Amazon
Facts
- HQ
- SEATTLE
- Sectors
- E-commerce, Cloud computing, Aerospace/Satellites, Media/Streaming, Advertising, Consumer devices
- Founded
- 1994
- Type
- Corporation Seattle business license
- Employees
- 1600000
- Registered name
- Amazon.Com Inc Seattle business license
- Stage
- Public
TerraPower Plans to Deploy First Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming by 2030, With 10-12 More Plants Planned
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates and receiving $2 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy, is on track to deploy its first next-generation small modular nuclear reactor in Wyoming by 2030 and plans to have 10 to 12 additional plants under construction by then. The company is ahead of schedule on permitting and benefits from bipartisan political support and international competitiveness in nuclear technology.
Seattle Startup Workflow Labs Raises $1M to Expand Automated Platform Serving 500 Amazon Sellers
Seattle startup Workflow Labs raised $1 million to expand its automated platform that helps Amazon sellers manage catalogs and operations, having raised $3.2 million since its 2022 founding. The platform automates 84% of tasks for about 500 brands and aims to nearly quadruple clients by year-end.
Madrona Venture Group Marks 30 Years with $770M Raised for New Funds, Continuing Strong Seattle Investments
Madrona Venture Group, a Seattle-based venture capital firm celebrating its 30th anniversary, has invested in major startups like Amazon and recently raised $770 million for two new funds to support about 40 investments. While expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest with a Palo Alto office, Madrona continues to focus most of its investments locally.
Madrona Ventures Backs AI-Powered E-Commerce Startup Spangle Led by Ex-Bolt CEO Maju Kuruvilla
Spangle, a new AI-driven e-commerce startup led by former Bolt CEO and Amazon VP Maju Kuruvilla, has emerged from stealth with seed funding from Madrona and Streamlined Ventures. The company aims to revolutionize online shopping personalization by bridging hyper-targeted marketing and broad customer experiences.
Flexport Sues Freightmate Founders for Trade Secret Theft to Launch Seattle Startup
Logistics company Flexport has filed a federal lawsuit against Freightmate and its founders, alleging theft of thousands of confidential files and trade secrets to launch a competing startup in Seattle. Flexport accuses Freightmate's CEO Bryan Lacaillade and CTO Jason Zhao of secretly conspiring while employed at Flexport, resulting in claims for monetary damages, injunctive relief, and destruction of stolen materials.
Rad Power Bikes Names Kathi Lentzsch, Former Bartell Drugs CEO, as New CEO Amid Strategic Retail Shift
Seattle-based e-bike company Rad Power Bikes appointed Kathi Lentzsch, former CEO of Bartell Drugs, as its new CEO amid a strategic shift to retail-focused operations and recent layoffs. Lentzsch replaces Phil Molyneux, who led the company for over two years during a period marked by lawsuits and recalls.
University of Washington Students Pitch AI and Tech Startups After 10-Week Entrepreneurship Course Led by Greg Gottesman
The University of Washington offers a popular 10-week entrepreneurship class led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman, culminating in student pitches of tech startups at Pioneer Square Labs. The course attracted strong demand, featured high-profile guest speakers like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, and highlighted trends such as AI and computer vision.
Seattle Startup Rhodium Raises $2 Million to Revolutionize Marketing for Medical Spas and Beauty Brands with AI
Seattle startup Rhodium, founded by former Petabyte executives, has raised $2 million to provide AI-driven marketing software for medical spas and beauty brands. The company combines machine learning with merged direct-to-consumer brands to enhance customer engagement and revenue.
Oleria Launches AI-Powered 'Copilot' to Manage Employee Access After $33.1M Series A Funding
Seattle-based security startup Oleria launched 'Oleria Copilot,' a conversational AI assistant that answers user queries about employee access and security. Founded in 2023, Oleria raised $33.1 million in Series A funding and serves clients like Vimeo and Aireon.
Exia Labs Raises $2.5M to Develop AI Copilot ‘Blue’ for U.S. Military, Launches Political Game 'Mr. President'
Exia Labs, co-founded by veteran Jonathan Pan, raised $2.5 million to develop Blue, an AI-powered copilot for military operations that automates the U.S. Army's decision-making process and is currently being tested by military units. The startup also plans to launch the political simulation game 'Mr. President' in July to generate revenue and support its defense-focused AI development.
Nautilus Biotechnology Lays Off 16% of Staff, Postpones Proteome Platform Launch to Late 2026
Nautilus Biotechnology laid off 16% of its workforce to extend its cash runway into 2027 and delayed the commercial release of its proteome analysis platform until late 2026. The company aims to control operating expenses and maximize its impact on biological science, focusing on proteomics to advance drug development.
Seattle Startup Portola Raises $10M to Launch Tolan, Animated AI Companions with 500K Downloads by Late 2024
Portola, a Seattle-based startup led by CEO Quinten Farmer, launched Tolan, an animated AI companion app that has already gained 500,000 iOS downloads since its late 2024 soft launch. Backed by $10 million in seed funding from prominent tech investors, Tolan aims to provide thoughtful conversational companionship beyond typical AI voice assistants.
Seattle Startups Mvue, Saturday, Pansophy, and Privacy License Innovate in Fintech, Wellness, AI Knowledge, and Privacy
Four Seattle startups—Mvue, Saturday, Pansophy, and Privacy License—are innovating in fintech, endurance athlete wellness, AI-powered knowledge management, and privacy. Led by experienced founders from companies like Microsoft and Amazon, these companies use AI and personalized tech to solve industry-specific challenges.
Generative AI Poised to Boost Healthcare Efficiency but Slow Adoption and Sales Cycles Challenge Startups, Says Frazier’s Nader Naini
Generative AI and automation offer efficiency opportunities in the $4.5 trillion healthcare sector, but startups face challenges due to slow technology adoption and lengthy sales cycles. Venture funding in digital health exceeded $10 billion last year, with strong activity in Seattle-area startups and increased M&A.
Blue Origin to Lay Off 1,400 Employees Amid Shift to Speed Up Manufacturing Post-New Glenn Launch
Blue Origin announced it will lay off about 10% of its nearly 14,000 employees to reduce bureaucracy and better align roles with company priorities following the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. CEO Dave Limp emphasized the need to focus on scaling manufacturing and launch cadence efficiently to compete with SpaceX.
Convoy Co-Founder Dan Lewis Joins Microsoft as Chief Product Officer for Enterprise AI Solutions
Dan Lewis, former Convoy CEO, has joined Microsoft as chief product officer for Business & Industry solutions and Copilot AI, focusing on enterprise AI initiatives. Lewis returns to Microsoft after leading Convoy to a $3.8 billion valuation before its 2023 shutdown.
Seattle's Foundations Launches Founder-in-Residence Program Without Equity Requirement for Early-Stage Startups
Seattle-based startup community Foundations has launched a new Founder-in-Residence program designed to support early-stage founders without requiring equity. The program offers mentorship, accepts companies at various development stages, and operates on a rolling basis with a typical six-month participation.
Freightmate, Founded by Former Flexport and Amazon Employees, Raises $5M Seed to Automate Freight Forwarding Documents
Freightmate, a Seattle-based startup founded by ex-Flexport and Amazon veterans, raised $5 million in seed funding led by Fuse to automate document and data processing for freight forwarders. Its product, Docmate, digitizes and validates shipment documents, helping freight forwarders reduce errors and save time.
Seattle Startups Duckpins, GovGoose, MediScan, and Identient Innovate in Legal, Permits, Medical Records, and Cybersecurity
Four Seattle startups—Duckpins, GovGoose, MediScan, and Identient—are leveraging AI and software to streamline estate planning, city permits, medical records, and cybersecurity. These companies are led by experienced founders and aim to simplify complex processes like electronic wills, permit automation, and cybersecurity management.
Madrona Raises $770M for Two New Funds to Back Early and Late-Stage Tech Startups Amid VC Slowdown
Madrona, the largest venture capital firm in the Pacific Northwest, raised $770 million for two new funds focusing on early-stage and more mature tech startups despite a challenging VC fundraising environment in 2024. The firm plans to invest in about 30 companies at early stages and 12 at later stages, maintaining its strong position amid a slowdown in the broader venture capital sector.
Fortive Leads $2M Pre-Seed Round for Seattle Startup Glue, Founded by Ex-Tektronix VP David Sulpy, to Automate Hardware Testing
Glue, a Seattle startup led by former Tektronix exec David Sulpy, raised $2 million in a pre-seed round led by Fortive to advance its AI-driven hardware test automation software. The company originated from a collaboration between Fortive and Pioneer Square Labs to accelerate product testing and market readiness.
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Achieves First Orbital Launch Amid Schedule Hiccups; Microsoft Creates New AI Division Led by Ex-Facebook Chief; Truveta Raises $320M for Genome Initiative
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin faced multiple scheduling changes before successfully launching its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to orbit for the first time. Additionally, Microsoft established a new AI division led by a former Facebook engineering chief, and Seattle's Truveta secured $320 million to start a large genome project.
SuperDial Acquires AI2 Incubator Spinout MajorBoost to Automate Healthcare Phone Calls
SuperDial, a San Francisco health tech startup founded in 2021, acquired Seattle-based MajorBoost, an AI2 Incubator spinout founded in 2020 that automates healthcare phone calls to insurance companies. The acquisition aims to reduce costly, time-consuming calls through AI voice agents, advancing automation for healthcare organizations.
Pacific Northwest Tech Startups Raise $762M in Q4 2024 with Zap Energy and Auger Leading Funding Rounds
Venture capital funding for Pacific Northwest startups rose over 20% year-over-year in Q4 2024, totaling $762 million across 48 deals, driven by major rounds from Zap Energy and Auger. Despite being well below 2021 peaks, the region shows positive momentum amid a cautious but moderately optimistic U.S. VC market influenced by AI investment growth.
Seattle’s Soapbox Project Launches Weekly Climate Activism Meetups for Tech Workers Starting Jan. 7
Seattle nonprofit Soapbox Project, founded by Nivi Achanta, is hosting weekly meetups starting January 7 at Slip Gallery to engage tech workers and others in climate activism and community building. The organization also distributes a weekly 'changeletter' with actionable climate steps and offers resources to support collective climate action.
People
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Jamie Siminoff Executive, Vice President
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Steve Rabuchin Executive, Vice President of Project Kuiper (Amazon Leo)
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Ben Wild Co-founder of Hubble Network, Former Amazon Product Lead
