# Understand how liquidity events can turn your equity into cash

Explore articles and guides to prepare for every type of private company liquidity event—from tender offers to IPOs.

## Secondary transactions

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Author:The Carta Team\
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Date:April 2026\
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featured article\
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The secondary market, explained\
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Understand the function of the private secondary market and how companies can benefit from secondary liquidity and secondary market transactions.](/content/learn/equity/liquidity-events/secondary-transactions/index.html)

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Liquidity\
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June 2026\
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A founder’s guide to the tender offer\
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Learn what a tender offer is and how you can use one to provide liquidity for your shareholders, from the strategic benefits to the process for a successful transaction.\
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View](/content/learn/equity/liquidity-events/tender-offer/index.html)

## Going public

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Author:The Carta Team\
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Date:July 2025\
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featured article\
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IPO readiness\
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Preparing for an IPO can feel like stepping into the unknown. This article covers everything you need to know before, during, and after an IPO—so you can go public with confidence.](/content/learn/startups/exit-strategies/ipo/readiness/index.html)

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Liquidity\
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March 2023\
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Initial public offerings (IPO)\
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An IPO is when a private company trades shares on a public stock exchange for the first time. Learn more about the IPO process & alternative exit options.\
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View](/content/learn/startups/exit-strategies/ipo/index.html)

## Mergers & acquisitions

[**M&A: A definitive guide to mergers and acquisitions**](/content/learn/startups/exit-strategies/mergers-acquisitions/index.html)

[**The M&A process: How to know when the time is right to sell**](/content/learn/startups/exit-strategies/mergers-acquisitions/process/index.html)

[**What happens to stock when a company is bought?**](/content/learn/equity/liquidity-events/acquisition/index.html)

[**Purchase price allocation (PPA): How it works**](/content/learn/startups/exit-strategies/mergers-acquisitions/ppa/index.html)

## State of Private Markets

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Authors:Peter Walker & Kevin Dowd\
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Date:February 2024\
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featured article\
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State of Private Markets: Q4 and 2023 in review\
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While volatility diminished in 2023, fundraising activity in the startup ecosystem remained near recent lows in Q4 2023.](/content/data/state-of-private-markets-q4-2023/index.html)