Why Do We Want to Go Public?

My initial reaction was excitement.

I actually get to be part of building something like this. A moment later, another thought struck me. Oh, shit. I’ve never done this before. How do we actually do this?

Perhaps that very combination of excitement, uncertainty, and ambition best captures the beginning of this journey.

Over the past few months, I’ve heard the same question many times:

“Why do you want to go public?”

Ever since HTGP was founded, we’ve wanted to build a company capable of going public. Now we are moving forward on this path with determination, and we have spoken openly about our goal of going public in 2028. At the same time, I decided to write about this journey.

Often, people only talk about IPO processes once everything seems ready. I’m more interested in the stage before that. What happens when you start building a company to be ready for an IPO?

So why do we want to go public?

Many people think that the main goal of going public is the stock market. For us, it isn’t. The main reason we want to go public is people.

We are building an entrepreneur-driven group where entrepreneurs, employees, and owners are creating a shared growth story. Going public creates a shared long-term goal around which growth, ownership, and value creation can be built.

At the same time, an IPO provides an opportunity to accelerate growth. Through capital, visibility, and credibility, we can take the Group into its next phase of growth.

Our goal is to list on Nasdaq First North Growth Market in 2028 and use that as a platform for the next stage of our growth journey. But the more I’ve learned about the process, the more I’ve come to believe that the greatest benefit of an IPO is not necessarily the listing itself. The greatest benefit may be the journey.

Preparing for a listing forces you to develop leadership, reporting, governance, finance, strategy, and culture with a longer-term perspective. A company is not built to be stock-market ready on listing day. It is built over the years leading up to it.

That’s why this journey interests me. I plan to share the different stages of the journey, the successes, and also the lessons that can only be learned through experience. The journey is just beginning. There is still a lot to learn, but the direction is clear.

Onward.

– Joni

 

In this blog series, HTGP CEO Joni Lappalainen shares HTGP’s journey toward a potential stock market listing in 2028. The series explores the lessons learned, decisions made, challenges encountered, and successes achieved along the way as the company prepares for its next phase of growth.