IPO
IPO Overview IPO Readiness IPO Checklist IPO Timeline IPO Team D&O Insurance Securities Class Action Risk D&O for Direct Listings D&O for SPAC Transactions NYSE vs. Nasdaq IPO Equity Story Quiet Period
Selecting Advisors
Building Your IPO Team Selecting IPO Counsel Selecting an Auditor Selecting Accounting Advisory Selecting an IR Firm Investor Targeting The Earnings Cycle Regulation FD Selecting a D&O Broker Selecting Transfer Agent Equity Plan Administration Annual Meeting & Proxy Selecting Financial Printer XBRL & EDGAR Guide All-Hands Drafting Session S-1 Section by Section IPO Lock-Up Agreements The IPO Bookbuild IPO Pricing Night The Greenshoe Option IPO FAQs
SPAC
SPAC Overview What is a SPAC? SPAC vs IPO
Direct Listing
Direct Listing Overview Direct Listing vs IPO
Pre-IPO Capital
Going Public vs. Staying Private SAFE Notes Convertible Notes Preferred Stock & VC Terms Venture Debt Cap Table Guide 409A Valuations What Is an EGC?
Financial Reporting
Non-GAAP Metrics Revenue Recognition (ASC 606) SOX 404 Guide Stock Compensation (ASC 718) Lease Accounting (ASC 842) Business Combinations (ASC 805) The First 10-K
Sector IPO Guides
SaaS IPO Guide Biotech IPO Guide Marketplace IPO Guide Fintech IPO Guide
Resources
All Resources Glossary FAQs About Get IPO Checklist →
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The Complete IPO Readiness Checklist

150+ items across every workstream in the IPO preparation process — financial, governance, legal, audit, roadshow, and post-IPO. Used by finance teams preparing for a first public offering.

6 workstream sections with sub-tasks and owners
Timeline guidance — what to start 18, 12, 6 months out
Post-IPO section covering SEC filings and investor relations
Printable PDF format, ready to share with your team

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What You're Downloading — 3 Guides

💰

Financial Preparation

PCAOB audit engagement, financial close process, revenue recognition, historical restatements, and earnings cycle readiness.

28 items
⚖️

Legal & Corporate

Cap table cleanup, material contract review, IP audit, employment agreement updates, and Delaware reincorporation.

24 items
🏛️

Governance & Board

Independent director recruitment, committee formation, governance policy adoption, D&O insurance, and insider trading policy.

22 items
🔒

SOX & Internal Controls

COSO framework implementation, key control identification, control testing, deficiency remediation, and 404(a) assessment readiness.

26 items
📣

Roadshow & S-1

Investment bank selection, S-1 drafting milestones, SEC comment response, roadshow preparation, and pricing night checklist.

20 items
🏁

Post-IPO Obligations

SEC filing calendar, earnings cycle setup, investor relations launch, lock-up expiration planning, and Reg FD training.

18 items

"The single biggest mistake companies make in IPO preparation is not starting the governance and audit work early enough. By the time they realize the gaps, they're 6 months from an S-1 filing and scrambling."

— Common observation from experienced IPO counsel