neuro-devices.12 In 2025, Precision received a 510(k) clearance from the FDA allowing it to test implantable electrodes in humans that allow it to map brain activity.13
Precision Neuroscience’s latest price per share is $5.70 following its Series C funding round in December of 2024. Its slate of investors includes General Equity Holdings, B Capital, Forepoint Capital Partners and Steadview Capital.
8. Tanium
As the company with the eighth-highest seller demand, New York City-based Tanium is a private company that delivers endpoint management and cybersecurity software to enterprises and government agencies. Its technology helps these organizations monitor, secure, and manage millions of devices across their networks in real time.
In May, Tanium announced its latest strategic partnership with internet intelligence firm Censys. The two companies hope to use their platforms to further enable businesses to identify and secure threats within their tech stacks. The unified initiative helps move Tanium’s clients towards a cohesive approach to combating cyber attacks, according to the company.14
Tanium’s Forge PriceTM is $4.71 as of July 27, 2026, implying an overall valuation of $3.72 billion. The cybersecurity company’s institutional investors include Salesforce Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, T. Rowe Price and TPG Capital.
9. Workato
The private company Workato generated a notable volume of seller asks in the last quarter, placing it at number nine on the list of highest sell-side demand. Workato provides an enterprise automation platform that enables businesses to integrate applications, automate workflows and orchestrate data across their organizations without extensive custom coding.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, Workato has been aggressively updating its product offerings for its end users. The platform recently added dozens of integrations that enterprises use every day, including for GitHub, Gmail and Youtube.15 It recently announced more editing features for its popular Agent Studio platform.16 These initiatives highlight Workato’s efforts to acquire new users and retain current ones.
Workato’s Forge PriceTM is $6.78 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $2.39 billion. The private software company’s investors include Redpoint Ventures, Insight Partners, Tiger Global Management and Battery Ventures.
10. Addepar
We close out the list of companies with highest seller demand with Mountain View, California-based Addepar. Addepar is known for its sophisticated wealth management platform, one that enables investment professionals to aggregate, analyze and report on complex portfolios across both public and private assets.
Founded in 2009, the private investment company partnered with CNBC in May to launch its first Family Office Portfolio Tracker. The tracking capabilities will provide a quarterly report that indicates asset class mix and trends across family offices in the United States. The reporting should enable family offices and high-net-worth investors to compare and benchmark across various investment instruments.17
Addepar’s Forge PriceTM is $2.55 as of July 27, 2026, implying a valuation of $2.33 billion. The firm’s investors include Valor Equity Partners, Burch Creative Capital, Innovation Endeavors and SGVC.
