HURUN’s Story

Hurun Report generated 8 billion views globally last year, through putting out quality lists and research. Established in 1999, Hurun Report Inc. has grown into a leading research platform based in, London Shanghai and Mumbai, best-known for its China and India rich lists, and with 200 employees today. We are proud to have grown to become the world’s largest compiler of lists for unicorns (+$1 billion) and future unicorns: Gazelles ($500-$1bn) and Cheetahs ($300mn-$500mn). For young founders we have several lists through the Uth series. The Uth Series contains three categories: the Under30s, Under35s and Under40s lists. These lists represent the best of young entrepreneurs who have founded businesses worth US$10mn, US$50mn and US$100mn respectively. Hurun started the Under30s series in China 7 years ago and has since expanded it to India, Australia, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Korea, Spain and Germany over the last three years. In the UK we have covered the Under30s 2022 list and the Under30s and Under35s 2023 lists.

Rupert Hoogewerf:

Chairman & Chief Researcher, Hurun Report Inc.

Mention the name Rupert Hoogewerf in China and it’s likely to be met with a blank expression. But say the word ‘Hurun’ and it’s an all together different story.

Since 1999, Hoogewerf has grown Hurun Inc into a leading research and media platform, attracting 8 billion views on the Hurun brand in 2020, a 50% increase yoy, through its lists and research. With 150 staff, Hurun is headquartered in Shanghai with its other big market being India.

Best-known today for the Hurun Rich List series, ranking the most successful entrepreneurs in China, India and the world, Hurun’s other key properties include the Hurun 500, a ranking of the world’s most valuable companies, and the Hurun Unicorn Index, a comprehensive listing of the world’s start-ups worth US$1bn or more.

Fluent in Mandarin, Hoogewerf graduated from Durham University, UK, with a degree in Chinese and Japanese language and history in 1993, and subsequently spent seven years qualifying as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen London. He lives with his wife and three children in Shanghai, where he has lived since 1997.

His contribution to the understanding of wealth in China has seen him gain a great deal of recognition in the Mainland, notably the prestigious Person of the Year in 2002 ( Neweekly magazine ). In June 2009 the Shanghai government presented Hoogewerf with the Magnolia Award, the highest honour bestowed by the City on foreigners. Hurun Report was presented with the highest annual award in 2010 of the All-China Women’s Federation for its promotion of women in business.

Hurun has three main IPs: The Rich list Series, the Global500 series and the Startup series.

Hurun started in 1999 with the Chinese Rich list. This generated a lot of success and it has since expanded to the India Rich list and the global rich list. For the annual global 500 series, they list the most 500 biggest companies worldwide each year.

For the start-up series, Hurun puts out the annual Global Unicorn Index for companies valued at US$1bn+. Hurun has termed a unicorn to be a ranking of the world’s start-ups founded in the 2000s, worth at least a billion dollars and not yet listed on a public exchange. The UK is the fourth largest country of unicorns in the world with 49 unicorns. Hurun also creates two global future unicorn lists: Gazelles and Cheetahs. Gazelles are non-listed start-ups from US$500mn and Cheetahs have valuations from US$300mn.

The unicorn and future unicorn lists are all at a global level and total compilation of 4000 of the world's best start-ups. This makes Hurun the largest compiler of Unicorns and Future Unicorns in the world.

After the Unicorn and future Unicorn lists Hurun has put forward the Uth series, which entails the Under40s, founders of companies with valuations of $100mn or more, Under35s, $50mn+ and the Under30s, founders of companies values at $10mn or more.

Since 2017, Hurun has been hosting the Under30s evenings for the most successful founders of start-ups in China. This has now been expanded in China to events including Under35 and Under40s.

Today Hurun hosts the Under30s events in 8 countries, including China, India, US, Canada, South Korea, Spain, Germany and the UK.

Next Event...HURUN UK Uth Series 2024, Under30s, Under35s and Under40s. We will be hosting the event in London at the end of 2024.