Photo of a robot with multiple arms in front of a blue sky.
Credit: Washington Business Journal
Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days — but especially for the fastest-growing companies in the region.
By Carolyn M. Proctor – Data and Projects Editor, Washington Business Journal | Oct 23, 2025
There’s no avoiding artificial intelligence. And we’re not talking about your Google search results.
At least a third of the companies on our Fastest Growing Companies List this year describe their direct offerings as including AI. This year it was also named the fastest-growing business segment at nearly a third of the companies in a poll, more than any other response.
Greater Washington is home to the companies building and powering AI, providing AI services, or employing AI behind the scenes. It is, indeed, everywhere.
“Our AI, machine-learning and predictive analytics business sectors are experiencing exponential growth,” said Sid Chowdhary, CEO of Credence Management Solutions LLC, which grew revenue an average of 36% over the past three years.
When I reached out for commentary about how AI is involved — or not involved — in their work, all 16 companies that responded unanimously described AI as an integral and growing factor, with half offering AI products or services directly. And they all also plan to increase their use of AI in the next year. Take a look at the many ways AI is shifting the ranks of the region’s fastest growing companies.
Powering AI
Some of our Fastest Growing Companies are actually building the data centers that power the tech.
Our No. 1 company, Worldwide Mission Critical, is a perfect example. Worldwide is in the business of developing data centers and has grown its revenue an average of 247.27% over the past three years. So, how much of that growth can be attributed to the demand for AI?
“Oh, it’s a huge part of it,” co-founder Brad Gray said from its Herndon headquarters. “Where it stops, I don’t know. But for right now, as the companies invest to be the first — the hyper-scale companies, the Googles and Microsofts and Oracles and whatnot — it’s just massive investments to be first, and we’re doing our best to serve them.”
Principal of Worldwide Mission Critical, Brad Gray, overlooks one of his major data center projects from his office in Herndon.
Abdullah Konte/WBJ
Falls Church-based Hitt Contracting Inc. isn’t just a massive general contractor, but one that specializes in mission-critical projects — structures that absolutely cannot fail, e.g., data centers. And that sector is driving Hitt’s exponential growth. Mission-critical project revenue grew at Hitt by 330% between 2019 and 2023, from $824 million to $3.6 billion.
Hitt is not the only construction company on our List, but it is one of only two multibillion-dollar companies represented, and it has grown to become the largest locally based general contractor, with total revenue of over $8.6 billion in 2024.
Selling AI
Anton Bizzell, founder and CEO of Bizzell US, said his company doesn’t just use AI — it’s teaching others how to use it.
The New Carrollton-based consultant pairs AI tools with instructor-led training programs in its Bizzell AI Learning Lab, a monthly program teaching participants AI-related job skills. So far, Bizzell said, participation has included pretty diverse industries, such as HVAC and electrical contractors, security and protective services, transportation service workers, and even some high school and community college students.
The Bizzell AI Learning Lab is a monthly program launched by Bizzell US that teaches participants practical AI skills.
Bizzell US
While AI tools are key to Bizzell’s work, he said the company’s “focus on guardrails and continuous learning delivers productivity gains without eroding craftsmanship, professional judgment, or jobs.” Bizzell has grown an average of more than 30% since 2022, from just under $50 million to more than $84 million in revenue.
Another big grower on our List, FedTec LLC, offers products and services directly related to AI. The federal contractor grew an average of more than 111% in the past three years to $122.5 million in revenue.
“We integrate AI and machine learning into every solution we develop for our defense and civilian partners,” said Vice President Jignesh Gandhi, who oversees innovation and engineering. The company sells an AI-powered cybersecurity system and also develops AI tools for automating tasks like data extraction and redaction for its government clients, among other things.
“FedTec has significant plans to scale our use of AI in the coming year,” Gandhi said. That includes expanding its cyber operations center, BlueDome, to boost its abilities to predict and monitor online threats; it’s also developing new AI pilot programs.
Using AI
Finally, if you’re not making or selling AI, there’s a good chance you’re still using it — like many of the companies on our List do to boost efficiency and their bottom lines.
Take Mitchell Cho, CEO of FedWriters Inc. He said his company increasingly uses AI to enhance its data analysis, technical writing, and editing capabilities.
“We apply it selectively and responsibly. Our stance is that AI should augment, not replace, human expertise,” Cho said. FedWriters has grown its revenue an average of 44.65% in the past three years.
Mitchell Cho, CEO of FedWriters Inc.
FedWriters Inc.
Vienna-based staffing and consulting firm Take2 Consulting LLC, which grew an average of 40.6% in three years, uses AI to help it find and match talent for clients. It uses an AI assistant and virtual screener as part of its applicant tracking system for recruiting.
Even The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics is in on it. The physicians behind the only medical practice on our List — which grew an average of 72.62% in the past three years to $800 million in revenue — also founded MedVanta, headquartered in Bethesda, a medical technology company for musculoskeletal physicians. Its VantaMotion platform uses AI screening to identify risks, assess health and personalize care programs. Other AI-embedded platforms are used for scheduling, or to triage cases for urgent care with the help of AI.
At Piedmont Global, Vice President of Product Saba Dovlatabadi said the language and translation solutions company uses AI to speed up some repetitive or data-heavy tasks, like large-scale quality checks or generating drafts. Piedmont grew from about $35 million in revenue in 2022 to over $54 million in 2024.
And the plan is to integrate even more AI going forward.
“The coming year is about scaling: embedding AI more deeply into client reporting, predictive analytics, and personalized language access strategies,” Dovlatabadi said. But he also clarified that the company is “selective” about how it uses AI.
“The principle is clear: automation should never replace accountability,” he said.
Bizzell US is a strategy, consulting, and technology firm dedicated to building healthy, secure, connected, and sustainable communities across the nation and around the world. Guided by our mission to produce excellent work that exceeds client expectations, we deliver efficient, innovative, and fiscally responsible solutions while upholding the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. Our team partners with public and private sector clients to advance impactful initiatives in health, workforce development, education, technology, and economic empowerment. For more information, visit bizzellus.com.
Media Contact: Shelly L. Burgess
(301) 747-7883︱media@bizzellus.com
The projects were donated as part of Bizzell’s corporate social responsibility and addresses both sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water which remains a challenge in Nigeria. “It is estimated that more than 60 million people in Nigeria do not have access to basic clean water supply and that number grows each year as a result of climate change and population growth”, according to Dr. Bizzell. “Water saves lives and providing clean water is more important now than ever which is why we decided to construct and donate the water projects to the Odo Ayedub and Oke Ako communities in the Ekiti State of Nigeria”.
The commissioning of the projects was preceded by a ceremony at the palace of the traditional ruler of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Solomon Ilesanmi Ajibade JP (Ajigbotoluwa I), the Owa of Odo Ayedun, who expressed his gratitude on behalf of the community, and conferred the chieftaincy title of Balógun Akórewọ̀lú of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti on Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, in recognition of his contribution to the development of the community. Dr. Bizzell, an African-American who traces his ancestry to Nigeria through ancestry DNA testing was also named ‘Ọmọ́wálé’ and welcomed as a son of the community.
The chieftaincy and commissioning ceremonies were witnessed by a mammoth crowd from the community, as well as senior government officials, traditional rulers, and other community stakeholders. The Ekiti First Lady H.E. Erelu Bisi Fayemi, on behalf of the Government of Ekiti State, thanked Bizzell for the kind gesture and appealed to them to favorably consider scaling up the intervention to benefit more communities. In her words, “You will find the Government and people of Ekiti state – the land of honor – to be people of integrity, who will always follow through with commitments they make to you and ensure such interventions are protected and well maintained.”