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Methodology

How the Built 100 works

Built100 is an independent ranking of the tech and startup companies with the most momentum right now. It's not a list of the biggest companies, or the most valuable — it's a read on who's breaking out. Think of it less like a market cap leaderboard and more like a chart: it moves every week.

What we measure

The flagship Built 100 is ranked by momentum, not size. Each week we score companies on a blend of public signals:

  • Funding events — new rounds, notable investors, and growth-stage milestones.
  • Product launches and traction — shipping velocity, launches, and the signals that a product is catching on.
  • Coverage and attention — how much the company is being written about and discussed across credible tech press.
  • Editorial judgment — our team's read on whether the momentum is real and durable, not a one-week blip.

A company raising a megaround, shipping something people can't stop talking about, or quietly compounding will rise. A company going quiet will drift down. That's the point — the chart reflects the present, not the past.

Where the data comes from

We track a fixed set of public sources every day — leading tech and funding publications, launch platforms, and startup databases — and combine them with company submissions and our own reporting. We do not rely on any single source, and we re-check the list continuously so companies that stall or shut down come off it.

Weekly chart, with movement

The Built 100 refreshes weekly. Each company shows its rank, its movement since last week (▲ up, ▼ down, or NEW), how many weeks it's been on the chart, and its peak position. Persistence matters: a company that holds the top of the chart for months is making a different statement than a one-week debut.

Categories

The category lists — Top AI, Top Fintech, and the rest — are simply the Built 100 viewed through one lens. A company's category reflects what it primarily does. The universe is the same; the cut is narrower.

How companies get on the list

Most are surfaced automatically from the public sources above. Anyone can also submit a company — founders, investors, or readers — and we review every submission within 48 hours. Submission does not guarantee placement, and placement is never permanent: you earn your spot each week.

Features

Some companies get a short written feature — a few sentences of context on why they're moving. Features are written by the Built100 desk as editorial. They are not advertisements.

What you can't do

You can't buy a ranking, a feature, or a badge. There is no paid placement on Built100, ever. Sponsorship or advertising, if we ever offer it, will always be clearly labeled and kept entirely separate from the rankings.

Corrections & contact

We get things wrong sometimes — a stale stage, a wrong headquarters, an outdated description. If you spot something, tell us and we'll fix it. Reach the desk at hello@built100.com.

Built100 is independent and editorially operated. Rankings reflect our own analysis of public information and are provided for informational purposes.

Think a company belongs here?

Submissions are free and reviewed within 48 hours. Editorial decisions are never for sale.

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