For the 11th year, Forbes has partnered with TrueBridge Capital Partners to identify fast-growing U.S. startups poised to become unicorns. To qualify, companies must be venture-backed, privately held, and valued at under $1 billion.
This year, artificial intelligence dominates the list, with 20 of the 25 selections focused on AI applications in areas such as defence, accounting, and healthcare. Forbes’ track record is strong: of 250 past picks, 140 became unicorns, 42 were acquired, and only five failed.
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In 2024, eight companies stand out for their rapid expansion and strong potential to join the $1 billion valuation club soon.
Here are the top 8 fastest-growing companies poised to become unicorns, according to Forbes.
AcuityMD
Founded by Robert Coe, Mike Monovoukas (CEO) and Lee Smith, Boston-based AcuityMD has raised $83 million in equity funding. The company is estimated to generate $18 million in revenue in 2024. Lead investors include Benchmark, Iconiq and Redpoint.
AcuityMD uses de-identified data, including surgical histories and medical referrals for 325 million people, to help medical device manufacturers identify the right physicians based on the patients they treat. This information supports targeted marketing plans. Customers include Synchron, which used the platform to find patients for a brain-computer interface preclinical trial, and Intellijoint, which applied the data to market a surgical tool for hip and knee replacements.
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Agentio
New York City–based Agentio was founded by Arthur Leopold (CEO) and Jonathan Meyers. It has raised $16 million in equity and is estimated to generate $2 million in revenue this year. Investors include AlleyCorp, Benchmark and Craft.
Agentio operates a marketplace that connects brands with content creators for advertising campaigns. Creators upload details about upcoming YouTube videos to sell ad spots to businesses such as Away, DoorDash, Mint Mobile and Uber.
Apex
Founded by Max Benassi and Ian Cinnamon (CEO), Apex has raised $290 million in equity funding and is projected to bring in $60 million in revenue in 2024. Investors include 8VC, Andreessen Horowitz, Point72 Ventures and XYZ Venture Capital.
The Los Angeles-based company produces standardised satellites that can be customised with sensors and instruments. This approach aims to speed up and reduce the cost of satellite launches. In February, Apex secured a $46 million Space Force contract.
Assort Health
Co-founded by Jeffery Liu and Jon Wang, both co-CEOs, Assort Health is headquartered in San Francisco. It has raised $26 million in equity funding and expects to earn $200,000 in 2024. Investors include Chemistry, First Round and Quiet Capital.
The company provides an AI-powered text-to-voice chatbot that searches physicians’ calendars to match appointment openings with patient needs, reducing long hold times for medical calls. Clients include Chesapeake Healthcare and Peninsula Orthopaedic Associates.
Basis
Basis, based in New York City, was founded by Matthew Harp (CEO) and Mitchell Troyanovsky. It has raised $37 million in equity and expects $350,000 in revenue in 2024. Lead investors include BTV and Khosla Ventures.
The company develops AI accounting software to automate clerical tasks such as data entry from receipts. Accounting firm Wiss reported a nearly 30% reduction in time spent on such jobs after adopting the software in 2024. The system also offers security features that do not store sensitive login details.
Braintrust
Founded by Ankur Goyal (CEO), Braintrust is based in San Francisco. It has raised $45 million in equity and expects $2 million in revenue this year. Lead investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Basecase, Gil Capital and Greylock.
Braintrust provides a platform for testing and monitoring AI-powered applications, helping companies track performance and identify problems. Clients include Airtable, Instacart, Notion and Stripe.
Browserbase
Browserbase was founded by Paul Klein IV (CEO) and has raised $68 million in equity funding. The company expects to generate $1 million in 2024. Lead investors include Basecase, CRV, Kleiner Perkins and Notable Capital.
It offers an AI “headless browser” that can interact with websites without manual input. For example, instead of searching for flights manually, a user can type a request, and the AI will return the best available options.
Collate
Founded by Jigish Patel, Surbhi Sarna (CEO) and Nate Smith, Collate is based in San Francisco. It has raised $30 million in equity but has not reported revenue for 2024. Its lead investor is Redpoint.
Collate uses AI to automate paperwork for life sciences companies, including documents for clinical trials and FDA approval. “This stuff they would have spent months doing we can do over the course of days,” said Sarna.
