AI is now table stakes for the 2025 Fast 50
Gettyimages.com/Suchat longthara
By
Nick Wakeman
Nearly 80% of the government market's fastest-growing small businesses cite artificial intelligence as a core capability.
The 2025 Washington Technology Fast 50 highlights a small business environment that mirrors much of the broader public sector market with companies focused on artificial intelligence, software development, cybersecurity and cloud computing.
Unlike our annual Top 100 rankings that rely on analysis of government procurement data, the Fast 50 is derived from nominations that companies submit. The nominations for 2025 included five years of revenue data (2020-2024). We calculate the companies’ compound annual growth rate and rank the companies accordingly.
A first-time Fast 50 company came out on top this year. McLean, Virginia-headquartered Makwa Global LLC has a compound annual growth rate of 251.8%. Its revenue grew from $200,000 in 2020 to $30.6 million in 2024.
Much of the company’s work centers around training in areas such as cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and law enforcement.
Makwa is one of six companies on the Fast 50 with CAGRs topping 100%. The average CAGR for this year’s list is 48%.
AI and machine learning was by far the most common capability claimed by the Fast 50 companies this year, with 78% doing so. This dominance makes the argument that AI is not just marketing jargon, but has become table stakes for success in the public sector market.
Cybersecurity was next with 52% of the companies naming it as a capability.
Software development was next with 44%, followed by cloud computing at 34%, then IT modernization at 30%. Data analytics was cited as a capability by 28% of the companies and DevSecOps.
More than half of the 2025 Fast 50 – 28 to be exact – are returning firms from the 2024 Fast 50. Four of the top five companies are newcomers to the list.
ATI Government Solutions dropped from No. 1 in 2024 to No. 2 in 2025. The Small Business Administration announced in October that ATI and its parent the Susanville Indian Rancheria tribe is under investigation for fraud.
The 2025 Fast 50 companies hold a variety of small business designations:
- 34% small, disadvantaged businesses
- 32% 8(a) status
- 30% women-owned
- 20% service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses
- 8% HUBzone businesses
- 38% hold multiple small business designations
In future Fast 50s, we will have to watch this spread of designations as the Trump administration reduces its use of socio-economic factors in awarding federal contracts.
The Fast 50 also shows a level of sophistication in their collective use of contract vehicles. Only 36% mention they hold a major GWAC or IDIQ. The same percentage (36%) also cite holding a GSA Schedule. SeaPort NxG is held by 10 companies and six are on OASIS+.
The contract mix suggests that these small businesses are winning through other channels, such as agency-specific contracts and direct awards.
We invite you to explore the 2025 Fast 50 to learn more about these potential competitors and possible partners.