The ColumbusAreaGrowth20 Home

The United States was founded on ideals of independence and autonomy. Even the drafters of the Declaration of Independence desired the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. So it’s no surprise that in the last two decades thousands of entrepreneurs have started businesses all over the country. The latest statistics estimate that 550,000 new businesses are started each year.

What is even more astonishing is that these smaller (less than 500 employees) economic growth companies are responsible for the majority of the new net job creation (60-80%) and new technologies (they average 13 times more patents than larger firms) each year.

We were more curious about the impact this trend is having on our local economy. Up to this point many of these companies have not been identified or recognized for their contributions to the local economy. The Columbus Enterprise Development Corporation (CEDC) created the ColumbusAreaGrowth20 to recognize the 20 fastest growing businesses in the Columbus area. Some of these businesses are household names, while others have just flown onto the entrepreneurial radar. These companies do everything from reverse engineering to reversing the effects of aging. Despite their uniqueness, they all have one thing in common; they all call the Columbus area home.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of the businesses that are improving the quality of life in Columbus, it is our sincere attempt to recognize some of the most important. We took nominations from local professional service providers, we watched the newspapers for press releases and advertisements, and we listened for “business buzz” to hear which companies were making a lot of noise. From the applications of qualified companies, we selected and ranked the top 20.

All of the companies on the list have experienced great success and are eager to share their stories with you. CEDC is proud to be among the first to recognize them for their accomplishments.