THE 2024
ROCKET SHIP
STARTUP LIST
authored by
Jeff Bussgang
WHERE TO LAND IN STARTUPLAND
Each Spring, I publish The Rocket Ship Startup List — a curated list of exciting, fast-growing, rapidly hiring private companies; promising places to start or continue a career in Startupland.
Finding companies that are hiring isn’t easy, but after a few tough years, we are seeing some “green shoots”. The AI and climate sectors are white hot and once again, dozens and dozens of companies around the world are raising big rounds and growing rapidly.
Special thanks to HBS student Amrut Rajkarne for his help in compiling this year’s list!
OBJECTIVE CRITERIA
GROWTH/MOMENTUM
FUNDRAISING
SCALE
HIRING
YOUNG
>
growing users and/or revenue > 100% year over year (50%)for larger companies)
raised > $40 million in the most recent round, which closed in the last 18 months (note: independent, private companies only 10% of last year’s list went public and 3% were acquired)
100 employees
growing headcount > 30%/year, including a number of entry-level positions that would be a fit for recent college or business school graduates
reserve your seat
founded in 2013 or later
What's New This Year
570 COMPANIES
340 Domestic and 230 International companies made the list. I advise committing to geography and building deep connections.
MENA FOR THE 1ST TIME
The MENA region is included with 18 companies for the first time. This is a nod to the exciting growth and progress of companies founded in the region.
TRENDS
Identifying trends in a challenging market as new technology disrupts processes and future company-building.
BONUS READS
Before listing the companies, I suggest checking out two of my posts where I give more detailed advice on how to select the right company and position yourself to secure a job — a playbook I have seen executed successfully now across my decades as a VC and entrepreneurship professor at HBS working with thousands of young professionals
THE 2024 ROCKET SHIP LIST
