IPO Readiness
Helping organizations plan their path — whether it be through an initial public offering (IPO) or other path to going public — we help you navigate the risks and maximize the rewards in your journey.
IPO Readiness
Going public. It’s a massive, transformational effort with the potential to enhance value and create new growth opportunities for your company.
It also brings with it the prospect of increased regulatory demands, public scrutiny, risk complexity and scalability challenges. How do you know you are ready for the journey?
Conducting a holistic IPO readiness assessment
IPO readiness requires a whole-organization effort — an effort that is too often underestimated in its scope, scale and demands. Many start the journey only to quickly discover a critical lack of resources, infrastructure, knowledge and time to successfully navigate the process required to support the transaction properly without losing focus on daily operations. That uncertainty can put your endeavor at risk.
Risk and compliance
- Enterprise risk management
- Legal
- Data and cybersecurity
- Internal audit
- Ethics and compliance programs
Finance and accounting
- Accounting and financial reporting (SEC)
- Tax strategy and transfer pricing
- Treasury and risk management
- Internal controls / SOX
- Financial planning and budgeting
Strategy and communications
- Growth strategy and long-term business plan
- Company story development and selling
- Capital markets and investor relations
- Internal communications and change management
Talent and business enablement
- Technology implementation and scalability
- Human capital: recruiting, onboarding, resource planning and retention
- Executive compensation plans and D&O insurance
- Third-party relationships
Governance and infrastructure
- Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
- Board and committee structure and composition
- Organizational structure and operating model
- Purpose and culture
- Policies and procedures
Roadmap to readiness
Working side-by-side: Baker Tilly is poised to help you preempt potential challenges in financial reporting, filing, audit readiness, tax (including transfer pricing, tax strategy, global trade and value added tax -VAT- compliance), legal, governance, internal controls, ESG and enterprise risk management throughout your transaction.
Deep subject matter specialization: We provide a breadth of core competency capabilities, including: transaction advisory, technical accounting, governance, internal controls, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, international tax, organization and human capital consulting and new technology implementation support.
Scaling with you: We are an extension of your team providing the necessary skill sets to complete the work. We navigate all aspects of the process, bringing a team of experienced professionals and a customized approach for your journey. We partner with you now and tomorrow as you continue to grow, build and scale your organization.
Plan and align
- Explore IPO viability in context of broader business strategy and growth plan
- Engage with advisors in capital markets and assess funding strategy
- Assess people, processes and technology to develop roadmap and enable business readiness
- Assess tax strategy, structure and compliance requirements
- Align key internal stakeholders around “why”
- Assess accounting policies, practices and capabilities to ensure clear path to accounting and reporting compliance
Establish and develop
- Assemble IPO team and identify/engage with key business partners and advisors
- Formalize corporate governance structure and reporting
- Document policies and processes to support business operations and internal control requirements (404, 302)
- Complete key SEC requirements (S-1 filing, PCAOB audits) and prepare investor presentations
- Provide initial tax structuring and transfer pricing strategy
Execute and prepare for Day 1
- Hold leaders accountable to managing the business like a public company
- Prepare materials for roadshow and investor communications
- Remediate significant control gaps, monitor completion and develop
- SOX 302 certification process
- Address SEC comments on S-1 and file final
- Conduct roadshow and finalize funding
- Begin accounting under public company reporting requirements
Our solutions
Conducting an objective and thorough IPO readiness assessment early in your decision-making process can uncover unknown issues both inside and outside the organization. Readiness requires an understanding of and insight into your strategy, governance and risk, financial, operational, legal, technological, people, change management, risk management and other areas to successfully develop and manage your going public journey.
An eight step checklist to an IPO
Successful organizations going public will engage in the eight steps outlined in this checklist—from the initial phase of designing an IPO readiness roadmap through post-IPO filing and requirements.
Featured insights
SOX readiness: Preparing for an IPO
Initial public offerings (IPOs) will require compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX). Learn more in this infographic.
Going public via SPAC: what you need to know
This on-demand presentation explores the differences between a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and an initial public offering (IPO), and risks to consider before going public via a SPAC.
Real conversations: going public via SPAC
Hear from WM Technology CFO Arden Lee about his experience having just undergone a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) transaction and learn about recent guidance issued by the SEC.
Our professionals
Start your journey now
Contact our teamCount on Baker Tilly to serve as an extension of your management team on this journey. We’ve been there. It’s a stressful time filled with uncertainty, excitement and the need for clear communication in a changing environment.