Houwzer, Phenom, Piano and more Philly tech companies made 2021’s Inc. 5000 list

The 2021 edition of the Inc. 5000 list, a roundup of the country’s fastest-growing private companies, was released Tuesday, and Philadelphia-area companies made a strong showing again.

This year’s list comes amid a continuing global pandemic, taking stock of the companies that report three-year revenue growth. Out of the top 5,000 companies, 149 come from the Philly metro area, which includes the ‘burbs, South Jersey and Wilmington — though, caveat, not all of those “Delaware” companies are actually from Delaware. Last year’s list saw 136 local businesses ranked.

The local list makers represented a median growth of 134% since last year, saw $7 billion in total revenue and added 15,012 jobs, per Inc. Twelve of the local companies were newly founded, and 70 are repeat honorees, including many of the tech companies represented.

Check out some highlights from 2021’s list:

• Real estate tech company Houwzer, which made the Inc. 5000 last year, too, ranked No. 918 this year, down a few hundred from 2020’s No. 730 ranking.
• HR tech company Phenom ranks right under Houwzer at No. 928. It’s risen the ranks from last year, when it placed No. 1,852.
• B2B software company Piano ranks No. 1,028 on this year’s list, a few spots down from its rank as No. 708 in 2019 and 440 in 2018.
• King of Prussia-based fintech platform FinPay ranks No. 1,197 in its first time on the list.
• Acumen Analytics, an advanced analytics and AI consulting company in Blue Bell, ranks No. 1,597 in its first time on the list.
• Health Union, an online communities platform serving people with chronic conditions, ranks No. 1,838, after ranking No. 1,379 in 2020, No. 906 in 2019 and No. 740 in 2018.
• Freya Systems, a software company in Media, ranked No. 2,603 in its first time on the list.
• Software company Odessa ranked 3,013 this year, after ranking No. 3,589 in 2020.
• Center City’s Medical Guardian ranked No. 3,241 and has a long history on the Inc. 5000 list, making it every year since 2013.
• And digital marketing agency Seer Interactive ranked No. 4,493 this year, and has landed on the list each year since 2015.

Making the Inc. 5000 list has been a goal of Kathy Brunner, president and CEO of Acumen Analytics, and is a testament to the “resiliency” of its company culture, she said in a statement.

“The growth and success we’ve had is in large part due to the work environment we’ve fostered to ensure our team members feel challenged, respected, and supported,” she said. “The growth in revenue and expansion of clients is the result of this focus.”

Piano, which has placed on the list three times in the last four years, said the honor comes after a period of growth for the org, as its builds it global client base, expands into the Asia-Pacific region and has acquired France-based analytics leader AT Internet. The Bourse-headquartered company also raised an $88 million Series C earlier this year.

“To still be in the Inc. 5000 four years after our first entry makes us so proud,” CEO Trevor Kaufman said in a statement. “It’s a testament to the energy and commitment our employees bring to their roles every day.”

In 2019, fifth on the list was Center City’s own Perpay, a consumer lending fintech startup that allows users to pay for big purchases directly from their paychecks over time, interest-free. Last year, we saw local direct-to-consumer cleaning product company Dropps landing in the top 300.