Factbox - Big year seen for IPOs as 'decacorns' eye listings

(Reuters) - The market for public listings in the United States promises to be robust next year, following what can at best be described as a dismal year for IPO activity.

Several so-called "decacorns", or companies valued at tens of billions of dollars, are widely expected to make their market debuts in 2017. Snap Inc, owner of messaging app Snapchat, could go public as soon as March.

While not many companies have publicly laid out plans for a 2017 IPO, experts believe the number will increase given that uncertainty has eased since the U.S. election.

Following is a list of some of the most anticipated IPOs of 2017.

SNAP INC

The Venice, California-based owner of Snapchat could go public as soon as March and be valued at $20 billion-$25 billion, making it the largest IPO since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd went public two years ago in a $170.9 billion IPO.

AIRBNB INC

The U.S. short-term home rental company has a valuation of about $30 billion and is one of the hotly anticipated debuts of next year. (http://reut.rs/2grJd51)

UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC [UBER.UL]

The U.S. ride-hailing company's IPO has been expected for a few years now. Uber raised $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund in June. That valued the company at $62.5 billion, making it the most highly valued venture capital-backed company in the world. (http://reut.rs/25BPbsc)

PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES

Palantir was co-founded by Peter Thiel and Joe Lonsdale, two of Silicon Valley's more influential investors and entrepreneurs. The company helps government agencies track down terrorists and uncover financial fraud. It raised $880 million in funding late last year for a $20 billion valuation, and is considered one of Silicon Valley's most secretive companies. (http://reut.rs/2cyTrDL)

VICE MEDIA

The edgy video maker, known for its coverage of current affairs for the Millennial generation, counts Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox Inc and Walt Disney Co as its investors. The company is valued upward of $4 billion.

SPOTIFY

Founded in 2006 by Swedes Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, the music streaming service company has financial backing from the likes of Northzone, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Accel Partners and DST and now boasts of having close to 100 million users in about 60 markets.

ELEVATE CREDIT [ELVT.N]

The online lender has filed with the SEC for its IPO. Its last amended filing shows that the company will offer 3.6 million shares and expects them to be priced between $20 and $22 per share.

Source: Reuters, SEC, GoBankingRates

(Reporting by Sweta Singh in Bengaluru)