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

1. Revenue potential
2. Leadership team
3. Brand/product traction
4. 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. Global Fishing Watch

Founded: 2017

“Global Fishing Watch (GFW) is an international non-profit organisation committed to advancing the sustainability of our oceans through increased transparency. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, our mapping platform provides a powerful tool for ocean governance, empowering anyone to view or download data and investigate global fishing activity in near real-time, for free.

GFW was founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth
and Google. Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our
funding partners.

Our research, data and technology partners are central to achieving our mission to accelerate innovation and deliver actionable insights to increase transparency in commercial fishing and the sustainable management of our oceans.”

9. DNSFilter

Founded: 2015

“DNSFilter offers threat protection & content filtering for MSP partners, and mid-sized and enterprise companies. Our software blocks malicious site content in real-time and provides important visibility for IT teams.”

8. Morning Consult

Founded: 2014

Also honored in: 2022 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“Morning Consult is a global decision intelligence company changing how modern leaders make smarter, faster, better decisions. The company pairs its proprietary high-frequency data with applied artificial intelligence to better inform decisions on what people think and how they will act.”

7. Cavnue

Founded: 2021

Also honored in: 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“Our mission at Cavnue is to build the world’s most advanced roads, that are safer, offer greater throughput, improve access to affordable and high-quality public transit and shared mobility, and enable more efficient movement of goods.

While billions have been invested into developing on-vehicle technologies – including advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”) and fully autonomous driving solutions – a small fraction has been spent on developing infrastructure to support and enhance advanced roads. At Cavnue, we are developing and integrating technologies that will power the world’s most technologically connected roads. Our approach is centered around creating a digital model of a roadway that analyzes and optimizes road conditions in real-time, shares information, and provides proactive guidance to vehicles and drivers. This supports enhanced safety, efficiency, and road operating environments.”

6. Blue Whale Materials

Founded: 2018

“Blue Whale Materials provides li-ion recycling solutions to safely reclaim and responsibly supply valuable critical materials like cobalt, nickel, and lithium for the growing electrified economy.”

5. Rebellion Defense

Founded: 2019

Also honored in: 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“Rebellion Defense is a technology company developing advanced software to ensure mission-critical organizations stay ahead of emerging threats.

Rebellion Defense brings together engineers who built commercial software products that transformed our way of life and defense experts who deeply understand the mission and stakes of national security.”

4. Upside

Founded: 2015

Also honored in:

• 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2022 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2021 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2020 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2019 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2018 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“Upside is a technology company that increases the financial power of people and businesses in the real world. Since 2016, we’ve helped millions of people get more purchasing power on the things they need, and tens of thousands of brick and mortar businesses earn measurable profit – all while contributing to important sustainability initiatives.”

3. Caribou

Founded: 2016

Also honored in:

• 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
• 2021 Best Tech Startups in Arlington (Virginia)
• 2020 Best Tech Startups in Arlington (Virginia)

“At Caribou, we believe that taking control of your car payment should be a simple, transparent process.

Too many people are driving around with a bad deal on their auto loan. What’s more, many people don’t realize it, or don’t know what to do about it. Through our partnerships with local and community lenders, we connect customers with competitive rates and lower monthly payments.”

2. Placemakr

Founded: 2017

Also honored in: 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“Whether you’re with us for a day or a year, staying in a pop-up hotel or an apartment, Placemakr is blurring the lines between hospitality and home. With convenient tech, hotel amenities, and plenty more, it’s a whole new way to stay.

We partner with developers, property operators, and investors to curate a collection of apartment-like spaces in hand-picked neighborhoods. These buildings range from brand-new apartments as they’re leasing up to established apartments looking to maximize their value.”

1. MPOWER Financing

Founded: 2014

Also honored in: 2023 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.

“At MPOWER Financing, we believe education should be borderless.

As a fast-growing fintech, we leverage our cross-border digital lending platform, big data, and global infrastructure to finance the millions of high-promise international and DACA students in North America.

We were named by American Banker as a top fintech to work for (2018, 2019, and 2020), and our product was rated as top in its class by Nerdwallet and U.S. News.”