2024: The Year of Revival for Startup Exits? Insights from TechCrunch+'s Investor Survey

Startups seeking exits have faced challenges in recent years. Despite hopes for a revival in 2023 after a subdued 2022, the exit market remained closed. Investors and founders are now eyeing 2024 as a potential turning point. TechCrunch+ conducted a survey with over 40 investors to gauge their predictions for 2024, focusing on the exit market's prospects. The majority believe exit volumes in 2024 will surpass those of the previous two years, though opinions vary on the nature of these exits.

There's a split in optimism between mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPOs) for 2024. The survey, largely completed before the Adobe-Figma deal fell through, highlights that startups considering such strategies in the current year must navigate a complex regulatory landscape. Despite this, many venture capitalists (VCs) remain hopeful about increased exit activity in the coming year.