Аннотация:Fast-growing companies or “gazelles” are dynamically developing firms with annual growth rates above 20%. In many developing countries, they are one of the most important drivers of economic development, provide up to 5080% of job growth, and are also “pioneers” of new market niches, including high-tech ones. The authors of the paper study the sector of fast-growing firms in Russia to identify the features of their life cycle. Fast-growing companies in modern Russia are, first of all, companies with high initial costs, a short production cycle, and a growing need for financing from external sources. As a rule, they work in capital-intensive sectors of the economy. The paper reveals factors of the internal business environment that allow Russian “gazelle” companies to achieve high rates of growth. The authors design econometric models of the dependence of the revenue of fast-growing companies per employee on a number of factors of the company’s growth. The results of the study suggest the need for state support of high-growth companies at the initial stages of their development, in particular, ensuring the development of economic infrastructure and facilitating the access of firms to financing.