2020 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
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:
- 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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1. Optoro
Founded: 2010
Also honored in:
“Optoro is using innovative technology to solve a large, and growing, global problem. Every year, over 15% of inventory is returned or deemed excess, costing retailers $500 billion nationwide. Optoro’s software platform helps retailers optimize the management of returned and excess inventory in a more efficient and cost-effective way, maximizing recovery value, enabling consumers to get great deals, and reducing environmental waste. Working with some of the largest retailers in the US, Optoro’s software platform has enabled its clients to maximize recovery costs by 50 – 200%.
Founded in 2010, Optoro has been named one of the fastest growing companies in the US. Optoro has also received many awards and accolades, including CNBC’s Disruptor 50, EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year and the World Economic Forum’s Circular Economy Award, Most recently, Optoro was named a “Top Workplace” in DC by The Washington Post.”
2. Virtru
Founded: 2011
Also honored in:
“We believe everyone has a right to keep their digital content private and secure. We founded Virtru because we believe that exercising that right should be easy and convenient–simple email encryption for everyone.
With Virtru, you can choose when to keep your digital content private and secure for its lifetime, even after it’s shared online. Manage and revoke access to emails, photos, files, and other content at any time, right from within your favorite programs like Gmail and Outlook, on your desktop or mobile device.”
3. Rally Health
Founded: 2010
“Rally® believes in putting health care in the hands of individuals with a seamless experience, providing personalized, data-driven information and recommendations that can help improve outcomes and decrease costs for everyone. Rally’s Health Solutions help members set personalized daily goals, gives recommendations, and incentivizes progress with rewards. Rally’s Care Solutions make health benefits easy to understand and care easy to find on the computer or the Rally app. More than 20 million consumers currently have access to the Rally platform through payers such as UnitedHealthcare, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and thousands of employer groups. Across offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, and Las Vegas, Rallyers have dedicated themselves to transforming the health care industry for the better—Together. For more information, or to learn about job opportunities, please visit www.RallyHealth.com.”
4. Fundrise
Founded: 2010
Also honored in:
“Fundrise was born from the belief that everyone deserves a simpler, smarter, more reliable way to invest. Using technology, Fundrise has created the first low-cost, direct private market investment platform built for you.
Fundrise offers a low-cost alternative to investing in stocks and bonds. The once-unattainable world of direct private investments is now available to any individual, regardless of net worth.
Fundrise is not just changing HOW you invest, but what YOU invest in.
Fundrise is a two-time Forbes FinTech 50 award winner and has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and TechCrunch.”
5. FiscalNote
Founded: 2013
Also honored in:
“Government Relations, reinvented.
With its Government Relationship Management (GRM) Platform, FiscalNote enables government affairs professionals and executives to maximize their influence on legislation and regulatory policy through automation; optimization; and the delivery of analytical insights.”
6. Upside.com
Founded: 2015
Also honored in:
“You deserve a better business trip. Upside is building a world-class team passionate about creating a product that will turn business travel from mundane to magical. This is no ordinary startup. We’ve already brought on some of the most passionate, intelligent and seasoned founding team members on the planet.
Our founders started websites you’ve been using for years and are some of the most connected deal-makers in business. We are ambitious, well-funded and plan to change a $1 trillion global industry. If you’re looking for challenging work that demands real thinking, bold action and big-time responsibility, then check out our available positions.”
7. Kit Check
Founded: 2011
Also honored in: 2018 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
“Kit Check is the leader in automated hospital pharmacy kit tracking. Kit Check provides a cloud-hosted solution which allows hospitals to reduce their kit processing time by more than 90% while simultaneously achieving better patient safety by reducing human error.
Kit Check uses RFID technology to accurately determine the full contents of crash code kits, anesthesia kits and other pharmacy stocked kits in the hospital. It allows pharmacists to inventory kits, determine expiration and restocking needs within seconds. Hospital pharmacies are saving an average of $4.07 per kit medication using the solution.
Kit Check allows hospitals to be more efficient while increasing patient safety and freeing up pharmacists to spend more time on clinical care.”
8. Arcadia Power
Founded: 2014
“Arcadia Power is building the utility of the future. As the first nationwide digital utility, our technology gives everyone easy access to clean energy, savings programs and transaction-fee free payment options. Arcadia Power members have access to a mobile-optimized online dashboard where they can manage their account, track their account activity, and view their energy usage all in one place. Arcadia Power’s digital transformation of the traditional energy utility gives individuals greater control over what energy they support, how much it costs, and how they pay.
Founded in 2014, the company’s platform now integrates with more than 100 utilities in all 50 states and is used by more than 150,000 people. Arcadia Power members have generated over 460 GWh of clean energy and averted over 320k tons of CO2 emissions to-date. For more information, visit www.arcadiapower.com.”
9. Measure
Founded: 2014
Also honored in: 2019 Best Tech Startups in Washington, D.C.
“Measure is an aerial intelligence company specialized in collecting, analyzing, and delivering information that transforms how businesses make decisions to keep people safe and assets at peak performance. Through thousands of commercial flights, a specialized data engineering team, and a portfolio of scalable solutions, we deliver the benefits of drone technology to clients in energy, construction, and public safety.”
10. Radius Networks
Founded: 2011
“Radius Networks is building the next generation location platform to change the way companies locate and engage their customers. Our wireless-enabled tableside and curbside platform is installed in tens of thousands of locations globally across more than 60 countries. Our clients include some of the world’s largest brands and span multiple markets such as restaurants, grocers, sports and entertainment, hospitality, and gaming.”