We’ve got two Y Combinator success stories to share with you today. Biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks went public last month under the ticker symbol DNA, while product analytics software Amplitude went public last Tuesday under ticker symbol AMPL.
Ginkgo Bioworks is on a mission to put germs to work. Founded in 2009 by a group of MIT scientists, the company specializes in the production of bacteria for industrial purposes using genetic engineering. Ginkgo Bioworks was the first biotech startup funded by Y Combinator.
Amplitude got its start in 2012 when it pitched YC a software that allowed users to send text messages by voice. Sometime around 2014, Amplitude pivoted towards developing a software that allows companies to analyze and gain insights into the activity on their apps and websites. The company’s software has been utilized by companies like Disney (DIS) and Walmart (WMT).
Why it matters
Amplitude chose to go public via a direct listing, while Ginkgo Bioworks went with a SPAC merger. The decisions are an indication that the IPO market is starting to get a little too hot once again.
