Up-and-coming technology companies are no longer racing to list their shares on public markets. A massive increase in late-stage venture capital has enabled many start-ups to reach valuations of more than $1 billion while remaining in private hands.

Anatomy of a unicorn: Why tech start-ups are staying private

The McKinsey Podcast, our new flagship podcast series, takes you inside our global firm, and features conversations with experts on issues that matter most in business and management. McKinsey & Company is a management-consulting firm that helps businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations realize their most important goals. Topics covered in this series include strategy, technology, leadership, marketing, operations, organization, and the role of business in society.

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

News

Marketing

Management

The universe isn’t the only thing expanding. Governments have invested in space technology for decades, and now business is accelerating its growth. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey senior partner Ryan Brukardt speaks with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about the global space economy, where innovation in space-based technology is generating a range of public- and private-sector opportunities that could reach $1.8 trillion by 2035[1]—as well as the imperative to shape space responsibly.
In our second segment, author Moshik Temkin talks about his book Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X (PublicAffairs/Hachette Book Group, November 2023) and what history can tell us about the types of leaders we need today. This comes from our Author Talks series. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The case for space

Pass the probiotics and the clinically effective products over the “clean and natural” ones: McKinsey’s latest research on the future of wellness provides a snapshot of how consumers worldwide, across all geographies and generations, are approaching their health and wellness and the types of interventions they are prioritizing. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey partner Anna Pione joins editorial director Roberta Fusaro, to discuss what’s trending, why, and where innovation is needed.
In our second segment, sometimes well-intentioned counsel misses the mark. McKinsey senior partner Gayatri Shenai shares how she failed to recognize a colleague’s cry for help. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

What’s new in consumer wellness trends?

Active users of generative AI are high value and in demand—and in many cases, poised to quit. New research reveals how to attract them, keep them engaged, and motivate them to stay put. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey talent leaders Aaron De Smet and Brooke Weddle talk to global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about what these workers want most, as well as practical steps leaders can take to keep them happy and engaged.
In our second segment, McKinsey partner Julia McClatchy discusses why CEOs must be their company’s chief storyteller. This is the start of a new series we’re calling CEO Insights,
featuring short, sharp tips about the evolving role of CEOs. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Gen AI talent: Your next flight risk

Decarbonization has emerged as a critical tool in the fight against climate change, but it also shows promise as a means of economic acceleration across the globe. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey senior partner Mark Patel joins editorial director Roberta Fusaro to discuss McKinsey’s recent report about the business of carbon dioxide removal and how it could play a vital role in responding to hard-to-abate emissions in various sectors.
In our second segment, Black Americans are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. McKinsey partner Munya Muvezwa shares concrete steps leaders can take to help prevent the deterioration of the lives and livelihoods of Black Americans and the US economy at large.   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Everything you wanted to know about carbon removals but were afraid to ask

Over the past several years, CEOs have faced mounting uncertainty–and 2024 is proving no exception. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, Homayoun Hatami, McKinsey's managing partner for client capabilities, and Liz Hilton Segel, McKinsey's chief client officer, speak with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about what matters most, amid serial crisis and disruption, and where leaders should focus their energies to enable their organizations to thrive.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Anatomy of a unicorn: Why tech start-ups are staying private

Download our free app to listen on your phone