Artem Petakov

In Artem Petakov’s career, three types of maps are interlinked: the maps that lead you to a physical location; the ones that chart the fundamentals of biology; and the plans that can spell the difference between success and failure in business.

A technology and psychology expert who has had gigs at the pioneering geographic content team at Google Maps, Petakov has now harnessed his expertise to help consumers plot a course to better health. Noom, the digital health firm he cofounded, aims to improve customers' long-term diet and exercise habits via coaches they can reach virtually, with the broader goal of encouraging weight loss and preventing obesity and the various conditions it can cause.

With Petakov shaping its technology, Noom quadrupled its revenue year over year in 2019, to $237 million, and the company says it now manages a team of "upwards of 2,000 coaches nationwide.”