These 13 Tech Companies Sold For More Than $1 Billion

Gone are the days when headline-making tech acquisitions and IPOs come only out of Silicon Valley and New York City. Local tech and entrepreneurship communities are thriving across the U.S. in cities like Atlanta, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, and Indianapolis. And savvy venture capitalists–within and outside of the coasts–are seizing the opportunity.

Notable examples include AOL founder Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest tour, which was designed to invest in the innovative startups beyond the coasts from their fund, Revolution Ventures. And in 2013, two former-Silicon-Valley venture capitalists moved to Columbus, Ohio, to start venture capital firm Drive Capital, raising $250 million to invest in the innovative companies growing in middle America.

As more entrepreneurs decide to start up in the Heartland, big exits from businesses started in landlocked states are becoming the norm rather than the exception. From cyber security firms to cloud computing providers, business intelligence applications to customer insights companies, we’ve listed 13 of the largest, wave-making tech exits over the past five years from companies headquartered between the coasts.

These are all unicorn exits, meaning they were acquired or IPO’d at valuations of more than $1 billion. The exits and their corresponding returns are exactly why many venture capitalists and angel investors are now looking beyond Silicon Valley for their investments. Get to know them:

13. CoverMyMeds
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Deal type: Acquisition
Sale price: $1.1 billion
Sold to: McKesson in January 2017

CoverMyMeds provides an innovative platform that helps doctors and pharmacists complete prior authorization for prescription drugs. With help from local investment groups, CoverMyMeds rapidly scaled to a team of 500 with two offices in Ohio, attracting interest from health care giant McKesson. The acquisition is the first in excess of $1 billion for an Ohio tech startup and marks a huge victory for local organizations working to bring the state into the national tech spotlight.

These are just a few of the most notable examples of innovation beyond the coasts, and exceptional investments from savvy venture capitalists. As more investment dollars are poured into Middle America, and more companies are acquired or IPO’d, these lesser-known innovation hubs will continue to make headlines and create massive value in their industries.

For the full list, visit Inc.