The 2026 GeekWire Awards will recognize the top leaders, companies, and breakthroughs in Pacific Northwest tech. The finalists are: mpathic, ElastixAI, Dropzone AI, Dopl Technologies, and Loopr AI. These companies aim to make AI safer for kids in crisis, improve factory defects, and reduce the cost of running large language models. The event, celebrating innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, will take place on May 7 at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle. Voting for the Startup of the Year is now open. The winners will be announced by a panel of independent judges from community nominations.