What are Unicorns?
Unicorns are startups valued at $1 billion or more. The billion-dollar technology startup was once the stuff of myth. Today they're seemingly everywhere, backed by a bull market and a new generation of disruptive technology.
However, it is important to remind that more than 90% of startups fail to survive their first year.
A world populated by Unicorns
In the image below you can see how the Unicorn club increases year by year in size and its growth follows something that resembles an exponential curve. The image is focused on years 2011-2015 but the trend is not changing at all!
Where does the magic happen?
If you have to map where the magic happens you have to look in two countries: China and United States.
China is now reaching a dominant position in that field, 7 out of the top 10 unicorns of 2017 are Chinese. The United States is the place where everything started but after a decade of incredible growth, they are now feeling for the first time the pressure of maintaining the position against newcomers like China.
2017 Unicorns Ranking
I will split the ranking into two parts to make it more readable and less time-consuming.
The following are the companies that shaped the most the market in their respective fields as newcomers in 2017. From AI to transportation, from innovative data driven medical care to new business opportunities on the digital environment, the world is changing and that is only the beginning of this unforgettable journey that will take us to a new type of society.
Just sit back and enjoy the view!
10.GRAIL - Cancer Diagnosis (US)
They are taking on one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime, combining science, technology, and clinical studies to reveal cancer at its beginnings. To detect cancer early, when it can be cured.
They are a Silicon Valley startup that last year began laying out a bet that the “cure” for most cancers isn’t a new drug, but tests that catch tumors at an early stage when they can still be successfully treated. Grail thinks it can do that using “high-intensity” DNA sequencing to probe blood samples for genetic material shed by hidden tumors. Grail has raised $1.1 billion, a sum that puts it among the top three most heavily funded private biotech companies, according to EvaluatePharma. Investors include gene-sequencing giant Illumina, Johnson & Johnson, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
If you are interested to know more about them check their website on: GRAIL
9. SenseTime - Artificial Intelligence (CHN)
As China’s leading cutting-edge artificial intelligence company, SenseTime focuses on innovative computer vision and deep learning technologies. As the world’s leading deep learning platform developer, SenseTime is dedicated to creating industry solutions via innovations in AI and big data analysis. With the goal to “Lead AI innovation to power the future”, SenseTime has established China’s largest and only self-developed deep learning supercomputing center, establishing itself as the largest supplier of AI algorithms in the country.
SenseTime’s multifunctional technology is rapidly expanding and already encompasses facial recognition, image recognition, intelligent video analytics, autonomous driving, and medical image recognition.
We will surely hear about it in the future! SenseTime
8.OFO - Transportation / Bike-sharing (CHN)
A Beijing-based bicycle sharing company founded in 2014. It operates over 10 million yellow-colored bicycles in 250 cities and 20 countries, as of 2017. The dockless OFO system uses a smartphone app to unlock bicycles, charging an hourly rate for use. As of 2017, the company is valued at $3 billion and has over 62.7 million monthly active users. They have connected more than 7.5 million shared bicycles and provided almost 500 million shared bicycle rides since its inception. The application has booked more than 100 million rides in 2017.
Take a look if you are interested in: OFO
7.Mobike - Transportation / Bike-sharing (CHN)
Is a fully station-less bicycle-sharing system headquartered in Beijing, China. It is, by the number of bicycles, the world's largest shared (for hire) bicycle operator, and in December 2016, made Shanghai the world's largest bike-share city. In June 2017, Mobike raised $600 million in Series E funding led by Tencent, bringing the firm's fundraising in 2017 alone to nearly US$1 billion. In the same month, the company is valued at US$3 billion. As described by the company, Mobike is intended to solve the last mile issue in which commuters face the problem of being stuck a bit too far from their destination to walk, but too close to justify the cost or delay of finding a taxi. Mobike bicycles come in two versions, both of which requires a scan of a unique QR-code to unlock.
Check their website to see if they are present in your city! Mobike
6.Powerchord Group - Digital Solutions (US)
PowerChord’s digital platform helps manufacturers grow online engagement and in-store sales through their dealer networks. They work with leading brands from around the world providing digital solutions in specific fields in order to better the engagement with the customer and deepen its relationship to convert them into long-term partners.
Check them if you need a powerful digital solution for your business: Powerchord Group
5. Cambridge Cognition - Neuroscience (GB)
Cambridge Cognition is a neuroscience digital health company developing products and services to better understand, detect and treat conditions affecting brain health. They focus their research on technologies for mobile, wearable, and online platforms in order to accelerate the development of new treatments, improve efficiencies, and measure cognitive health and wellbeing in patients worldwide.
Their technology measures digital cognitive biomarkers, tracks improvement and decline of health in high need neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD.
If you are interested in the field to check their website: Cambridge Cognition
Personally, I believe that these companies will change the way we live.
From an improved life expectancy in a world without cancer and mental diseases to a more sustainable transportation system that will decrease oil consumption and cities pollution tanks to a new paradigm called sharing economy.
I hope to see you in the following post for the second part of the ranking to know who has lead the unicorn club in 2017!
Write in the comment your opinion regarding which will be the next Unicorn in 2018
TT