might be one of those ridiculous posts
generally people exit to buyside out of IB, whether that’s PE or SM, or if you’re like that, then distressed investing and the such.
But what about tech? I’ve seen and heard of bankers going to startups like OpenAI and doing extremely fucking well (1-30M) depending on the company they exited to.
Ik tech carries an insane amount of risk but would comp outpace PE over time?
| +190 | Why UBS Is the Worst Place to Start Your IB Career | 32 | 6h |
| +160 | ONLY THESE BANKS OR YOU STRUCK OUT | 39 | 13h |
| +117 | IB Energy Drink Tier List / Ranking | 78 | 1h |
| +65 | Firm Thinks I'm Lying About Offer | 20 | 12h |
| +58 | Indiana University Fraternity Pipelines | 35 | 4h |
| +40 | Rogo AI | 20 | 1h |
| +39 | Stay at Weak Dealflow Team or Lateral? | 12 | 1d |
| +38 | Elite Boutique interview questions | 10 | 1h |
| +34 | Suspended for a Year | 16 | 27m |
| +23 | 1st Half 2026 (1H26) RX IB & RX Co. Rankings | 16 | 7m |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Don’t think it’s ridiculous at all- been thinking the same. But as you mentioned yourself it does carry a huge risk!
yeah friend’s brother exited from GS/MS/JPM to an AI startup and is doing really fucking well. Again it’s go big or go home, but in the right environment, huge results
Truth is, early/growth stage tech start-ups don't fucking need ex-bankers
Know of one who pivoted to startup - they're helpful for process work and knowing how to pitch to investors (allegedly)
^ This plus massive survivor bias — NVIDIA’s janitors are prob millionaires, gotta bet on the right horse though…
Yeah exactly, tbh buyside is probably much more intuitive when it comes to keeping your career.
Numquam molestiae fugiat dolorem eos quis unde voluptatem. Recusandae quos quia labore porro rerum ut illo nisi. Itaque voluptatem qui dolore harum.
Doloribus sit velit velit modi. Neque possimus expedita iste repellendus dolore quo neque. Laborum perspiciatis magni consequatur.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...