ByteDance

Founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming, ByteDance is the tech titan that gave us TikTok, the app that’s redefined “wasting time” for a generation. With a valuation that danced around $300 billion in 2021, ByteDance has skyrocketed from startup to superpower, riding the viral wave of short-form videos. The defining moment? Launching TikTok in 2016, which quickly became a cultural phenomenon, spawning everything from viral dance crazes to geopolitical tensions. Accomplishments include being named one of the world’s most innovative companies by "Fast Company" and making Zhang a household name, if your household is particularly tech-savvy. But it’s not all rosy—ByteDance has been embroiled in controversies over data privacy, facing scrutiny and bans in countries wary of its Chinese roots. Despite the scandals, the company's leadership, including CEO Liang Rubo, keeps it spinning forward, adding features, buying startups and generally making sure TikTok remains the digital opiate of the masses. ByteDance has shown it can handle the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, proving that in the cutthroat world of tech, a little dance can go a long way.