Last month GeekWire brought back a Seattle tech tradition, using publicly available data to generate a monthly ranking of 200 top startups in the Seattle region. As we suspected in advance, we also brought back a related tradition — an intense debate about the merits and accuracy of such an index.
Seriously, you should have seen our inboxes!
We promised from the outset to make the GeekWire 200 better over time, and today we’re releasing the January update, a significantly improved index of the region’s tech startups. Among other changes, we adjusted the weighting that the index gives to its various inputs, which include data from LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and SEOmoz. We also corrected for oversights in some of the data feeds we’re using.
You can check out the January update here.
Some highlights from the January update: BigFish Games is atop the GeekWire again this month, but there are a number of changes throughout the ranking, particularly in the top 10. In particular, the adjustments we made in the algorithm did a good job of identifying companies that are considered potential IPO candidates, including INRIX, Apptio, Zulily and others.
Apart from the ranking, the sorting features we’ve included in the index provide unique insights into the Seattle startup landscape. You can toggle between B2B and B2C startups, or drill down to see the rankings in more than 20 different startup categories.
You can drill down even further to see how the companies rank based on the individual metrics used to calculate the index — seeing which business-to-business software companies employ the most people, for example, or which gaming companies in the Seattle region have the most Facebook followers.
Use the tools at the top of the index to filter based on all of these criteria.
Some important background: The companies on the GeekWire 200 are drawn from our much larger GeekWire Startup List, a directory of more than 700 tech-oriented startups in the region.
To make sure your startup is eligible for inclusion the GeekWire 200, first make sure it’s included on the Startup List. If so, there’s no need to submit it separately for the GeekWire 200. If your Seattle-area startup isn’t among the companies on that larger list, you can submit it for inclusion here, and our algorithm will also crunch the numbers to see if your company makes next month’s GeekWire 200.
There’s still plenty of room for improvement in the GeekWire 200. Over time we’ll continue to upgrade the features of the index and the types of data used to generate the ranking. Stay tuned next month for another update.
In the meantime, your continued feedback is welcome. Comment below or email me at todd@geekwire.com.
GeekWire Startup Resources
GeekWire 200: This monthly index uses publicly available data to identify companies growing quickly and grabbing the attention of key online communities.
Startup List: This database of more than 700 startups provides a broad overview of the Seattle tech startup scene, sortable by category to help find the startups in specific sectors of the industry. Submit your startup here for inclusion on the list and consideration for the GeekWire 200.
Service Provider Directory: This online resource helps startups connect with service providers in the Seattle region, from accounting and legal services to office space and recruiting. Service providers, submit your listing here.
GeekWire Job Board: An online board for tech-related jobs in the Seattle region, providing employers with a targeted way to reach qualified candidates, and giving job-seekers an inside line on open positions in the region.
