Help Center
  1. Help Center
  2. Recognition
  3. Inc. 5000
  4. Eligibility and Company Structure

Articles in This Section

  • Inc. 5000 | What are the eligibility criteria for the Inc. 5000?
  • Inc. 5000 | Does my company have to be profitable to be eligible?
  • Inc. 5000 | My company's revenue declined in 2021 or 2024. Does that disqualify my business or make it unwise to apply?
  • Inc. 5000 | My company is public – can I apply?
  • Inc. 5000 | What if my company was a partnership in 2021 and is now a corporation?
  • What if my company used to be a subsidiary or a division and is now independent?
  • Inc. 5000 | What if my company is private and independent but is about to be acquired or go public?
  • Inc. 5000 | My company is majority or wholly owned by a venture capital firm, a private equity firm, or an investment bank. Is it eligible?

Related articles

  • Inc. 5000 | My company is public – can I apply?
  • Inc. 5000 | What is Inc.’s preferred method of revenue verification?
  • Inc. 5000 | What if my company was a partnership in 2021 and is now a corporation?
  • Inc. 5000 | Does my company have to be profitable to be eligible?
  • BIB | What are the eligibility requirements for the 2025 Inc. Best in Business?

Inc. 5000 | My company's revenue declined in 2021 or 2024. Does that disqualify my business or make it unwise to apply?

Not necessarily. We look at the overall three-year growth rate from 2021 through 2024 compared with that of the other Inc. 5000 applicants. Among last year's 2024 Inc. 5000 honorees, year-to-year declines were acceptable and common. We will be comparing only your 2021 and 2024 numbers, using our definition of revenue (line 1c on your tax returns). 

However, your company must be reporting higher revenue numbers in 2024 than in 2021 to be considered. Companies that show lower revenue in 2024 than in 2021 will produce a negative growth rate and will be automatically disqualified.   

Read more about how we calculate your growth rate here. 

Applications for the 2025 Inc. 5000 list are now closed. Sign up here to be notified when 2026 applications open.
Have any questions or concerns? Email us at  Inc5000@inc.com

  • Home
  • Subscriber Care
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright 2020 Mansueto Ventures