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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s CO— 100 recognizes and celebrates America’s top small businesses. The annual list of CO— 100 includes thriving, successful companies that are committed to growing the American economy and supporting their local communities. The CO— 100 businesses embody the entrepreneurial spirit, growth mindset, and resilience that define the American enterprise system and drive innovation. Ten CO— 100 businesses will be recognized as the best in class for ten different categories of excellence. One business will be named the CO—100 Top Business of 2025.

To apply for the CO— 100, an applicant must:

1. Be a legal resident of the United States.
2. Be a for-profit business operating for at least one (1) year prior to May 4, 2024, primarily based within the United States.
3. Have fewer than 250 employees and gross revenues of less than $20 million for both 2023 and 2024.
4. Agree to all of the Award Rules, including potentially attending the award ceremony.

Employees, officers, and directors of Sponsors and any affiliated entities, and their respective immediate families (parents, spouse, children, siblings) or individuals residing in their household (whether or not related) are not eligible applicants.

Businesses named to the CO—100 in prior years are not eligible to apply for the awards program again.

Click here to learn more about the terms and conditions and the full program rules.

Eligible applicants may click here to create an account on CO— and apply for the awards. 

Please be aware that once you submit your application, it will be considered final and no revisions are permitted.

Entry fees correspond with early, regular, and last chance deadlines and are as follows: $150 for early deadline, $200 for regular deadline, $250 for last chance deadline. Please consult the Program Rules for details on a no-fee method to submit your application.

There are three deadlines: early deadline is May 27; regular deadline is June 30; last chance deadline is July 7. 

The CO—100 application allows you to holistically describe and showcase your business. There are three main parts of the application:

1. Eligibility — Answer a few questions about your business to determine if you’re eligible to apply.
2. Business and Financial Information — Share the basics about your business (name, location, etc.), as well as some straightforward questions about your 2023-2024 revenue.
3. Categories and Scored Answers — We ask you to select three to five categories from a predetermined list of 10 categories that best represent your business’s strengths. Based on your selection, you’ll answer a mix of multiple choice and open response questions related to how and why your business excels in the categories you selected.

A panel of judges, including representatives from U.S. Chamber of Commerce staff, will choose 100 businesses ("Honorees") to be named the CO— 100. They will then choose from the list of 100 Honorees a total of 10 Top Honorees; and from those 10, they will choose one to be named the CO—100 Top Business of 2025. 

A business must fill out an application in order to enter. Chambers of commerce and trade associations are encouraged to refer businesses to the program. However, the business itself must submit an application for the CO— 100 to be considered.

No. If you’ve been previously named to the CO—100, you are not eligible to apply again. 

Reach out to us at co100@uschamber.com to learn about other opportunities to get involved in this year’s awards program as a 2024 honoree.

Yes! You should still apply. In your application, be sure to address the sales figures you reported and outline your business plan or strategies for growth in 2025 and beyond.

A strong application will draw a clear and concise picture of how the business was started, what makes it unique, and how it has overcome challenges. Make sure your completed application clearly describes your business’s relationship with its community, customers, and employees. 

After creating an account and before submitting your final application, answers will be saved automatically so you can revisit or edit any previous responses.

Only businesses that are members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce need to enter their member number during the application process. If you are a member and do not have your member number on hand, please call Customer Service at (800) 638-6582 for assistance.

Encourage small and medium-sized businesses in your network to apply for this year’s awards program via your social media and email platforms using the information and graphics in this toolkit. 

Please email partnerships@uschamber.com for more information on sponsorship opportunities for the CO—100.

Questions regarding CO—100 can be sent to co-100@uschamber.com.