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Fast-growing Austin travel company lands No. 2 spot on coveted Inc. 5000 list

There are 125 Austin-based companies on Inc. 5000's new list.

Dozens of Austin-based companies have undergone explosive growth in revenue over the last few years, with one such business landing near the top of the prestigious 2023 Inc. 5000 list.

One Austin-based company, CharterUP, ranked No. 2 nationally, boasting an unimaginable 111,130 percent growth rate from 2019 to 2022. Founded in 2018, CharterUP is an online marketplace specializing in real-time instant transportation booking.

In a video celebrating their No. 2 spot, the company says it now has more than 600 operators and more than 4,000 vehicles.

"This journey is a shared one that wouldn't be possible without our customers, operators, and team," said CharterUp of its meteoric rise. "It's not just a number. It's a testament to our collective power and shared vision."

CharterUP is also the highest-ranked Texas business on the list. Nationally, it was bested only by Nashville-based health services company CareBridge.

Companies on the 2023 Inc. 5000, released August 15, are ranked by percentage growth in revenue from 2019 to 2022. To qualify for the list, a company must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. The company also must have been U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent as of December 31, 2022. The minimum revenue required for 2019 was $100,000; the minimum for 2022 was $2 million.

In all, 482 Texas-based companies made this year’s list, and 125 of those are Austin-based. The report says 25 businesses are newly-founded, 75 are repeat honorees, and more than 10,700 jobs were added thanks to these companies.

The 16 remaining Austin-area businesses ranking among the top 500 include:

No. 19 – Publishing.com, 16,497 percent growth rate
No. 90 – Norwood, 5,189 percent growth rate
No. 112 – CloudServus, 4,215 percent growth rate
No. 180 – LeasePoint Funding Group, 2,920 percent growth rate
No. 192 – Backd, 2,819 percent growth rate
No. 193 – CertifID, 2,807 percent growth rate
No. 210 – Trilogy Senior Living, San Marcos, 2,657 percent growth rate
No. 238 – Howdy.com, 2,322 percent growth rate
No. 306 – Atmosphere, 1,865 percent growth rate
No. 307 – Webforce, 1,862 percent growth rate
No. 319 – Newron Tech, 1,796 percent growth rate
No. 366 – Serenity Kids, 1,577 percent growth rate
No. 404 – ElectroNeek, 1,443 percent growth rate
No. 425 – Fat Earth Media, 1,358 percent growth rate
No. 431 – Datad Solutions, Leander, 1,344 percent growth rate
No. 481 – Gembah, 1,214 percent growth rate

Here are the other Texas companies appearing in the state’s top 20:

No. 4 – Green Light Distribution, Coppell, 41,090 percent growth rate
No. 13 – Blue Hammer Roofing, Dallas, 19,510 percent growth rate
No. 14 – eTrueNorth, Mansfield, 19,130 percent growth rate
No. 15 – Specialty1 Partners, Houston, 18,747 percent growth rate
No. 81 – Hawthorne Capital, Houston, 5,574 percent growth rate
No. 85 – Archer Review, Dallas, 5,378 percent growth rate
No. 89 – Valiant Capital, Houston, 5,223 percent growth rate
No. 104 – 24HourNurse Staffing, Pittsburg, 4,520 percent growth rate
No. 110 – Advantis Medical Staffing, Dallas, 4,302 percent growth rate
No. 144 – Maveneer, Dallas, 3,630 percent growth rate
No. 145 – Ashland Greene, Dallas, 3,617 percent growth rate
No. 152 – Physical Therapy Biz, Dallas, 3,542 percent growth rate
No. 155 – Curis Functional Health, Dallas, 3,444 percent growth rate
No. 162 – Intervene K-12, Houston, 3,207 percent growth rate
No. 175 – TimelyCare, Fort Worth, 3,015 percent growth rate

The full list of businesses can be found on inc.com.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

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