Jeremy Stoppelman Yelp
Photograph by Joe Pugliese

    Credit the flu for the start of Yelp—when cofounder ­Jeremy Stoppelman couldn’t find good suggestions for local doctors online to cure his illness, he got to work on a site that would review and rate nearby businesses. What started as a simple email of referrals has become a go-to service for finding and giving feedback on local businesses in 219 cities spread across 32 countries. The San Francisco–based company has translated the 135 million reviews on its site and mobile app into dollars. Its net revenues jumped 30% last year to $713.1 million. What’s key now is to ­expand Yelp into new tech like wearables and to monetize its data through programs like Yelp Knowledge, which uses analytics to give brands sophisticated feedback.

    Company Information

    Overall Score35
    SectorTechnology
    IndustryInternet Services and Retailing
    CEOJeremy Stoppelman
    Websitewww.yelp.com
    Employees4,256
    HQ LocationSan Francisco, Calif.
    Revenues ($M) (Past 12 Months)$787
    Profits ($M) (Past 12 Months)$13
    Market Value as of Oct. 9, 2017 ($M)$3,733