Chicago Fast 50

Overview

Chicago Fast 50 is an annual ranking that recognizes the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Chicago area, based primarily on multi‑year revenue growth. It is run by Crain’s Chicago Business (often referred to as Crain’s Chicago Business Fast 50), and honorees are selected using submitted financials that are vetted by the editorial team. Companies pursue it for regional visibility, third‑party validation of their growth trajectory, and exposure to investors and business partners; the list is data‑driven and editorially controlled rather than pay‑to‑play.

Eligibility Requirements

• Company must be headquartered in the Chicago area or have a significant presence there
• Must demonstrate strong revenue growth over the required multi‑year period (typically the prior 3–5 fiscal years) using submitted financial statements
• Generally limited to privately held, for‑profit companies that are not subsidiaries of larger public corporations, with no more than one year of revenue decline in the measured period