Denver makes a name for itself with startup deals in 2024

This year is a landmark one for Denver's startup community.

State of play: Investors are realizing their returns through buyouts, acquisitions and public listings after a period of flat activity, a new report from consulting firm Deloitte finds.

• The first six months of the year recorded 24 exits totaling $2.8 billion — well ahead of the $700 million from 51 deals in all of 2023, according to the analysis, which looked at PitchBook data.
• The Denver metro is one of two noncoastal cities, along with Dallas, to land in the top 10 for expansion stage exits.

Between the lines: The numbers are inflated thanks to digital rewards company Ibotta's $664 million IPO .

What they're saying: Alexie Tune, Deloitte's audit managing director based in Denver, tells us it's significant that the Mile High City showed up in the data.

• "The key for Denver is there's activity and there is positive activity," she said in an interview.
• "I think Denver is doing all the right things," she continued. "The companies are maturing, the levels of investment are maturing. Denver's being seen as kind of a tech and innovation hub and I think that's just going to continue."

Zoom in: The industries where Denver saw the most deals were finance technology, mobile and telecom.

What we're watching: As the venture capital market matures it can have a snowball effect, Tune explains, and lead to more capital and mature entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in startups.