For the past seven years, Inc. and the Initiative for a Competive Inner City (ICIC) have teamed up to recognize America's fastest growing urban businesses through the annual Inner City 100 list.

This year, despite their challenging work environments, the members of the 2005 Inner City 100 list have thrived. Between 1999 and 2003, the companies on this year's list created more than 9,500 new jobs. And they've experienced an average growth of 827% over five years.

Here, you can discover more interesting facts and statistics about the companies on the 2005 list, related stories from the June 2005 issue, and read all 100 profiles of the companies honored on this year's list.

A remarkable group of entrepreneurs deserves credit for transforming America's toughest neighborhoods this year, writes Michael E. Porter. But there is still much that cities can and must do to support these crucial growth companies.

Michael Connelly, the CEO of Mosaica Education, a for-profit educational service company based in New York, and this year's number one company, says that part of its business's mission is to demonstrate that "private enterprise can operate public education." After the company enters into a management contract with a community's school board, it becomes responsible for everything under the roof, from operations to budgeting to hiring and firing. Mosaica also is responsible for the school's curriculum, which Connelly attests, is its central selling point.

Read the entire profile on this year's number one company.

Here is a complete list of this year's honorees, with links to profiles on each of the companies.