Inc. magazine’s 36th annual Inc. 5000 ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies is out, and the meetings, events, and convention industry is well represented on the prestigious list.
The 2017 rankings, which selected U.S.-based companies based on their three-year revenue growth from 2014 to 2016, include at least 22 companies serving the meeting and event industry. At No. 21, Shofur, an Atlanta-based charter bus reservation platform, earned the highest spot for any meeting-related company, with three-year revenue growth of 10,448 percent. The company, a member of the Global Business Travel Association, boasts an impressive list of group business clients, including Delta Air Lines, Microsoft, and the PGA Tour.
Other meeting-related companies that landed a spot on the 2017 Inc. 5000 list include:
#63 The Air Travel Group, Orlando, Fla.
Negotiates airfares for groups, sports teams, and corporate and event travel
Three-year revenue growth: 5,379 percent
#123 Double A, Austin, Texas
Designs and produces branded experiential marketing events, with in-house technology that focuses on the e-sports, gaming, technology, and entertainment sectors
Three-year revenue growth: 3,270 percent
#1004 Fonteva, Arlington, Va.
A cloud-based software company on the Salesforce platform with apps designed for meetings, events, member management, and engagement
Three-year revenue growth: 430 percent
#1125 EventSphere, Atlanta
Event housing and management services
Three-year revenue growth: 372 percent
#1172 T3 Expo, Lakeville, Mass.
Event and trade show services and products, including logistics, construction, and e-commerce applications for mobile devices
Three-year revenue growth: 354 percent
#1520 innoVia Events, Dallas
Full-service event design and audiovisual production services
Three-year revenue growth: 264 percent
#1591 ETA Creative Event Producers, Marietta, Ga.
Event management, production, and related services, including entertainment, set design, and video
Three-year revenue growth: 248 percent
#1635 TravelAdvocates, Hoboken, N.J.
Hotel bookings for corporate groups, tours, sports teams, and traveling work crews
Three-year revenue growth: 240 percent
#1929 CadmiumCD, Forest Hill, Md.
Technology, signage, and services for trade show organizers and conference managers
Three-year revenue growth: 198 percent
#2066 Peachtree Tents & Events, Nashville
Party rental equipment and furnishings
Three-year revenue growth: 178 percent
#2177 TOURtech, Raleigh, N.C.
Wi-Fi, Internet, and technology services for corporate events, conferences, product launches, music festivals, concert tours, and sporting events
Three-year revenue growth: 167 percent
#2344 Expo Logic, East Norriton, Pa.
Registration, lead-retrieval, and other services for companies and organizers in the trade show industry.
Three-year revenue growth: 154 percent
#2872 Convene, New York, N.Y
Day conference centers in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Three-year revenue growth: 118 percent
#3032 Small Business Expo, New York, N.Y
A business-to-business trade show held around the U.S.
Three-year revenue growth: 109 percent
#3168 BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Corporate education services through keynote speakers, consultants, coaches, and trainers
Three-year revenue growth: 103 percent
#3302 The Trade Group, Carrollton, Texas
Exhibit management and event marketing for trade shows, including custom booth design
Three-year revenue growth: 96 percent
#3404 Pinnacle Exhibits, Hillsboro, Ore.
Designs and constructs exhibits, events, and installations for marketing, sales, education and interaction purposes for retail brands
Three-year revenue growth: 93 percent
#3756 Meeting Tomorrow, Chicago
Rents audiovisual equipment, iPads, and computers, and provides other technology-related services for live and virtual meetings
Three-year revenue growth: 79 percent
#3995 Executive Speakers Bureau, Germantown, Tenn.
Manages motivational speakers from around the world
Three-year revenue growth: 71 percent
#4390 Fox World Travel, Oshkosh, Wis.
Business travel services, including mobile booking, travel management, and meeting and incentive management
Three-year revenue growth: 58 percent
#4550 Live Technologies, Columbus, Ohio
Full-service production company for meetings and events, including audiovisual systems, videos, sets, and lighting
Three-year revenue growth: 54 percent
#4905 XpoSolutions, Lemont, Ill.
Logistics and shipping for trade show exhibits
Three-year revenue growth: 44 percent
Did we miss your meetings industry company on the Inc. 5000? Let us know!
**This article has been updated from the original to include Foteva, which made the list at No. #1004.
