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  4. Eligibility and Company Structure

Articles in This Section

  • What are the eligibility criteria for the Inc. 5000?
  • What are the official rules for the 2024 Inc. 5000?
  • Does my company have to be profitable to be eligible?
  • My company's revenue declined in 2020 or 2023. Does that disqualify my business or make it unwise to apply?
  • My company is public – can I apply?
  • What if my company was a partnership in 2019 and is now a corporation?
  • What if my company used to be a subsidiary or a division and is now independent?
  • What if my company is private and independent but is about to be acquired or go public?
  • 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

  • My company is public – can I apply?
  • What is the application Process?
  • Does my company have to be profitable to be eligible?
  • How are the 2023 Inc. 5000 companies selected?
  • What are the Inc. Regionals?

My company's revenue declined in 2020 or 2023. Does that disqualify my business or make it unwise to apply?

Not necessarily. We look at the overall three-year growth rate from 2020 through 2023 compared with that of the other Inc. 5000 applicants. Among last year's 2023 Inc. 5000 honorees, year-to-year declines were acceptable and common. We will be comparing only your 2020 and 2023 numbers, using our definition of revenue (line 1c on your tax returns). 

However, your company must be reporting higher revenue numbers in 2023 than in 2020 to be considered. Companies that show lower revenue in 2022 than in 2019 will produce a negative growth rate and will be automatically disqualified.   

Read more about how we calculate your growth rate here. 

Applications for the 2023 Inc. 5000 awards are now closed.
You can sign up to be notified once applications are being accepted for the 2024 awards.
Have any questions or concerns? Email us at Inc5000@inc.com

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