From biotech firms to companies that teach cloud computing skills, financial services to a luxury bedding retailer, and food delivery services to elearning, the span of companies that made LinkedIn’s list of the top 50 startups for 2020 in the United States is richly diverse.

But each of them shares some common characteristics. To determine the list, LinkedIn’s editors and data gurus sliced and diced millions of actions among the site’s 171 U.S. members. They were looking for employee growth, job seeker interest, member engagement with the company and its employees and how well these startups were able to siphon talent away from the flagship LinkedIn Top Companies list. 

To be eligible, companies must be 7 years old or younger, have at least 50 employees, be privately held and headquartered in the U.S. The list is intended as a resource for LinkedIn members, but it’s also an indication of where industry trends are headed. As its editors indicate, “The ranking has a pretty good track record: More than 22% of the featured startups over the past three years have either gone public or been purchased.”

Agree with their picks? Have some quibbles or questions? Comment below or join the conversation at LinkedIn via #LinkedInTopStartups.