Houston boasts impressive presence on annual list of fastest-growing businesses

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The Inc. 5000 list is out — here's how Houston faired this year. Photo by Natalie Harms

One hundred businesses in the Houston area — including the top-ranked company in Texas — have been named to the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of the country’s fastest-growing private companies.

The 2024 Inc. 5000 ranks companies based on their percentage growth in revenue from 2020 to 2023.

Topping the list of Houston-area companies on the list is The Woodlands-based Segment HR, which notched revenue growth of 7,353 percent. That growth rate earned Segment HR the No. 32 spot on the national list and the No. 1 ranking in Texas.

Founded in 2018 by former federal HR specialist Robin Scott, Segment HR specializes in providing HR support for federal agencies. The company employs remote HR specialists in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

Here’s the list of the top 25 Houston-area companies in the 2024 edition of the Inc. 5000, including each company’s headquarters city, growth rate, and national ranking:

  • Segment HR, The Woodlands, 7,353 percent, No. 32
  • Dhanani Private Equity Group, Stafford, 3,617 percent, No. 89
  • Realty.com, Houston 3,052 percent, No. 107
  • Turtlebox Audio, Houston, 1,913 percent, No. 209
  • Amundson Group, Houston, 1,306 percent, No. 332
  • Valiant Business Lending, Houston, 1,286 percent, No. 337
  • Strategic Office Support, Houston, 1,192 percent, No. 367
  • 10xTravel, Houston, 1,102 percent, No. 401
  • NOW Insurance, Houston, 797 percent, No. 559
  • Explore Group, Houston, 796 percent, No. 562
  • Specialty1 Partners, Houston, 728 percent, No. 631
  • FINBOA, Houston, 714 percent, No. 650
  • BroCoTec, Houston, 687 percent, No. 690
  • Elite Roofing, Houston, 675 percent, No. 706
  • Patriot Bolt, Humble, 641 percent, No. 757
  • CT Sounds, Houston, 624 percent, No. 789
  • Supreme Jewelers, Friendswood, 525 percent, No. 965
  • Dometik Commercial Construction, Cypress, 477 percent, No. 1,070
  • Vape City, Houston, 459 percent, No. 1,116
  • Highlands Construction, Houston, 451 percent, No. 1,132
  • Houston Tents and Events, Houston, 438 percent, No. 1,171
  • Goebel Fasteners, Houston, 385 percent, No. 1,340
  • Field Industries, Houston, 376 percent, No. 1,366
  • Coverflex Manufacturing, Houston, 365 percent, No. 1,410

“One of the greatest joys of my job is going through the Inc. 5000 list,” says Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. “To see all of the intriguing and surprising ways that companies are transforming sectors, from health care and AI to apparel and pet food, is fascinating for me as a journalist and storyteller.”

Elsewhere in Texas:

  • Austin-based Maev led the Austin-area pack with a growth rate of 6,734 percent, earning the No. 38 spot on the national list.
  • Dallas-based Archer Review led the Dallas-area pack with a growth rate of 5,771 percent, earning the No. 46 spot on the national list.
  • LaVernia-based Begesh led the San Antonio-area pack with a growth rate of 1,111 percent, earning the No. 396 spot on the national list.
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How you can use your data to improve your marketing efforts. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert breaks down how B2B companies should leverage data for growth

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When focusing on revenue growth in business to business companies, analyzing data to develop and optimize strategies is one of the biggest factors in sales and marketing success. However, the process of evaluating B2B data differs significantly from that of B2C, or business to consumer. B2C analysis is often straightforward, focusing on consumer behavior and e-commerce transactions.

Unlike B2C, where customers can make a quick purchase decision with a simple click, the B2B customer journey involves multiple touchpoints and extensive research. B2B buyers will most likely discover a company through an ad or a referral, then navigate through websites, interact with salespeople, and explore different resources before finally making a purchasing decision, often with a committee giving input.

Because a B2B customer journey through the sales pipeline is more indirect, these businesses need to take a more nuanced approach to acquiring and making sense of data.

The expectations of B2B vs. B2C

It can be tempting to use the same methods of analysis between B2C and B2B data. However, B2B decision-making requires more consideration. Decisions involving enterprise software or other significant business products or services investments are very different from a typical consumer purchase.

B2C marketing emphasizes metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and immediate sales. In contrast, B2B marketing success also includes metrics like lead quality, customer lifetime value, and ROI. Understanding the differences helps prevent unrealistic expectations and misinterpretations of data.

Data differences with B2B

While B2C data analysis often revolves around website analytics and foot traffic in brick and mortar stores, B2B data analysis involves multiple sources. Referrals play a vital role in B2B, as buyers often seek recommendations from industry peers or companies similar to theirs.

Data segmentation in B2B focuses more on job title and job function rather than demographic data. Targeting different audiences within the same company based on their roles — and highlighting specific aspects of products or services that resonate with those different decision-makers — can significantly impact a purchase decision.

The B2B sales cycle is longer because purchases typically involve the input of a salesperson to help buyers with education and comparison. This allows for teams to implement account-based marketing and provides for more engagement which increases the chances of moving prospects down the sales funnel.

Enhancing data capture in B2B analysis

Many middle-market companies rely heavily on individual knowledge and experience rather than formal data management systems. As the sales and marketing landscape has evolved to be more digital, so must business. Sales professionals can leave and a company must retain the knowledge of the buyers and potential buyers. CRM systems not only collect data, they also provide the history of customer relationships.

Businesses need to capture data at all the various touchpoints, including lead generation, prospect qualification, customer interactions, and order fulfillment. Regular analysis will help with accuracy. The key is to derive actionable insights from the data.

B2B data integration challenges

Integrating various data sources in B2B data analysis used to be much more difficult. With the advent of business intelligence software such as Tableau and Power BI, data analysis is much more accessible with a less significant investment. Businesses do need access to resources to effectively use the tools.

CRM and ERP systems store a wealth of data, including contact details, interactions, and purchase history. Marketing automation platforms capture additional information from website forms, social media, and email campaigns. Because of these multiple sources, connecting data points and cleansing the data is a necessary step in the process.

When analyzing B2B data for account based marketing (ABM) purposes, there are some unique considerations to keep in mind. Industries like healthcare and financial services, for instance, have specific regulations that dictate how a business can use customer data.

Leveraging B2B data analysis for growth

B2B data analysis is the foundation for any sales and marketing strategy. Collecting and using data from multiple sources allows revenue teams to uncover gaps, trends, and opportunities for continued growth.

Acknowledging what’s different about B2B data and tracking all of the customer journey touchpoints is important as a business identifies a target market, develops an ideal customer profile, and monitors their competitors. Insights from data also single out gaps in the sales pipeline, use predictive analytics for demand forecasting, and optimize pricing strategies.

This comprehensive approach gives B2B companies the tools they need to make informed decisions, accelerate their sales and marketing efforts, and achieve long-term growth in a competitive market.

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Libby Covington is a Partner with Craig Group, a technology-enabled sales and marketing advisory firm specializing in revenue growth for middle-market, private-equity-backed portfolio companies.

Here's what Houston company scored the No. 2 spot among the fastest-growing private companies in the Southwest. Photo via Getty Images

Houston companies snag spots on regional Inc. 5000 list

by the numbers

Revenue growth is on fire at Houston-based Simple Solar.

Revenue at Simple Solar, a provider of residential solar installations, soared 8,007 percent from 2019 to 2021, putting it at No. 2 among the fastest-growing private companies in the Southwest. It leads the list of 25 Houston-area companies appearing in the new Inc. 5000 Regional rankings for the Southwest.

Between 2019 and 2021, the 165 private companies on the Southwest list posted an average growth rate of 557 percent. In 2021 alone, they added 16,116 jobs and nearly $5.5 billion to the Southwest’s economy.

“This year’s Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America’s off-the-charts growth companies,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. “They’re disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsized impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you’ll be hearing about for years to come.”

Here are the 25 Houston-area companies that made the Inc. 5000 Regional list for the Southwest, including their regional rankings.

  • No. 2 Simple Solar, Houston-based provider of residential solar installations, 8,007 percent growth
  • No. 6 Medical Edge Recruitment, The Woodlands-based health care recruiting and staffing firm, 2,980 percent growth
  • No. 8 Specialty1 Partners, Houston-based provider of surgical support services for dental practices, 2,921 percent growth
  • No. 15 Magnolia-based online women’s clothing retailer Jess Lea, 1,471 percent growth
  • No. 36 Houston-based accounting and advisory firm EFS Group, 458 percent growth
  • No. 39 Blackbuck Resources, Houston-based designer, builder, and operator of water infrastructure for the oil and gas industry, 432 percent growth
  • No. 48 Leveled Concrete, Houston-based provider of concrete and foundation repair services, 298 percent growth
  • No. 52 iCRYO Brands, Houston-based franchisor of cryotherapy centers, 269 percent growth
  • No. 53 TAXA Outdoors, Houston-based retailer of camping trailers, 268 percent growth
  • No. 58 Proxima Clinical Research, Houston-based contract research organization, 243 percent growth
  • No. 64 Ledge, Katy-based seller of in-pool and backyard furniture and accessories, 234 percent growth
  • No. 66 TekRevol, Houston-based software developer, 226 percent growth
  • No. 79 Finish Line Tax Solutions, Houston-based tax relief firm, 194 percent growth
  • No. 82 Incfile, Houston-based provider of services for small businesses, 192 percent growth
  • No. 99 Flocknote, Magnolia-based provider of technology that helps churches boost attendance and foster connections, 152 percent growth
  • No. 125 Onit, Houston-based developer of workflow and AI software, 104 percent
  • No. 137 InterLinc Mortgage, Houston-based mortgage lender, 85 percent growth
  • No. 140 Classy Art, Houston-based supplier of wall décor, 83 percent growth
  • No. 145 Zulie Venture (Cellpay), Sugar Land-based provider of prepaid wireless services, 78 percent growth
  • No. 149 Total Pump Solutions, Houston-based distributor of fire suppression equipment, 75 percent growth
  • No. 155 Construction Concepts, Houston-based commercial construction firm, 67 percent growth
  • No. 157 Energy Ogre, Houston-based service that helps consumers find electricity plans, 63 percent growth
  • No. 164 Garrison Construction Group, Houston-based commercial construction firm, 60 percent growth
  • No. 165 Technocrats Domain, Houston-based provider of IT services, 60 percent growth
  • No. 166, G&A Partners, Houston-based professional employer organization, 60 percent growth
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Houston Nobel Prize nominee earns latest award for public health research

Prized Research

Houston vaccine scientist Dr. Peter Hotez can add one more prize to his shelf.

Hotez — dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics — is no stranger to impressive laurels. In 2022, he was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his low-cost COVID vaccine.

His first big win of 2025 is this year’s Hill Prize, awarded by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST).

Hotez and his team were selected to receive $500,000 from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to help fund The Texas Virosphere Project. The endeavor was born to help create a predictive disease atlas relating to climate disasters. Because the climate crisis has ushered in changes to the distribution of diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Chagas disease, typhus and tick-borne relapsing fever, it’s important to predict outbreaks before they become a menace.

Rice University researchers are collaborating with Hotez and his team on a project that combines climate science and metagenomics to access 3,000 insect genomes. The goal is to aid health departments in controlling disease and informing policy.

The Hill Prize, which is being awarded to six innovators for the first time, thanks to a $10 million commitment from the philanthropic organization, is intended to back ideas that are high-risk and high-reward. Each of the projects was chosen for its potential real-life impact on some of Texas's — and the world’s — most challenging situations. Hotez’s prize is the first Hill Prize to be given in the realm of public health. The additional winners are:

  • Hill Prize in Medicine: Kenneth M. Hargreaves, D.D.S., Ph.D., The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Hill Prize in Engineering: Joan Frances Brennecke, Ph.D. (NAE), The University of Texas at Austin
  • Hill Prize in Biological Sciences: David J. Mangelsdorf, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS), UT Southwestern Medical Center
  • Hill Prize in Physical Sciences: James Chelikowsky, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin
  • Hill Prize in Technology: Robert De Lorenzo, M.D., EmergenceMed, LLC
Read about other Houston-area researchers recognized by TAMEST here.

How Houston's cost of living compares to other major Texas cities in 2025

Calculating Costs

A new cost-of-living index yields a result that many Houstonians will find surprising: Houston is not the most expensive place to live in Texas. Dallas and Austin are costlier.

Numbeo’s cost-of-living index for 2025 shows Dallas ranks first in Texas and 24th in North America, landing at 65.8. The cost-of-living index compares the cost of living in New York City (which sits at 100) with the cost of living in another city. Austin is at 61.7, Houston at 60.6, and San Antonio at 58.8.

Houston ranks 40th overall in North America, out of 52 cities in the index.

Numbeo’s cost-of-living index takes into account the cost of items like groceries, restaurant meals, transportation, and utilities. The index excludes rent.

When rent is added to the cost-of-living index, Houston is still third among Texas cities. Dallas grabs the No. 21 spot in North America (57.1), one notch above Austin (56.6). Houston ranks 35th (51.4), and San Antonio ranks 42nd (34.6).

Rent index
While Dallas holds the top Texas spot on Numbeo’s overall cost-of-living index, Austin faces the highest rent prices. Numbeo's rent index for Austin sits at 50.1, putting it in 12th place among major cities in North America and highest in Texas, above the indexes for Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Houston lands at 27th.

The rent index in New York City, which tops the list, is 100. As Numbeo explains, the rent index estimates the cost of renting an apartment in a city compared with New York City. If the rent index is 50, for example, this suggests the average rent in that city is 50 percent below the average rent in New York City.

Around Texas, the rent index is:

  • 46.2 in Dallas
  • 39.8 in Houston
  • 34.6 in San Antonio

Restaurant index
In contrast to its showing on the rent and cost-of-living indexes, Houston outranks Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio on Numbeo’s restaurant index. This index compares the prices of meals and drinks at restaurants and bars to those in New York City.

Houston sits at No. 25 on the restaurant index, at 68.9. Dallas comes in at No. 32 (67.1), Austin at No. 34 (66.6), and San Antonio at No. 36 (65.2).

The National Restaurant Association reported in December that menu prices in the U.S. had risen 3.6 percent in the past 12 months, outpacing gains in grocery prices and the federal government’s overall Consumer Price Index. Fortunately for diners, that was the smallest 12-month increase in menu prices since August 2020, according to the association.

Toast, which provides a cloud-based restaurant management system, says the higher menu prices reflect higher food prices.

“Food prices have been increasing due to inflation, labor expenses, fuel costs, and supply chain disruptions, all of which impact restaurant profitability, Toast says. “While raising menu prices is one option to combat rising food costs, some restaurants have introduced service charges and simplified menus to avoid passing all costs onto customers.”

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, CultureMap.com.

Houston startup taps strategic partner to produce novel 'biobased leather'

cleaner products

A Houston-based next-gen material startup has revealed a new strategic partnership.

Rheom Materials, formerly known as Bucha Bio, has announced a strategic partnership with thermoplastic extrusion and lamination company Bixby International, which is part of Rheom Material’s goal for commercial-scale production of its novel biobased material, Shorai.

Shorai is a biobased leather alternative that meets criteria for many companies wanting to incorporate sustainable materials. Shorai performs like traditional leather, but offers scalable production at a competitive price point. Extruded as a continuous sheet and having more than 92 percent biobased content, Shorai achieves an 80 percent reduction in carbon footprint compared to synthetic leather, according to Rheom.

Rheom, which is backed by Houston-based New Climate Ventures, will be allowing Bixby International to take a minority ownership stake in Rheom Materials as part of the deal.

“Partnering with Bixby International enables us to harness their extensive expertise in the extrusion industry and its entire supply chain, facilitating the successful scale-up of Shorai production,” Carolina Amin Ferril, CTO at Rheom Materials, says in a news release. “Their highly competitive and adaptable capabilities will allow us to offer more solutions and exceed our customers’ expectations.”

In late 2024, Rheom Materials started its first pilot-scale trial at the Bixby International facilities with the goal of producing Shorai for prototype samples.

"The scope of what we were doing — both on what raw materials we were using and what we were creating just kept expanding and growing," founder Zimri Hinshaw previously told InnovationMap.

Listen to Hinshaw on the Houston Innovators Podcast episode recorded in October.

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