A company looking to raise money in 2014 didn’t have to look too far. Last year was the busiest for initial public offerings since 2010, Fortune reported.

From Alibaba Group’s $25 billion IPO to much-hyped smaller listings, companies listing on the stock markets raised $249 billion worldwide, according to data collected by Thompson Reuters. Even without Alibaba’s record-breaking offering, last year was a standout period for IPOs.

IPOs picked up pace from 2013: about 40 percent more companies listed on public markets in 2014 compared to the year prior. They also raised more money. Leaving out Alibaba’s offering, which many agree is a once-in-a-generation kind of IPO, companies raised almost 36 percent more money year-over-year, according to The New York Times.

The private market also saw big number sums, including Uber’s $1.8 billion fundraising round that valued it at $40 billion. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and online home rental service Airbnb also raised huge sums that valued the startups at $10 billion or more.