The picks are in for Seattle Inno's 2022 Fire Awards.
The winners, dubbed "Blazers," came from five categories and an initial nominee list of 30 companies — six companies for each of the five categories. Choosing 30 companies as nominees was challenging, but whittling that list down to five winners was excruciating given the strong tech ecosystem in the Puget Sound region.
This year's winners represent a variety of company types, from billion-dollar "unicorns" to health care technology startups to venture capital firms. The initial list and the Blazers are a testament to the growing tech sector in our area.
The Fire Awards recognize the area's most innovative companies. Our newsroom considered factors such as funding, revenue growth, mission, community impact and future potential when selecting the list. Read below for the list of winners and a brief description of each company.
JUST GETTING STARTED AND HEATING UP
- WINNER: STRELLA BIOTECHNOLOGY
Agriculture tech startup Strella Biotechnology moved to Seattle from Philadelphia at the start of the year. Since then, the company raised an $8 million Series A round. The 5-year-old startup makes sensors to help packers, importers and retailers monitor the ripeness of produce, and the sensors provide more accurate feedback than sight or other measures, according to the company. Strella said in June at the time of its Series A that the company had monitored 2.1 billion pieces of fruit. Investors in the company include Google Ventures, Mark Cuban and Millennium New Horizons, which has invested in companies like Facebook and Twitter.
THE HEALTH NUTS
- WINNER: ACTRIV HEALTHCARE
Tacoma-based Actriv Healthcare, founded in 2017, connects nurses and health care facilities through its staffing platform. The company said it hired over 50 employees in the past six months. In addition to Tacoma and Seattle, Actriv has launched in Portland, Boise, Dallas, Phoenix and Vancouver, Washington, and the company plans to expand to new markets.
ON A MISSION
- WINNER: COOLPERX
Bellevue-based Coolperx helps companies be more environmentally conscious when it comes to their branded merchandise. Its clients include big names like Amazon, Google, T-Mobile and Microsoft. Coolperx allows clients to shop for swag options and provides a climate score for various companies. The company also provides digital stores for clients and a climate-reporting tool to see the environmental impact of different suppliers. According to Coolperx, revenue grew by 40% over the past year.
THE UNICORNS
- WINNER: ICERTIS
Bellevue-based contract management software company Icertis has about 2,000 employees, up from 1,400 in March 2021. Icertis received an investment from SoftBank in October that pushed the company's value to $5 billion, and Icertis followed that up with an investment from the German software giant SAP SE for an undisclosed amount in January. Icertis co-founder and CEO Samir Bodas in August told the Business Journal the company ended last year with annual recurring revenue of $150 million.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES PLAYERS
- WINNER: FUSE
Venture capital firm Fuse, based in Bellevue, has backed startups in the area such as WellSaid Labs, Zuper and Bttn. The firm launched in 2020 with former Ignition partners Cameron Borumand and Kellan Carter as founding and general partners, while former E.ventures partner Brendan Wales became the firm's third general partner. As of March, Fuse had made almost 20 investments in the previous 18 months. The firm also counts former Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner as a venture partner.
