Who's next to $1 billion? Three MIT Sloan alumni on 'unicorns' list

Three companies founded by MIT Sloan alumni are among those that could reach a $1 billion valuation in the near future.Together with The New York Times, CB Insights, a research company tracking investment in startups, compiled a list of businesses most likely to become "unicorns," or companies with valuations of $1 billion or more. Here's a look at the three with MIT Sloan roots.

Beepi

Founded last year by Alejandro Resnik, MBA ’13, Beepi is attempting to reinvent the used car industry with verified inspections and direct connections between sellers and buyers.

Read our October 2014 article on Beepi.

Okta

Identity and mobile management for enterprise companies, Okta boasts customers like Adobe, LinkedIn, and 20th Century Fox, as well as $175 million in funding. Co-founder and chief operating officer Frederic Kerrest is a 2009 MBA graduate of MIT Sloan.

PillPack

Launched last year by chief technology officer and co-founder Elliot Cohen, MBA ’13, PillPack is an online pharmacy that mails pre-sorted packages of medication to its customers.

Read our August 2015 article on PillPack.

The New York Times list also includes drone software company Airwave and online food delivery company Munchery, both founded by MIT graduates. Rethink Robotics, founded by former MIT professor Rodney Brooks, is also on the list.

In reporting on the unicorns list, the Times noted that the combination of more big valuations and tumultuous markets could signal a venture funding bubble.

Update 8/28: A reader points out a recent Wall Street Journal blog post suggesting Beepi's valuation may be more than $2 billion.

Did we miss a company on the list founded by an MIT alumnus? Let us know at news@sloan.mit.edu.