The 2024 Fast 50 showcases small business power and versatility
Gettyimages.com/ Fasai Budkaew
By
Nick Wakeman
From IT services to intelligent automation, our annual ranking of the government market's fastest-growing small businesses highlight the breadth of their capabilities.
Each year, we celebrate the strength and vibrancy of the small business community with the Washington Technology Fast 50.
We rank companies according to their annual compound growth rate over a five-year period. The rankings are based on data the companies submit in their applications for the Fast 50.
Click here to see the 2024 Washington Technology Fast. 50.
Our rankings include individual pages where you can learn about the leadership, lines of business, major contracts and top customers for each company.
In looking down from this year's No. 1 ATI Government Solutions to No. 50 Strativia, several things should stand out:
Breadth of capabilities, expertise and growth potential.
We’ve identified the five most common attributes among these companies:
IT services and solutions. This includes software development, DevSecOps, cloud migration, data analysis and IT modernization. Nearly all the companies on the list share one or more of these capabilities.
Management consulting and advisory services. Many are offering consulting, strategic planning, program management and business transformation. For example, look at Aptive Resources and the work it does in health care.
Engineering and systems integration. Several companies are offering deep expertise in systems engineering, integration, testing, and technical support, particularly for defense and aerospace companies. BryceTech, which hit No. 11, supports NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program Office.
Intelligent automation. A growing number of small businesses, such as Amivero at No. 4, are bringing artificial intelligence and robotic process automation to government customers.
Specialized expertise. Many of the companies are focused on specific capabilities. PGLS, No. 7, provides language services and strategic communications to its customers. Black Canyon Consulting, No. 3, supports life sciences and gene therapies.
Other characteristics of the 2024 Fast 50 include a focus on digital transformation. Many of the companies highlight how their offerings such as cloud migration and IT modernization help agencies transition to modern, digital ways of operating.
The Fast 50 companies also claim a diverse set of customers across the civilian, defense and state and local markets. These companies also tout certifications such as CMMI and ISO standards as well as a broad range of contract vehicles.
Finally, the Fast 50 are just that – fast. Their five-year compound annual growth rates range from No. 1's high of 194% to No. 50's at 17%.
The growth rates reflect how these companies have taken their capabilities and leveraged them to rapidly scale and deliver solutions to their government customers.