MENLO INNOVATIONS

ann arbor, Michigan

Founders: Richard sheridan (CEO), James goebel revenue: $4 million

employees: 43 menlo has such a distinctive way of making custom software—for example, all programmers work in pairs—that people pay to take tours of its office. Executives pay as much as $20,000 to hang out, and the total take from observers can be as much as $800,000 a year, making menlo’s marketing department a profit center. the company specializes in unusual challenges, such as rebuilding an organ-transplant system.