Sometimes projects get stars just because people like the personality or company behind the project.
Case in point: https://github.com/facebook/hhvm/. It got 15,000 stars in its first few years, but roughly 10 non-Facebook companies actually ever used it in production, and today only one non-Facebook company uses it (I work at that company).
That doesn't mean that the stars are just because people like the company. People may find the technology interesting even if they have no intent of using it.
Case in point: https://github.com/facebook/hhvm/. It got 15,000 stars in its first few years, but roughly 10 non-Facebook companies actually ever used it in production, and today only one non-Facebook company uses it (I work at that company).