Anthropic Seeks Founder Control Ahead of Potential IPO

Anthropic is seeking shareholder approval for a new corporate structure that would grant CEO Dario Amodei and six co-founders a combined 50.1% of voting power. Modeled after the founder-control structure used by Palantir, the plan utilizes a special class of shares to give the co-founders collective control over most corporate matters, provided at least three of the seven founders maintain a minimum shareholding.

The proposed arrangement includes a notable exception regarding the election of the company's seven-member board. To balance this power, Anthropic plans to issue a special class of stock to employees that would serve as tie-breaker votes on specific issues.

These structural changes come as the company prepares for a potentially record-breaking initial public offering. The IPO may be scheduled after the U.S. midterm elections in November. In May, the company raised $65 billion at a valuation of $965 billion.