If you can build a profitable company with good margins fast, the company could do what I would call a reverse private equity deal. The company would buy back the investment stake from investors and fund that via a loan or some type of debit.
The option feels like a "domino rally" type of plan since multiple parts would have to together perfectly in order to work. This type of plan is the only option I can imagine besides being acquired if an IPO is out of the question. I've seen this type of thing happen in the Oil and Gas world.
I've actually thought about this, but I think there would be conflict with the investors in that there might be a sense that their shares are being taken hostage, especially if this plan wasn't disclosed upfront. If the company has no interest in an exit or IPO, then really the only interested buyer of the shares is the company, which would depress the value of the shares compared to what they would fetch on the open market.
Also, something similar would have to be worked out with the employee stock options presumably, and then you would have to work out some other profit sharing mechanism anyway in order to retain and attract new employees.
The option feels like a "domino rally" type of plan since multiple parts would have to together perfectly in order to work. This type of plan is the only option I can imagine besides being acquired if an IPO is out of the question. I've seen this type of thing happen in the Oil and Gas world.