These fast-growing St. Louis-area companies made the Inc. 5000 list this year

Thirty-eight St. Louis-area firms were listed on this year's Inc. 5000, a ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. That's down from the 50 local firms that ranked on the list in 2021.

The Inc. 5000 are ranked by percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been operating by March 31, 2018; be U.S.-based, privately-held and for-profit; and report minimum revenue of $100,000 in 2018 and $2 million in 2021. The companies must also be independent as of Dec. 31, 2021, not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies.

For the 5,000 companies on the list, the median growth rate from 2018 to 2021 was 230%, up from the 168% median growth for the 2021 ranking. This year's Inc. 5000 reported more than $300 billion in total revenue, and growth ranged from 245,616% for financial services firm BlockFi, ranked No. 1, to 80% growth for Greensboro, N.C.-based Worldwide Insurance Network, ranked No. 5,000.

In the St. Louis area, the highest-ranked firm was St. Louis-based investment banking firm BowPoint, which reported a 1,112% growth from 2018 to 2021. Five other financial services firms in St. Louis made the ranking, making it the largest category represented from the region.

Average growth for all 38 St. Louis-based firms that made the Inc. 5000 was 297%.

Many firms that ranked on the list in 2022 also ranked in 2021, with some posting even more impressive growth this year. For example, XIL Health, a Chesterfield-based consulting firm in the pharmaceuticals industry, ranked No. 4,848 on last year's list, with 45% growth. This year, the firm ranked No. 945, and posted 681% growth.

Similarly, St. Louis-based investment bank Nolan & Associates ranked No. 3,714 on last year's list with 90% growth. With 772% growth from 2018 to 2021, the company was the third-highest-ranking local firm this year at No. 820.

Below is the full list of St. Louis-area firms that made the Inc. 5000 for 2022 (rank: company, location | 2018 to 2021 growth rate | sector):

The complete Inc. 5000 rankings for 2022 can be found here.