15 Maine companies ranked among nation's fastest-growing

Photo / Courtesy of Compotech Compotech Inc., a Brewer-based defense technology and manufacturing company, is on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list for the third straight year. Shown here is the company's packaging robot used in the production of systems for ballistic protection on military bases.

Write a Comment

By Renee Cordes

From technology to construction, 15 companies from Maine are ranked among the nation’s fastest-growing private enterprises on the latest Inc. 5000 list.

With 1,656% revenue growth between 2021 and 2021, HighByte leads the pack from the Pine Tree State. It is ranked No. 232 on the list.

Earlier this year, the Portland-based maker of industrial software was also the only Maine company on Inc.’s regional barometer of the fastest-growing companies in the northeastern U.S. The company’s founders include Chief Marketing Officer Torey Penrod-Cambra, who is being recognized this year by Mainebiz as an Outstanding Woman in Business.

Companies in this year’s Inc. 5000 list generated a combined $300 billion in revenue in 2024.

To qualify for inclusion, companies must be privately held, for-profit entities based and independent – not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies — as of Dec. 31, 2024. In addition, the minimum revenue requirement is $100,000 for 2021 and $2 million for 2024.

Seven of the 15 Maine companies in this year’s barometer topped the 169% median revenue growth rate for all honorees.

After HighByte, the next highest ranked Maine companies are Hay Runner, a Portland-based construction company, at No. 543 and Compotech Inc. at No. 1,014.

The list also includes Tilson, a Portland-based information technology company currently seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and a buyer for the business. (Scroll down for the full list of 15 Maine companies on this year's list and their rankings.)

Repeat performances

For Compotech, a Brewer-based defense technology and manufacturing company, this marks the third consecutive year on the Inc. 2000 list.

“Our growth is a direct reflection of the extraordinary talent and dedication of our team,” said Jacques Nader, Compotech’s CEO. “Being recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year reinforces that we’re not only building advanced technologies, but also a sustainable foundation for future innovation and impact.”

The recognition comes amid an expansion drive that saw the company invest more than $1.3 million in new equipment since January 2024, he said. Staffed by 75 employees, Compotech increased its Brewer factory site to more than 50,000 square feet and opened an office in Orono for its digital solutions business.

Defendify, a Portland-based cybersecurity startup that made its debut on last year’s list, is also back for a repeat performance. Its rank this year is 1,114, based on 383% revenue growth between 2021 and 2023.

Rob Simopolous, co-founder and CEO, attributes the company’s growth to growing demand from small businesses for cybersecurity services.

“Organizations are turning to Defendify because it’s built for their needs, delivering 24/7/365 enterprise-level protection through a single, easy-to-use platform at a price they can afford,” he said.

Maine companies on the 2025 list

Here are the15 Maine companies on the Inc. 5000 list in 2025, each listed with its rank, location and three-year revenue growth.

No. 232: HighByte, Portland, 1,656%
No. 543: Hay Runner, Portland, 742%
No. 1,014: Compotech, Brewer, 421%
No. 1,133: Defendify, Portland, 383%
No. 1,906: Heartstone Farm, Charleston, 228%
No. 2,221: VETRO, Portland, 193%
No. 2,428: Tilson, Portland. 174%
No. 2,517: Reliable Networks, Biddeford 168%
No. 2,949: Hebert Construction, Lewiston, 139%
No. 3,141: Psychology Specialists of Maine, Brunswick, 128%
No. 3,480: Green Clean Maine, Portland, 112%
No. 3,667: Haley Ward, Bangor, 104%
No. 3,702: ClearCompany, Lewiston, 103%
No. 3,722: Northcross Group, Portland, 102%
No. 3,732: Landry/French Construction Co., Scarborough, 101%