Greenwich fitness chain tops Connecticut entries on Inc. 5000

Greenwich-based Fitness Holdings Northeast led all Connecticut companies on the 2017 installment of the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing businesses in the country.

With its “No Judgments” philosophy, Crunch has franchised more than 175 clubs nationally, including locations in Norwalk, Stratford and Orange. Crunch sells memberships with monthly pricing ranging from about $10 to $25.

San Francisco-based Skillz led the nation with 500-fold growth between 2013 and 2016, offering a mobile gaming and streaming competition platform for e-sports that has more than 12 million users. Ranking seventh to lead the Northeast was New York City-based automotiveMastermind, which offers car dealerships an analytics platform to target potential customers.

In all, 34 Connecticut companies made this year’s Inc. 5000 — down from 40 last year — with three of them cracking the top 1,000 by achieving growth in excess of 500 percent over three years, including Hamden-based Votto Vines Importing, ranked 679th; and New Haven-based GEM Advertising at 725th.

Just behind at 850th was Stamford-based Life In Mobile, whose initials form the name of founder John Lim. It develops platforms to help companies better market themselves through digital means.

Stamford was the runaway leader for Connecticut companies on the Inc. 5000, with seven entries including The Junkluggers, which generated $8 million in revenue last year offering environmentally friendly junk removal. Others included The Lockwood Group, relaying medical advances to health practitioners; The Game Agency, creating game-based training and marketing tools; Netology, performing information technology consulting; Sysdyne Technologies, with software for concrete companies; and Freepoint Commodities, which offers a trading platform for physical commodities.

Among southwestern Connecticut business centers, DGDean led among Westport companies with nearly 400 percent growth to $7.4 million in 2016, with systems to assist other startup companies. Westport is home to CriticalMix, a survey technology company that ranked highest in Connecticut and 43rd overall on the 2015 installment of the Inc. 5000, becoming one of two companies in recent years to crack the top 50, along with Norwalk-based Datto in 2012, ranked 38th that year.

On this year’s list, Inspira Marketing led all Norwalk companies with 300 percent growth to $64 million in sales last year, also winning recognition as a five-time Inc. 5000 winner alongside Norwalk-based etouches, which generated $19.6 million in revenue last year providing applications to help event organizers. Etouches was sold in May to a private equity firm whose principals include Greenwich native and former NFL star Steve Young.

Ridgefield One led Danbury-area businesses making the list, in more than tripling revenue to $2.8 million over three years providing staffing and recruitment services. And Shelton-based Northeast Private Client Group approached that level of growth to lead all Bridgeport-area companies, reporting 2016 revenue of $2.4 million brokering sales of commercial and multifamily real estate.

The Inc. 5000 list is limited to private, independent companies with at least $100,000 in revenue in the baseline year and $2 million in revenue three years out.

Companies self-nominate themselves in vying for the Inc. 5000, resulting in little crossover with the separate Marcum Tech Top 40 released this week by the Connecticut Technology Council, which is also pegged to revenue growth.