Each of these four companies wrangled some of the highest vote counts during the first round of #DCTechMadness . All four have advanced to the second round and we expect them to do well throughout the tournament:

If you haven’t, be sure to go vote for your favorite D.C. tech company in Round 2.

Social Tables – (9)

Social Tables is a web-based seating planning platform for hospitality, meeting and event professionals founded by its CEO Dan Berger back in 2011 in Washington, D.C. Their mission is to stimulate in-person interactions and to empower those who attend those events. In a letter from CEO Dan Berger from December 2014, he shared company goals for 2015, saying that an iPad app is around the corner along with a national tour to meet and listen to customers. Berger stated that Social Tables held “over 300,000 events, planned by 60,000 users across 3,200 accounts in 25 countries.”

Last August, Social Tables raised $8M Series A, and the investors included Fortify Ventures, Middleland Capital, 500 Startups, Militello Capital, Thayer Ventures, and Bessemer Venture Partners. The 2014 Year in Review blog highlights that they almost tripled employment, hiring 48 employees to grow from 17 to 68 and switching from part-time to full-time employment. Customer growth also dramatically increased from hundreds to several thousands, with partnerships with Hyatt, Four Seasons, and Delta Hotels and Resorts.

Social Tables switched from just one product to a full platform, releasing a new product, Table Designer, for caterers, last March. Social Tables’ partnership with Convention Industry Council allowed them to release a free meeting calculator app for the industry. Social Tables won the Canadian Award for Best Event App in the Canadian Special Events Magazine 2014 Readers Choice Awards.

Canvas – (10)

Based in Reston, Virginia and founded by current CEO James Quigley, Canvas is a cloud-based software service that reduces paperwork by collecting and managing data through mobile apps. According to the Canvas website, Canvas has replaced over 30 tons of paper and offers over “13,000+ pre-built, fully customizable apps that work on all mobile platforms and serve 30+ vertical markets.” The app includes features such as GPS, image capture, barcode scanning, and electronic signatures.

In February, Canvas integrated with PayPal by “enabling businesses to seamlessly collect payments within any Canvas business app,” according to the Canvas blog release. It goes on to say that “with this integration, you and your users can accept credit and debit cards, track cash, and take check payments, without leaving Canvas.” The Canvas blog also wrote last month about their new referral program that gives a $50 Amazon gift card to you for every referral that becomes a paying customer for at least two months.

Earlier this month, Kitchen Brains partnered with Canvas to reinvent data collection in commercial kitchens. During the National Restaurant Show this coming May, Kitchen Brains will feature an innovative data collection application of Canvas. On February 26, Canvas tweeted that ”1000s of companies streamline their processes with Canvas each month.”

Everfi – (6)

Based in Washington, D.C. and founded by Ray Martinez, Jon Chapman and Tom Davidson, EverFi, Inc. provides education technology to teach, assess, badge, and certify students in financial literacy and loan management. Over 500 hundred colleges and universities use EverFi’s services and technologies directly, according to its website.

Back in September 2014, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced a partnership with EverFi to teach one million students STEM skills as a part of a North American education initiative that uses hockey as a learning vehicle to encourage students to build their science, technology, engineering, and math skills.

Partnered with Neustar, their digital literacy program for California schools called “My Digital Life” won PR News’ CSR Award for Best Corporate Community Partnership. EverFi is also currently partnered with TED2015, themed “Truth and Dare” to excite an atmosphere of innovation.

2U – (1)

2U IPO/ (2014)

Founded in 2008 and based in Hanover, Maryland, 2U is a cloud based Software-as-a-Service platform that provides schools with the operating infrastructure necessary to educate, support, and graduate students globally. 2U’s No Back Row approach provides students with immersive content and high-quality live classes. The platform is partnered with universities to offer online degrees.

On March 10, 2U announced its first Ivy League partnership with Yale’s School of Medicine. 2U went public one year ago on March 31. 2U won 2014 Technology Firm of the Year by the Tech Council of Maryland (TCM), Maryland’s largest technology trade association. Last December, 2U was also named one of the Best Places to Work for medium-sized companies by Glassdoor’s Employee’s Choice Awards.

It is graduate partners with Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies, UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and its School of Government, The George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, American University’s School of International Service, and many others.

You can read more stories on DC startups, technology and innovation at https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/inno