Leading global companies are producing remarkable results through increased efficiencies, superior products or services and innovative business models. Whether they are making investments in the Internet of Things, putting all their efforts behind a venture with a $1 billion dream or taking the lead on the stock market, executives in these organizations aren't afraid to take a risk to get ahead—or stay ahead—of the pack.
Fast-Growing Unicorns
There are more than 100 venture capital-backed companies valued at $1 billion or more. These so-called unicorns could be the iconic brands of tomorrow—or they could flame out like so many startups have before them. Here are the 10 most valuable.
| Company | ValuationTotal Equity Funding | Headquarters | Sector |
| Uber |  |
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| Xiaomi |  |
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| Airbnb | |
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| Palantir | |
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| Snapchat | |
 |
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| Didi Kuaidi | |
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| Flipkart |  |
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| SpaceX | |
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| Dropbox | |
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
U.S. Billions
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Staking Claims to the Future
The Internet of Things (IoT) is just beginning to take shape—and some companies are already capturing value.
Number of devices or objects that could be connected to the Internet
Number of devices or objects that are currently connected to the Internet
AHEAD OF THE PACK
Breakthrough performance is possible—and demonstrated by the stock market capitalization values of leaders in four different sectors. Industry-leader performance and overall industry growth can together be used to evaluate the health of a given sector.
Sources: Dow Jones VentureSource/The Wall Street Journal, IoT Analytics, Cisco, YCharts, Fidelity Investments
