Scout startups in Washington

Learn where early startup activity happens in Washington and how to turn local context into a stronger scouting practice.

Washington

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Startup ecosystem standing

Where Washington ranks

Rankings that list Washington
Ranking	Edition	Listed as	Position	Since last edition	Trust	What it measures
Global Cities Index (Kearney)	2016	Washington	#10	No prior edition	B	Competitiveness, Performance, Talent, Business Climate
Global Cities Index (Oxford Economics)	2026	Washington, DC	#14	No prior edition	B	Performance, Growth, Talent, Competitiveness, Business Climate
Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER)	GSER 2026	Washington, D.C.	#16	Up 1	C	Ecosystem, Performance, Finance, Talent, Innovation
Global Innovation Index: Innovation Cluster Ranking (formerly Science and Technology Clusters)	2026	Washington DC–Baltimore	#18	Down 1	B	Innovation, Research, Activity
Global Financial Centres Index	GFCI 40	Washington DC	#19	Down 2	B	Finance, Competitiveness, Business Climate
Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities)	2025	Washington	#22	No prior edition	B	Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate

Positions as published in each edition. The ranking name opens its method and trust notes, the edition opens the full list, and publisher sources are listed below. Trust grades cover method, transparency and whether places are paid for.

125 organizations with a profile

Who's based in Washington

Investors 66

Investor

Sands Capital

Long-term investment management firm.

Investor

SEAF

Empowering SMEs through impact investing.

Investor

Revolution

Investing in innovative companies redefining industries.

The 3 most prominent of 66. Browse all investors

Accelerators 29

Accelerator

FedTech

FedTech is a venture studio and accelerator based in Arlington, Virginia, that transforms federal research and development into market-ready solutions…

Accelerator

Georgetown Ventures

Georgetown Ventures is a student-run startup accelerator based at Georgetown University, providing resources and mentorship to early-stage startups. It…

Accelerator

Halcyon

Halcyon is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that supports early-stage social entrepreneurs through fellowships, accelerators, and…

The 3 most prominent of 29. Browse all accelerators

Incubators 18

Incubator

The Global Development Incubator

Incubating social impact ventures for global challenges.

Incubator

White House Presidential Innovation Fellows

Connecting innovators with federal agencies.

Incubator

TransTech Social Enterprises

Empowering LGBTQ+ individuals through technology and career skills.

The 3 most prominent of 18. Browse all incubators

Venture studios 12

Venture studio

Red Cell Partners

Incubating technology-led companies for national security and healthcare.

Venture studio

Healthworx Studio

Innovating healthcare for better access and quality.

Venture studio

Madrona Venture Labs

Building the next generation of technology companies.

The 3 most prominent of 12. Browse all venture studios

Based here, most-ranked first

Universities in Washington

University

George Washington University

Listed in 2 rankings

University

American University

Listed in 1 ranking

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Your way in

Founders

Raising in Washington

Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.

Founder tools

Investors

Finding startups in Washington

Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.

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Scouts

Scouting in Washington

Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.

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Questions about Washington

How does Washington rank as a startup ecosystem?

Washington is #22 of 1,473 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025). It appears in 6 rankings tracked on Superscout; the table above lists each one.

How many startup investors are based in Washington?

Superscout has profiles for 66 investors based in Washington, including Sands Capital, SEAF and Revolution.

Are there accelerators or incubators in Washington?

Yes. Superscout lists 29 accelerators, 18 incubators and 12 venture studios based there, including FedTech, The Global Development Incubator and Red Cell Partners.

Which universities in Washington are on Superscout?

2 universities have a profile: George Washington University and American University.

Geographic proximity

Nearby cities to Washington

Browse cities in United States

City

Manassas

41 km away

City

Leesburg

52 km away

City

Baltimore

57 km away

City

Frederick

66 km away

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Scout profile Structured activity

Memo drafted

Submitted

Following

Superscout documents Washington ecosystem information independently from canonical records and linked sources. Missing facts stay missing.

Suggest a correction How the research works

Sources and known limits

A reviewed date is not available for this page.

Organizations are placed by their recorded headquarters (Google place, ROR or company record). Only organizations with a Superscout profile are counted, so totals undercount the full ecosystem.

The population value has no measurement date in the canonical record and should be treated as approximate context.

Superscout is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the organizations documented here.