The Midwest doesn't get much of the startup spotlight. But make no mistake: It's home to plenty of fascinating, fast-growing companies. We've ranked 250 of them in Inc.'s first annual list of America's top businesses in the Midwest. Here you'll find our reporting on everything you need to start and grow your company in the Midwest, along with the inspiring backstory of the No. 1 company in the region, which may sound like a Silicon Valley tech company but is very much a Midwestern fixture. You'll also see how an in-person events platform and resource and networking hub for boutique owners are coping amid the coronavirus crisis. Dig further into Inc.'s rankings via our by-the-numbers infographic, delving into companies whose revenue in 2018 ranged from $1 million to $1.1 billion. Explore the list for more on the Midwest companies thriving most.
RANK | COMPANY | 2 YEAR GROWTH (2016-2018) | INDUSTRY | STATE | METRO AREA | CITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | phData | 5,638% | IT Management | MN | Minneapolis | Minneapolis |
2 | Inspire11 | 5,581% | Business Products & Services | IL | Chicago | Chicago |
3 | Great Logics | 4,819% | IT Management | MI | Detroit | Farmington hills |
4 | TrueChoicePack | 3,463% | Advertising & Marketing | OH | Cincinnati | Mason |
5 | Microderm GLO | 3,281% | Retail | IL | Chicago | Elmhurst |
6 | Amply Media | 3,053% | Media | MO | Kansas City | Kansas City |
7 | Precision Staffing Services | 2,998% | Human Resources | OH | Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
8 | MEDLAB INTERNATIONAL INC | 2,261% | Health | OH | Youngstown | Cortland |
9 | SwanLeap | 1,843% | Software | WI | Madison | Madison |
10 | The Boutique Hub | 1,271% | Retail | WI | La Crosse | Onalaska |
How the 2020 Inc. 5000 Series Companies Were Selected Companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 Series are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2016 to 2018. To qualify, companies must: be located in the region to which they are applying and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. Learn more about these companies.
