Cincinnati-based LISNR, a startup that uses tech to transfer data via ultrasonic tones, has made its second headline in a little over a week after being named No. 41 on CNBC's seventh annual Disruptor 50 list.
"CNBC features private companies — from biotech and machine learning to transportation, retail and agriculture — whose innovations are changing the world and fueling a race between superpowers like the U.S. and China," the article debuting the winners states. "These forward-thinking startups have not only identified unexploited niches in the market that have the potential to become billion-dollar businesses, [but also] a majority of them already are billion-dollar businesses. A startling 36 disruptors this year are unicorns that have already reached or passed the billion-dollar mark."
LISNR, founded in 2012, has raised $30 million.
The list features startups from across the country, with Boston's Indigo Ag taking the top spot. Beijing's Didi Chuxing, New York City's The We Company, Singapore's Grab and New York City's Rent the Runway made the list's first five rankings.
"All private, independently owned start-up companies founded after Jan. 1, 2004, were eligible to be nominated for the Disruptor 50 List," the report states, adding that 1,200 companies applied for the honor.
In addition to meeting CNBC's parameters, startups had to supplement their application with a "detailed analysis, including key quantitative and qualitative information" on their work.
CNBC’s Disruptor 50 Advisory Council, "a group of 66 leading thinkers in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship" then ranked companies by both "importance and ability to disrupt established industries and public companies." The report adds that "the council found that scalability and user growth were the most important criteria."
Editor's Note: LISNR was named one of Cincy Inno's 2019 Startups to Watch.
