CHICAGO - New companies mean new money and the innovative firms on i-Street magazine's Top 50 this year mean business. i-Street selected the top private companies in emerging industries that have a high potential for growth that are featured in this month's magazine in all of their glory. Most have attracted the attention of individual or venture investors and are poised to gain market share in open defiance of a gloomy economy. The list spans profitable ventures looking for savvy buyers to upstarts looking for a first institutional round of funding.

Of the companies on i-Street's list last year, 19 percent of them are on the list again this year, predominantly because they survived, gained momentum and still remain in large perceived markets. Many firms that came off the list are still good companies but they settled into small, sometimes profitable market niches that are not as suitable to the risks of venture funding.

With the demise of the dot-bomb era and the reckless abandon with regard to market size, revenues and profitability, companies on the list this year are more diverse and span nanotech, biotech, wireless, software, technology, eLearning, advertising and marketing firms. Most have revenues and some are profitable.

"We are excited to be a part of i-Street's Top 50 emerging companies."said Curious Networks CEO, Dave Cutler. "It's great to contribute to the innovative technology Chicago provides to the world marketplace."