Inner City 100 Awards
Meet the Recent Winners | Special Awards | Apply & Nominate | IC100 Success Stories | Frequently Asked Questions | Explore Past IC100 Winners Lists
Celebrating Small Business Growth and Community Impact
Since 1999, ICIC has identified and celebrated the 100 fastest-growing businesses in under-resourced communities across the nation. The IC100 awards are published annually.
IC100 winners are catalysts of opportunity, optimism, and transformation in the communities where they are located. These businesses have created meaningful employment and brought economic revitalization to their neighborhoods. They are a testament to the competitive business advantages of under-resourced communities and inspire entrepreneurs nationwide.
Award Benefits
- National recognition and media coverage
- Networking opportunities
- Free one-on-one business advising
- Exclusive blog post and/or feature video
- A robust communications toolkit
Meet the 2025 IC100 Winners
We’re pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 IC100 Award! This impressive list features 88 companies across 21 industries, reporting an average 435% 4-year revenue growth and 2,277 jobs created between 2020-2024! See below for the demographics of this year’s winners!
We’re so proud of the 2025 winners! Learn more about each of the companies and the amazing work they do below!
2025 Special Award Winners
Every year, three winners are selected from among the IC100 cohort to receive additional recognition from the award’s sponsors: FedEx, and ICIC. The special awards include the Chevron Dorothy A. Terrell Community Impact Award, which honors the IC100 awardee who has the greatest impact on its community through civic engagement; the FedEx Champion of Global Entrepreneurship Award, which recognizes the company that exemplifies the FedEx commitment to diversity, global trade, empowering entrepreneurs, and creating employment opportunities; and the Business Growth Award, which is given by ICIC to the company with the largest percentage revenue increase in the four-year qualification period.
LIFEPLATE – BUSINESS GROWTH AWARD WINNER
The Business Growth Award recognizes the fastest-growing business on the 2025 IC 100 list. Selection and ranking are based on percentage revenue growth from 2020 through 2024.
LifePlate, co-founded by Christopher and Deana Young, is a plant-forward meal delivery company serving homes, offices, and schools. The company offers fresh, hot lunch delivery to students through a monthly subscription model with customizable features for dietary and scheduling needs. LifePlate also provides ready-to-eat meal deliveries and hosts in-person and virtual cooking experiences and demonstrations.
GLOBAL CAFE – DOROTHY A. TERRELL COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD WINNER
Named in honor of ICIC’s former President and CEO, the Dorothy A. Terrell Community Impact Award recognizes the IC100 company that has the greatest impact on its community through quality job creation and civic engagement.
Global Café is a food hall that offers authentic, affordably-priced global cuisine cooked from scratch by immigrant and refugee food entrepreneurs. The cafe aims to be a gathering place for guests from all walks of life to learn about different cultures through food. Based in the diverse Crosstown neighborhood of Memphis, Global Café has employed team members from many countries around the world, including Bhutan, Burundi, Jamaica, Mexico, Syria, and Somalia. With community engagement at the core of the company’s ethos, Global Café has provided employment and training to many refugees and immigrants. It supports its community by investing in newcomers by funding a college scholarship, providing school supplies and free meals.
LIAISONS – FEDEX CHAMPION OF GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD WINNER
The FedEx Champion of Global Entrepreneurship Award recognizes an Inner City 100 company for its embodiment of the FedEx commitment to diversity, global trade, empowering entrepreneurs, and creating employment opportunities.
Liaisons Corporation, based in Miami and Mexico City, is a boutique agency specializing in corporate events and group travel. For over 15 years, the company has collaborated with museums, nonprofits, corporations, membership clubs, private groups, and global brands to deliver experiences in more than 70 cities across 30 countries. The international, multilingual team brings a global perspective to every engagement.