These 16 companies just became the first unicorns of 2018 by landing valuations of $1 billion or more
Canva is an Australian company that provides graphic designers with an intuitive platform.
The Chinese company Meicai created an app that connects farmers to restaurants.
Year founded: 2014
Total raised: $477 million
Currently valued at: $2.8 billion
What it does: Meicai, which translates to "buy vegetables," runs its application on inexpensive cellphones so that Chinese farmers can distribute fresh produce to restaurants in their area.
Caocao Zhuanche is a Chinese-based ride-share company that operates a fleet of electric and hybrid cars in China.
Year founded: 2015
Total raised: $380 million
Currently valued at: $1.6 billion
What it does: Caocao has been fighting its way into China's colossal ride-share market. The company offers taxi hailing services, car rental services, and private car touring options.
Cabify is a ride-share service similar to Uber, but it works exclusively in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries like Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Portugal.
Year founded: 2011
Total raised: $410 million
Currently valued at: $1.4 billion
What it does: Cabify's competitive edge lies in the rapport the company has developed with local businesses and clients, which the company says will allow them to continue to pay its drivers fairly.
Snowflake provides a way for corporations to store and analyze data using cloud-based hardware and software.
Year founded: 2012
Total raised: $473 million
Currently valued at: $1.8 billion
What it does: Snowflake helps big businesses back up their data using cloud-based technologies.
HeartFlow is a competitive medical technology company that has received funding from investors like US Venture Partners and GE Ventures.
Year founded: 2007
Total raised: $467 million
Currently valued at: $1.5 billion
What it does: HeartFlow develops tools that help doctors analyze blocked coronary arteries without requiring invasive surgery.
MedMen is the largest marijuana retailer in Southern California.
Year founded: 2010
Total raised: $57 million
Currently valued at: $1 billion
What it does: MedMen operates 18 cannabis dispensaries in Southern California, Las Vegas, and New York. The company's sleek retail outposts are styled similarly to an Apple store, and the concept is taking off among millennials.
OrCam is a Jerusalem-based company that has spent the last eight years developing technology for the seeing-impaired.
Year founded: 2010
Total raised: $91 million
Currently valued at: $1 billion
What it does: OrCam creates AI-equipped technology that lets seeing-impaired people hear printed text, differentiate between products, and recognize faces.
DoorDash's most recent $535 million cash infusion was led by SoftBank.
Year founded: 2013
Total raised: $722 million
Currently valued at: $1.4 billion
What it does: DoorDash is a food delivery service that connects restaurants with hungry customers.
Brazalian financial company Nubank has been growing by leaps and bounds — in just one year, the startup saw its revenue triple and its user base double.
Year founded: 2013
Total raised: $329 million
Currently valued at: $1 billion
What it does: Nubank offers a no-fee credit card that's managed exclusively on the company's mobile app.
Source: Reuters
UIPath is a Romanian company that helps companies automate routine tasks.
Year founded: 2005
Total raised: $149 million
Currently valued at: $1.1 billion
What it does: UI Path specializes in robotic process automation, an AI-based service that records and automates mundane computer office tasks. The company is considered Romania's first unicorn.
Chinese gaming platform Douyu has 13 million active users.
Year founded: 2005
Total raised: $1.1 billion
Currently valued at: $1.5 billion
What it does: Douyu is a live-stream gaming and entertainment platform similar to Amazon's Twitch.
Source: PocketGamer
In under two years, Chinese entertainment site Qutoutiao has raised $100 million.
Year founded: 2016
Total raised: $100 million
Currently valued at: $1.4 billion
What it does: Qutoutiao is a news and entertainment app centered on short, sensational news items.
In March, Samsara closed a $50 million funding round which included investors Andreessen Horowitz and General Catalyst.
Year founded: 2015
Total raised: $130 million
Currently valued at: $1.4 billion
What it does: Samsara creates internet-connected sensors that deliver data like location and temperature on trucking fleets, an industry that's currently evolving with the arrival of autonomous trucking.
Source: TechCrunch
Chicago-based Tempus uses clinical data to improve cancer care.
Year founded: 2015
Total raised: $158 million
Currently valued at: $1.1 billion
What it does: Tempus collects molecular and clinical data to create more efficient treatment for cancer patients.
Customer engagement company Intercom has raised nearly a quarter billion in funding in 3 years.
Year founded: 2015
Total raised: $240 million
Currently valued at: $1.3 billion
What it does: Intercom helps businesses connect with their customers using its data-driven messaging system. Famed venture capitalist Mary Meeker recently joined the company's board.
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