What is Unicorn Startup?

A unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at $1 billion or more. The term was coined in 2013 when such valuations were rare - now there are over 1,200 unicorns globally.Why it matters: Unicorns represent some of the fastest-growing companies in the world. By the time they IPO, much of the value creation has already occurred. Early access to unicorns is where generational wealth is built.Unicorn tiers:Unicorn: $1B+ valuationDecacorn: $10B+ valuation (Stripe, SpaceX, Databricks)Hectocorn: $100B+ valuation (ByteDance, SpaceX)Notable unicorns: SpaceX ($180B), Stripe ($50B), Databricks ($43B), Canva ($26B), Discord ($15B).Access: Traditionally limited to VCs and accredited investors, but platforms are democratizing access to unicorn shares.The access challenge: With over 1,200 unicorns worldwide, there is no shortage of billion-dollar private companies. The problem is that the vast majority of retail investors have no way to buy in before an IPO. Secondary markets exist but often require accredited status and six-figure minimums. This access gap means ordinary investors miss the highest-growth phase entirely, entering only after these companies go public at mature valuations.