2025 Best Tech Startups in Virginia

February 27, 2025 thetechtribune

The Tech Tribune staff has compiled the very best tech startups in Virginia. In doing our research, we considered several factors including but not limited to:

Revenue potential
Leadership team
Brand/product traction
Competitive landscape

Additionally, all companies must be independent (unacquired), privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.

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10. Lightshift Energy

Founded: 2019

“Lightshift Energy, formerly Delorean Power, is a utility-scale energy storage development company that is transforming the way utilities manage and distribute power. Specializing in innovative solutions that save costs and improve reliability for energy providers and their customers, we’re committed to bringing new investment in cutting-edge battery storage technology across US communities.”

9. Umbra

Founded: 2015

Also honored in:

“Umbra builds next-generation space systems that observe the Earth in unprecedented fidelity. Our vision is to advance global insight through high quality, all weather commercial remote sensing and intelligence gathering. Our goal is to become an indispensable tool for the exploding number of organizations now actively monitoring the Earth, making data-driven decisions about land use, and fighting the effects of climate change.

Umbra delivers on this mission by implementing first principles to develop hardware, software and services which are unrivaled by the status quo. Umbra builds cutting-edge hardware and software products for our analytics customers which solve complex business and security challenges for the United States and its allies.”

8. Zephyr AI

Founded: 2020

“Zephyr AI uses large complex data and proprietary algorithms to discover new insights and opportunities for Personalized/Precision Medicine, Drug Discovery, Drug Rescue, and Clinical Decision Support. Zephyr AI partners with leading health systems, health insurance plans, and biotechnology pioneers to improve Quality, Outcomes and Costs.”

7. Seekr

Founded: 2021

“In a world of non-stop information, there is an ever-increasing need to be informed, not influenced. Seekr is an artificial intelligence company building trustworthy large language models and tools that identify, score, and generate reliable content at scale.

From our beginnings in web search, our continuous innovation has led to a growing list of patented technologies that make the web safer and more valuable to use. Today, our models are built with expert human input and explainability to solve customer needs across industries—including content evaluation, generative AI, and training and validating trustworthy LLMs.”

6. Expel

Founded: 2016

Also honored in:

“Expel is the leading managed detection and response (MDR) provider trusted by some of the world’s most recognizable brands to expel their adversaries, minimize risk, and build security resilience.

Expel’s 24/7/365 coverage spans the widest breadth of attack surfaces, including cloud, with 100% transparency. We combine world-class security practitioners and our AI-driven platform, Expel Workbench™, to ingest billions of events monthly and still achieve a 20-minute critical alert MTTR.

Expel augments existing programs to help customers maximize their security investments and focus on building trust—with their customers, partners, and employees.”

5. ShiftMed

Founded: 2019

Also honored in:

“At ShiftMed, we understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face in delivering quality care amid workforce shortages and financial pressures. Our comprehensive healthcare solutions combine skilled labor and innovative technology to ensure long-term workforce stability.

With access to over 450,000 credentialed healthcare professionals, you can fill workforce gaps with local, qualified W-2 staff on demand—no contracts or fixed-term commitments required. As the employer of record, we assume full responsibility, minimizing your legal and financial risks.

Our workforce management technology gives you complete control over operations, enabling you to optimize schedules, manage labor costs, and align your workforce with patient demand. This helps you maintain the right balance between permanent and flexible staff, eliminating both understaffing and overstaffing.”

4. HawkEye 360

Founded: 2015

Also honored in:

“HawkEye 360 is a Radio Frequency (RF) data analytics company. We operate a first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to identify, process and geolocate a broad set of RF signals. We extract value from this unique data through proprietary algorithms, fusing it with other sources to create powerful analytical products that solve hard challenges for our global customers. Our products include maritime domain awareness and spectrum mapping and monitoring; our customers include a wide range of commercial, government and international entities.”

3. Electrify America

Founded: 2016

Also honored in:

“Electrify America LLC was created in 2016 to build the largest network of electric vehicle DC fast charging stations. Our charging stations will be an average of only 70 miles apart on major routes across the continental United States. Depending on the vehicle’s capacity, electric vehicle drivers may be able to fast-charge their car in as little as 30 minutes.* With Electrify America DC fast charging stations, electric vehicle owners have the freedom to go just about anywhere— just like they would with a conventional car.

Electrify America is committed to building awareness of electric vehicles through education and outreach. We work with local, state, and national organizations as well as vehicle manufacturers to create opportunities to inform the general public about the benefits of driving electric.”

2. Somatus

Founded: 2016

Also honored in:

“Accelerating health equity one patient at a time by providing no-cost, high-quality kidney and heart care to eligible members.”

1. Mission Lane

Founded: 2018

“Mission Lane is a purpose-driven fintech company that leverages advanced technology, data analytics, and machine learning to provide a dignified customer experience to people who are working hard to build or rebuild their credit and improve their financial lives. Mission Lane strives to offer branded products through its sponsor banks with better and easier-to-understand terms than many of the alternatives available to people with less-than-perfect credit or limited credit history. The company’s digital self-service tools make it easier for customers to stay on top of their accounts. And with responsible use, Mission Lane branded products and tools can help them on their journey to improve their credit.

Over three million consumers have chosen Mission Lane, earning high customer ratings on Credit Karma for its market segment. Since its spinoff as an independent company in December 2018, Mission Lane has cumulatively raised over $600 million of equity from leading investors, including Invus Opportunities, QED Investors, LL Funds, funds affiliated with Oaktree Capital Management, and other leading investors to support the company’s mission of setting a new standard of financial services for everyday Americans seeking to improve their financial health.”