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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe GeekWire 200 is GeekWire’s quarterly ranking of Pacific Northwest startups. Its Fall 2026 edition, ranked as of September 2026, puts Temporal at No. 1, Helion at No. 2 and Stoke Space at No. 3. It is a useful snapshot of the region’s startup activity—not a scientific score of company quality or investment potential.
What the GeekWire 200 measures
GeekWire builds the index from its larger Startup List. It generally covers privately held companies founded within roughly the past 15 years, headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, with leadership based in the region. The index is regional: it is not a ranking of every startup in the United States, nor does inclusion by itself establish that a company’s products or business are successful.
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GeekWire says companies generally leave after agreeing to an acquisition or going public. Its methodology also describes other removal events, including certain mergers and majority-share sales. The precise status of an individual company can depend on the circumstances, so consult the live index and GeekWire’s current explanation for changes.
Who is on the Fall 2026 list?
GeekWire’s Fall 2026 ranking is described as current as of September 2026. The top three were:
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- Temporal — No. 1
- Helion — No. 2
- Stoke Space — No. 3
The live index observed on October 8, 2026, listed Temporal at 633 employees with 97% one-year employee change, Helion at 595 employees with 69% change, and Stoke Space at 441 employees with 46% change. These are GeekWire’s live-page figures, not independently audited counts; headcounts and rankings can change. Check the current GeekWire 200 index for the latest entries and numbers.
GeekWire’s September 2026 article also reported Temporal’s valuation at $12.55 billion after a $550 million Series E, Helion’s $500 million Series G, and roughly $1 billion raised by Stoke Space. Those are publisher-reported company figures, not independent verification. See GeekWire’s Fall 2026 ranking article for its context and reporting.
How GeekWire ranks startups
GeekWire says the ranking weighs several indicators rather than relying on a single measure:
- Employee growth over the prior 12 months: both percentage growth and the number of jobs added matter.
- Company scale: larger companies receive credit for maintaining scale, although growth is weighted more heavily.
- LinkedIn followers: GeekWire uses follower counts as a rough public-traction signal, with a curve intended to give younger companies a fairer chance.
- Editorial judgment: factors such as recent funding, layoffs and GeekWire’s reporting can inform the ranking.
A 2025 methodology update also described AI tools being used to aggregate data, generate rankings and help verify data. GeekWire’s methodology update explains that approach. The ranking is therefore a publisher-created index based on selected indicators and editorial decisions, not an independently validated formula.
How to use the ranking
The list can help readers discover regional companies, but the useful comparison depends on what they want to learn. GeekWire identifies job searching, customer prospecting, investment scouting and getting a high-level view of the technology community as common uses.
- For job seekers: treat employee growth as one clue about hiring momentum, then check the company’s own careers page for current openings. A growth percentage does not guarantee open roles.
- For prospective customers: use the index to find companies in relevant industries, then assess their actual products, support, security and fit for your needs. Rank is not a product-performance assessment.
- For investors: compare rank movement, growth in both percentage and jobs added, company scale, industry, geography and reported company developments. The list is not investment advice and does not establish financial prospects.
- For regional research: use it as a periodic snapshot, bearing in mind that the list reflects GeekWire’s eligibility rules and ranking method rather than the entire startup ecosystem.
What the GeekWire 200 does not tell you
GeekWire itself cautions that the list is not scientific and that specific rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. A strong position indicates how a company scored under GeekWire’s chosen inputs and judgment; it is not proof of business health, product merit, investment quality or likely future growth. Employee and follower counts are indicators, not a full account of a company’s performance.
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Because the index is updated and company status can change, use the live page for current ranks and details rather than treating a dated article or snapshot as permanent. The Fall 2026 placements above refer to the edition ranked as of September 2026.
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