How we selected this year’s Queer 50 winners

The fifth annual Fast Company Queer 50 was compiled by Fast Company writers and editors, with input from a number of trusted sources. We’d specifically like to thank our founding partner, Lesbians Who Tech & Allies , and all of our nominating partners— Out in Tech , the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors , LGBT+ VC and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative —who helped us identify new names this year.
We considered five criteria in compiling this list:

The size and growth prospects of each person’s business or organization
Their place in the broader business and social conversation
The impact of their contributions during the past 12 months
Their career trajectory over the past 12 months, and potential for growth
Their activism and advocacy for the queer community

As always, this list was put together with a strong eye toward inclusion—20% of honorees are trans and/or nonbinary and 46% are people of color, including 34% who are Black, Latinx, or Indigenous. Forty-two percent of the honorees are new to the list this year.