Top Company 2023: Energy

Now in its 36th year, ColoradoBiz magazine’s Top Company Awards program recognizes businesses and organizations based in Colorado or with a significant presence in the state that are leading the way in their fields, as demonstrated by financial performance, notable company achievements and community engagement.

To be considered, Top Company entrants submitted applications throughout the year online at ColoradoBiz.com. From those entries, which numbered in the hundreds, the magazine’s editorial board narrowed the field to three finalists (in most cases) in each industry category. A judging panel made up of area business leaders and ColoradoBiz staff then met to compare notes on the finalists and decide winners in 14 industries plus the Startup category, for companies in business four years or less.

Congratulations are in order not only to the 41 winners and finalists profiled on the following pages, but to all the companies that took the time to tell us about their achievements and obstacles surmounted over the past year that make them worthy of Top Company consideration.

READ: Fall 2023 Issue — Top Company Awards, Inside the CHIPS and SCIENCE Act, and More

WINNER

Urban Solutions Group

Denver, CO

Website: www.urbansolutiongroup.com

CEO Heidi Gill started Urban Solution Group in 2017 and raised $10 million to design, build and manufacture the next generation of sound walls that mitigate noise and nuisance impacts to communities from oil and gas operations. 

“Urban is a pro-American business and believes business and communities can coexist,” Gill says, citing expertise in industrial development, acoustic modeling, monitoring, mitigation and community relations. 

After the company’s now-patented mitigation walls launched at two locations in spring 2018, booming demand supported the manufacturing and deployment of enough product to service more than 25 simultaneous locations in the company’s second year. Urban Solution Group is now able to support more than 30 locations at any given time, more than six miles of walls in all. 

While Urban started as an oilfield services company, it has expanded into the renewable industry, data centers and racetracks. Gill said she believes “success snowballs,” adding, “If there is the opportunity, Urban will be there for the challenge.” 

The company saw revenue drop by 59 percent due to COVID-19 and the oil war in 2020. “Instead of pulling back on innovation and investment, Urban made the bold decision to double down,” Gill says. 

The resulting NavPlanIQ is a cloud-based energy platform that assists energy operators and developers with planning and navigating the human component of operations while providing regulatory and compliance tools. 

The strategy is paying off: Annual revenue grew by more than 120 percent in 2022, as the number of employees has increased from five in 2020 to 13 today.