# Snap Inc.

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly), 2016-11-16

facebook, going-public, ipo, public-company, snap, snap-inc, snapchat, spectacles, tech-ipo, tech-startup, uncategorized

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Snap Inc. (Snapchat) nailed the launch of [Spectacles](http://brandondonnelly.com/post/150871341718/sign-me-up-for-spectacles). I want a pair.

If you haven’t been following, it all started with a pop-up vending machine in Venice Beach. But like Snapchat itself, it was an ephemeral installation that eventually disappeared, moving on to Big Sur, California. At the time of writing this post, [the countdown is on](https://www.spectacles.com/map/) to discover where the vending machine will pop up next. It’s a viral marketing play that aligns very well with their brand.

But there’s even bigger news.

Earlier this week it was revealed that [Snap Inc. has filed for an initial public offering](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-snapchat-ipo-idUSKBN13A2RD). It plans to go public by as soon as March 2017 and expects to be valued somewhere around $25 billion. Remember when everyone flipped out because Evan Spiegel had rejected [Facebook’s acquisition offer of $3 billion?](http://mashable.com/2014/01/06/snapchat-facebook-acquisition-2/#zFsBlebvikqn)  

Here’s their revenue story from [Vanity Fair](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/snapchat-is-reportedly-going-ahead-with-its-plan-to-go-public):

> _Last year, Snapchat brought in $59 million in revenue—a low number that reflected the embryonic stage of its business. This year, however, Snapchat predicts it will generate revenues between $250 million and $350 million. And in 2017, the company estimates it will reach revenues between $500 million and $1 billion, based on “bullish sales targets.”_

I’ve been [a Snapchat fan for awhile now](http://brandondonnelly.com/post/111118804178/what-are-your-disciplines), so I am thrilled to see the company going public. As Fred Wilson [wrote on his blog](http://avc.com/2016/11/going-public) this morning: _“Snap is a great company led by a creative and ambitious founder and they have a loyal and growing use base. I think Snap can be an excellent public company.”_

If you’ve got people’s attention, you can figure out how to monetize it.

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*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://paragraph.com/@brandondonnelly/snap-inc)*