IIn the startup world, cases of extraordinary return on investment (ROI) are not just inspiring stories — they shape the market’s perception of risk, innovation, and exponential growth potential. Although every early-stage investment involves high risks, some investors have been rewarded with returns that far surpass any traditional application.
In this article, we highlight some of the greatest ROIs in startup history, analyzing the factors that made these bets extremely successful.
- Facebook – Accel Partners
- Initial Investment: $12.7 million
- Year: 2005
- Stake: Around 10%
- Valuation at IPO (2012): $104 billion
- Estimated Return: ~3,000%
Accel Partners invested in the social network during its early university phase. The Series A investment secured the firm a billion-dollar ROI at the company’s IPO. This is one of the most emblematic examples of how timing and strategic vision are crucial in venture capital.
- WhatsApp – Sequoia Capital
- Initial Investment: $8 million
- Year: 2011
- Stake: Approximately 15%
- Acquired by Facebook (2014): $19 billion
- Estimated Return: +25,000%
Sequoia was WhatsApp’s only institutional investor before its historic acquisition by Meta (Facebook). This return is considered one of the greatest in modern venture capital history and cemented Sequoia’s reputation as one of Silicon Valley’s most visionary firms.
- Airbnb – Sequoia Capital
- Initial Investment: $585,000
- Year: 2009
- Valuation at IPO (2020): $47 billion
- Estimated Return: +70,000%
Once again, Sequoia showed its ability to identify disruptive solutions. When it invested in Airbnb, the idea of renting a room to strangers was met with skepticism. Today, the platform has completely transformed the hospitality industry.
- Google – Kleiner Perkins & Sequoia Capital
- Combined Initial Investment: $25 million
- Year: 1999
- Valuation at IPO (2004): $23 billion
- Estimated Return: +1,500% in under 5 years
The investments from Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital enabled Google to scale globally. Its IPO in 2004 solidified the company as one of the most notable cases of fast and massive return in the startup ecosystem.
- Uber – Benchmark Capital
- Initial Investment: $12 million
- Year: 2011
- Stake: Around 11%
- Valuation at IPO (2019): $82 billion
- Estimated Return: +9,000%
Despite controversies along the way, Benchmark’s investment in Uber yielded an impressive return — once again proving that major innovations in heavily regulated sectors can generate exponential profits.
What Do These Stories Teach Us?
All these cases share common elements:
- Radical innovation: Companies that broke paradigms in traditional markets.
- Timing: Investments were made at early stages, before large-scale validation.
- Long-term vision: In all cases, the highest returns came from holding until a liquidity event (exit or IPO).
- Strategic management: Active participation from the funds in the startups’ growth was crucial to their success.
The Current Opportunity: Tokenization and Expanded Access to Venture Capital
With platforms like iSelfToken, this type of opportunity is becoming democratized. Through equity tokenization, investors of different profiles can access startup rounds with much more agility, transparency, and control over acquired assets.
Additionally, with the existence of an internal secondary market and strategic benefits offered by some startups, the return potential expands beyond the traditional model.
Final Thoughts
While the examples cited are extraordinary, it’s important to remember that every startup investment involves real risk and must be approached responsibly. No return is guaranteed — but with strategy, vision, and diversification, the potential for capital multiplication is both real and proven.
At iSelfToken, you’ll find startups from various sectors, all with publicly available documents, goals, and fundamentals for analysis. Explore the opportunities with awareness and get ready to be part of the next great ROI stories in the market.
