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The latest update to the GeekWire 200 reveals which companies are growing quickly and making moves up our list of top-ranked Pacific Northwest tech startups.
Sales software company Highspot (No. 1) retains the top spot on the GeekWire 200 after reaching the pinnacle last quarter.
But there’s a new No. 2, with Helion jumping six spots thanks to a massive $425 million funding round announced last month. The Everett, Wash.-based fusion company is backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and has a deal with Microsoft as it chases the “Holy Grail” of clean energy.
Other companies rising in the top 10 include:
Health data startup Truveta (No. 7), which just raised $320 million.
Developer testing platform Statsig (No. 9), which had an “epic Q4,” according to its CEO.
Cybersecurity company Protect AI (No. 10), which recently joined Microsoft’s Pegasus Program for startups.
The GeekWire 200, presented by JPMorganChase, provides a snapshot of the region’s startup landscape, and highlights companies that are gaining traction.
The top-ranked companies have changed quite a bit over the years, reflecting the dynamic nature of the fast-moving tech industry.
Some startups fall down the list due to workforce reductions. Companies that shut down, are acquired or go public are removed from the list.
Previous top-ranked startups such as Blue Origin, Hootsuite, and Icertis no longer qualify for the GeekWire 200, because companies that are 15 years or older are not included, given that they are no longer “startups” based on our parameters.
Meanwhile, startups that have raised cash and are adding staff move up the rankings, reflecting their prominence among the region’s plethora of early stage tech companies.
There are also a number of new companies that made the list for the first time.
Other key trends to note:
B2B software continues to be a strong suit of Seattle’s startup ecosystem. Among the top 50, all but three companies — OfferUp; Rec Room; Boundless — sell enterprise products.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere on the list, either embedded within services sold by companies or in their branding — “AI” shows up in nine startup names.
Clean tech is one of the more dominant industries, with 10 companies in the sector on the list, including Helion, Zap Energy, Group14, and others.
The GeekWire 200 ranking is grounded in both publicly available data — including LinkedIn employee counts, Facebook followers, and Moz domain authority — as well as editorial judgment from the GeekWire news team, based on factors including recent fundings and layoffs, and our own insights from covering the region’s technology startups.
See the full GeekWire 200 ranking for Q1 2025.
To make sure your Pacific Northwest technology startup is eligible for the GeekWire 200, first confirm it’s included in the broader GeekWire Startup List. If so, there’s no need to submit it separately. If your startup isn’t among the companies on that larger list, you can submit it for inclusion here, and we’ll crunch the numbers to see if your company makes the next GeekWire 200 update.
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