umn i ' s ▁new ▁companies ▁are ▁founded ▁outside ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁list , ▁found ers ▁of ▁a ▁company ▁which ▁merged ▁with ▁other ▁companies ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁new ▁company ▁are ▁counted ▁as ▁found ers ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁company . ▁However , ▁found ers ▁of ▁a ▁company ▁which ▁later ▁dissol ved ▁into ▁several ▁successor ▁companies ▁are ▁not ▁counted ▁as ▁found ers ▁of ▁those ▁successor ▁companies ; ▁this ▁same ▁rule ▁applies ▁to ▁spin - off ▁companies . ▁Finally , ▁a ▁def unct ▁company ▁is ▁a ▁company ▁that ▁stopped ▁function ing ▁completely ▁( e . g ., ▁bank rupt ) ▁without ▁dissol ving , ▁mer ging ▁or ▁being ▁acquired . ▁ ▁Top ▁companies ▁by ▁reven ues ▁ ▁Fort une ▁Global ▁ 5 0 0 ▁( 2 0 1 7 ) ▁ ▁This ▁list ▁shows ▁companies ▁in ▁Fort une ▁Global ▁ 5 0 0 ▁founded ▁or ▁co - f ounded ▁by ▁M IT ▁al umn i . ▁The ▁cut - off ▁re venue ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Fort une ▁Global ▁ 5 0 0 ▁companies ▁is ▁$ 2 1 , 6 0 9 M ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁* : ▁Koch ▁Indust ries ▁is ▁not ▁listed ▁in ▁Fort une ▁Global ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁Its ▁re venue ▁is ▁provided ▁by ▁For bes . ▁ ▁** : ▁Mer ger ▁of ▁different ▁companies , ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁M IT ▁al umn i . ▁ ▁Fort une ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁( 2 0