Italian tech conglomerate Bending Spoons will go public Wednesday on the Nasdaq under ticker "BSP" with a valuation exceeding $18 billion. The Milan-based company raised $1.68 billion in its offering, joining a wave of high-profile listings that have revived investor appetite for new issues.

Founded by college friends and led by CEO Luca Ferrari, the company has built its portfolio through acquisitions including AOL, Eventbrite, Vimeo, Brightcove and Evernote. Its strategy focuses on revamping and retaining businesses rather than breaking them apart, distinguishing it from typical private equity approaches in the tech sector.

The IPO arrives amid record U.S. offerings that generated $130 billion in the first half of 2024, with SpaceX accounting for $86 billion of that total. Rising interest rates previously suppressed public listings as companies found ample private funding, but market conditions have shifted toward renewed public market enthusiasm.

Traditional IPO activity now extends beyond software to include AI-focused firms, infrastructure companies and defense contractors. SK Hynix plans to raise over $29 billion through Nasdaq ADR issuance later this month, signaling sustained momentum in cross-border tech offerings.