LinkedIn Top Startups 2026: The 50 U.S. Companies on the Rise

Starting a company is becoming more accessible and more competitive. AI is giving founders new ways to build products, automate work and operate with leaner teams. In fact, four in 10 professionals globally say AI has made them more likely to start a business. But as more ideas become companies, breaking through is getting harder.

Now in its 10th year, LinkedIn Top Startups identifies the 50 emerging U.S. companies growing fast, gaining attention and recruiting top talent right now. The ranking is built entirely on LinkedIn data, looking at signals including employee growth, jobseeker interest and the ability to attract talent from LinkedIn Top Companies.

Here’s what this year’s list tells us about where startups are heading next.

Ten years in, the companies on LinkedIn Top Startups continue to change, but the opportunity they represent for professionals remains the same: a chance to get in early, build new skills and help shape what’s next. Of the 315 Top Startups alumni, 163 (52%) became unicorns and 85 (27%) went public or were acquired. Just 16 (5%) shut down. And 3% have since landed on our Top Companies list.

Explore the full 2026 list to see the 50 U.S. startups attracting talent and attention right now below:

Explore the full LinkedIn Top Startups 2026 list in your region: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, UK and U.S.

LinkedIn Top Startups is an annual ranking of the emerging startups to work for. Top Startups is curated by the LinkedIn News team and uses a combination of platform data and editorial expertise to identify new companies that are growing fast and recruiting top talent.

What’s new about this year’s Top Startups list?

This year’s list reflects just how quickly the startup landscape is changing. AI continues to be a major throughline, both in companies building AI products and those using the technology to reshape more traditional industries. We’re also seeing a new generation of founders emerge, growing investment in areas like defense and space tech, and more startups tapping creators and communities as a way to build their brands and reach customers.

LinkedIn measures startups based on four pillars: employment growth, engagement, job interest and attraction of top talent.

The methodology time frame is July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.