The 26 most valuable private tech companies in the world

Technology companies continue to be some of the most valuable private companies in the world, according to PitchBook’s most recent list of the highest valuations of VC-backed companies.

Uber tops the list as of May 2018, but it’s followed closely by its Chinese competitor, DiDi. In fact, there are a total of five ride-hailing companies on the list; Lyft, Indonesian GO-JEK, and Singapore’s Grab are also on there.

Of the 26 tech companies on the list, 12 are based out of the US and 10 are headquartered in China. Eight of the companies’ most recent deals were led by SoftBank Capital – the US-based venture capital firm that invests heavily in technology – and ranged from $US20 million (Palantir) to $US4.6 billion (Didi).

Here are the most valuable tech companies in the world, from lowest valuation to highest:

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Ubtech: $US5 billion

The Shenzhen, China-based maker of entertainment and educational robots last raised $US820 million in a deal led by Tencent Holdings on May 4, 2018.

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Machine Zone: $US5 billion

Machine Zone is based out of Palo Alto and develops multiplayer mobile games. Its latest deal was a $US330 million funding round in 2016, led by undisclosed investors.

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Coupang: $US5 billion

A Korean e-commerce marketplace for consumer products, tickets, and more that raised $US1 billion in 2015, in a deal led by SoftBank Capital.

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GO-JEK: $US5 billion

This Indonesian ride-hailing company is the largest unicorn company based out of Jakarta, Indonesia. In its most recent funding round in February 2018, the company raised $US1.5 billion, led by Astra International and Tencent Holdings.

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Slack: $US5.1 billion

The San Francisco-based internal communication tool for companies most recently raised $US250 million in funding in 2017, in a round led by SoftBank Group.

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WeDoctor: $US5.5 billion

The Chinese mobile app for medical service raised $US500 million, led by AIA Company and NWS Holdings, in May 2018.

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Robinhood: $US5.6 billion

Robinhood is a stock and cryptocurrency trading app based out of San Francisco. Its most recent funding round took place in May 2018, when the startup raised $US363 million, led by DST Global.

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Grab: $US6 billion

Another ride-hailing company, this time based out of Singapore, Grab most recently completed a $US2.5 billion funding round in January 2018, led by SoftBank and Didi Chuxing.

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Lianjia.com: $US6 billion

Chinese company Lianjia.com is an online real estate platform for sales and rentals. Its last funding round took place in 2017, when it raised $US377 million in a deal led by Sunac China Holdings.

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Magic Leap: $US6.4 billion

The Florida-based AR company raised $US963 million in a funding round that closed in March 2018, led by Temasek Holdings and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

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Manbang Group: $US6.5 billion

This Chinese company created a mobile app that connects truck drivers and distributors. In April 2018, it raised $US1.9 billion in a funding round led by SoftBank Group and China Reform Fund Management.

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Jiedaibao: $US7.6 billion

Jiedaibao is an app that helps facilitate loan transactions, and the company is based out of China. Its most recent funding round took place in 2016, when it raised $US381 million in a round led by undisclosed investors.

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DJI: $US8 billion

SZ DJI Technology Company is based out of China and is currently the largest aerial drone maker in the world. In 2015, it completed a $US75 million funding round from Accel and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

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Stripe: $US9.2 billion

San Francisco-based online payment platform Stripe completed a $US400 million funding round in 2016, led by Capital G and General Catalyst Partners.

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Paytm: $US10 billion

The mobile payment and e-commerce platform makes for easy bill payments in India. In May 2017, Paytm raised $US1.4 billion in financing from SoftBank Group.

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Lyft: $US11.7 billion

Another ride-hailing company based out of San Francisco, Lyft raised $US1.7 billion in March 2018, in a round led by CapitalG.

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Pinterest: $US12.3 billion

The social platform for sharing pictures and content from the web, also based out of San Francisco, raised $US150 million in June 2017 thanks to Emerson Collective, Coffin Capital & Ventures, SharesPost, Sinai Ventures, and other undisclosed investors.

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Pinduoduo: $US15 billion

Pinduoduo is a Chinese discount deal platform that raised $US3 billion in April 2018. The round was led by Tencent Holdings.

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Toutiao: $US20 billion

A China-based news app that raised $US2 billion in a 2017 funding round led by General Atlantic.

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Palantir: $US20.5 billion

Co-founded by Alex Karp and Peter Thiel in Palo Alto, Palantir develops data-gathering and data-analysing platforms for government agencies and private enterprises. It most recently raised $US20 million in 2016, thanks to funding from Decacorn Capital, Oceanic Partners, Prometheus Capital, and undisclosed investors.

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WeWork: $US21.1 billion

A shared workspace provider based out of San Francisco, WeWork raised $US3 billion in a 2017 round led by SoftBank Group’s Vision Fund.

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SpaceX: $US24.7 billion

Elon Musk’s California-based aerospace company most recently completed a $US214 million funding round in 2018, led by Fidelity Investments.

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Meituan-Dianping: $US30 billion

The online marketplace for on-demand services, tickets, and restaurant reservations in China completed a $US4 billion funding round in 2017, led by Tencent.

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Airbnb: $US31 billion

The peer-to-peer online rental company completed its last funding round in 2015, when it raised $US1.6 billion in a deal led by General Atlantic, Hillhouse Capital, and Tiger Gobal Management.

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Didi Chuxing: $US56 billion

The creator of the largest ride-hailing app in China, Didi Chuxing raised $US4.6 billion in February 2018, thanks to a round led by Softbank Capital, Mubadala Development, and JUMP Investors.

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Uber: $US69.9 billion

Topping the list is the largest ride-hailing company in the US, Uber, which raised $US1.3 billion in January 2018 in a funding round led by SoftBank Group.

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