Q: I have reviewed the eligibility requirements and I’m not sure if the company meets them. How can I verify eligibility?  

A: Please email disruptor50@cnbc.com and ask us to check eligibility.  Feel free to include any specific reasons you are unsure.  

Q: Are international companies eligible for the Disruptor 50 list? 

A: Yes. We welcome entries from outside the United States. In the ten-year history of the list, companies from 17 different countries have been named to at least one Disruptor 50 list (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Finland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States) and we have received nominations from many other countries. Six of the 2022 Disruptor 50 are headquartered outside of the United States, and two others consider themselves “fully remote,” with no physical headquarters.  

Q: The company is eligible now but may become ineligible before the list is revealed. Should I still submit?  

A: You are welcome to submit the company as long as it is eligible on January 11, 2023. Nominees that become ineligible before April 1, 2023, either by going public, being acquired by another company or announcing a merger deal with a special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC) will be disqualified from consideration, and your application fee will be refunded at that time.   

Q: Does CNBC plan to publish a list of all nominee companies?  

A: No. Nominating your company does not guarantee any future coverage of the company on CNBC TV, CNBC.com or any other CNBC editorial platforms, regardless of whether the company is named to the list or not.  

Q: What about coverage of the companies that make the list?  

A: Making the list does not guarantee any coverage of the fifty companies named to the CNBC Disruptor 50 list on CNBC TV, CNBC.com or any other CNBC editorial platforms.  

It is reasonable to expect that CNBC.com will publish the name and a short profile of all fifty companies named to the 2023 Disruptor 50 list. This profile will be written and published by CNBC’s editorial staff.  

Any additional coverage of companies named to the list is at the sole editorial discretion of CNBC.   

Q: My company is small / is new / hasn’t raised a lot of venture capital / isn’t a unicorn / etc. Does it really have a chance?  

A: Yes. There are many examples of smaller companies with lower valuations making the Disruptor 50 list over the years. The list methodology is designed to ensure that companies must score highly on a wide range of criteria to make the final list.  

Even if your company fails to make the list, nominating your company will give your founders and CEO access to our other benefits. These are valuable opportunities for your founder/CEO to network with and learn from other startup founders and members of the venture capital community.  

Q: Is there a cost to apply?

A: Yes. We are requiring a one-time application fee of $495, payable by Wednesday, January 25 at 11:59pm ET. (Note: after January 25, the fee will be $695.)

Q: My company is an existing / former Disruptor 50 Company. Do I have to pay the application fee? 

A: No. All 2022 Disruptor 50 companies are automatically in consideration for the 2023 list and therefore exempt from the application fee. All 2022 Disruptor 50 companies should have received an email from CNBC explaining the application process. If you have not received this, please email disruptor50@cnbc.com.

Q: What if my company is unable to pay the application fee?  

A: Accommodations may be available. Please contact disruptor50@cnbc.com  

Q: Can I get a refund if my company doesn’t make the list?  

A: No. We hope that, even if the company you nominate doesn’t make the list, that it will take advantage of the other benefits we are offering, including having the founder(s)/CEO(s) attend and participate in our virtual events and the October celebration in San Francisco.

Q: When will we find out if we made the list?  

A: You should hear no sooner than April 10, and no later than May 8, 2023. 

Q: What if we don’t hear from you by May 8?  

A: Unfortunately, this means your company did not make the list. Due to the volume of nominations we receive, we will only notify the 50 companies that make the list. Additionally, we do not provide explanations as to why any single company did or did not make the list. We hope you’ll try again for as long as your company remains eligible. 

However, sometime after the application period has concluded, founder(s)/CEO(s) of nominated companies will receive details from CNBC about participation in our virtual events and the October celebration in San Francisco.