5 Potential IPOs That Could Save the Market

Saying that the market's been volatile lately is an understatement. Stocks are going through some wild price swings and investors are getting rightfully nervous. Wall Street's tired, but one thing that could change that is the infusion of new market darlings.

There are a few privately held companies that could breathe new life into the stock market by going public. Let's go over a few of the potential game changers that could really bring enthusiasm back to the market if they went the IPO route.

Uber

Turning cars into cottage industries has given vehicle owners a new way to make money. As the leading peer-to-peer taxi service, Uber also provides consumers with a cheaper alternative to cabs. The company's meteoric rise hasn't gone unnoticed. It completed a round of financing earlier this summer that valued it at a cool $51 billion.

It hasn't been smooth sailing for Uber. Cab companies and unions have fought against the platform, and the protests got testy earlier this year in France. Some municipalities closer to home have argued that Uber should be paying its drivers as employees and not independent contractors, something that would dramatically increase its operating costs. However, the revolutionary company would really turn heads if it were to file to go public.

Airbnb

%VIRTUAL-WSSCourseInline-799%Another tech upstart making waves in the asset-sharing market is Airbnb, the popular website that lets folks rent out their homes or even individual rooms within their homes. Airbnb's valuation was recently pegged at $25 billion.

Airbnb has also had its setbacks. Some rentals have ended badly, leading many to wonder if Airbnb should be more accountable for the actions of its renters and property owners. However, with travelers looking for economical choices for lodging that don't involve hostels or pitching a tent, Airbnb has emerged as a trendsetter in travel.

Snapchat

It's been two years since Snapchat shot down Facebook's (FB) offer to snap up the photo messaging platform for $3 billion. Naysayers argued that Snapchat would come to regret its decision, but with its reported market value popping fivefold to $15 billion, we know that Snapchat is the one laughing now.

Xiaomi

There's a rising star in the smartphone market. Xiaomi has emerged as China's hometown darling, growing quickly as it outfits the world's most populous nation with cheap yet feature-rich devices. It sold 61 million smartphones last year, and its prospects grow as the company expands to new markets.

Xiaomi is establishing a presence in the U.S. this year, but it's not selling phones here just yet. It's marketing its other consumer electronics, but establishing its brand is the first step to inevitably taking on the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy here. Xiaomi raised money last year at an implied valuation of $46 billion.

Spotify

The leading premium streaming music service has succeeded where tech giants and record labels have failed by getting folks to pay for music. Spotify has more than 20 million paying customers, with tens of millions more enjoying its limited ad-based offering.

We're no longer buying CDs or MP3s. Streaming is where music consumption is at these days and Spotify -- with its estimated $8.5 billion valuation -- is leading the way. If the market's singing a sad tune, Spotify could help it change that.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns and recommends Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. Check out our free report on one great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond.