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
AWS Community Head Emily Freeman Departs; UW Medicine Names Dr. Timothy Dellit CEO; Pfizer Exec Joins Truveta Board
Emily Freeman, head of community at AWS, is leaving after several years, coinciding with another AWS leader's departure. Meanwhile, Dr. Timothy Dellit became UW Medicine CEO, William Johnson stepped down from Vancouver Tech Journal, and Pfizer exec Dr. Patrick Caubel joined Truveta's board.
UW Professor Shwetak Patel Co-Founded Three Startups Since 2008, Leading Google Health Tech Group
Shwetak Patel, a University of Washington professor and entrepreneur, has co-founded three startups based on his inventions since arriving in Seattle in 2008, including Zensi and SNUPI, acquired by Belkin and Sears respectively. He currently leads a health tech group at Google and is recognized as an innovative thinker transforming industries.
Seattle Startup Levanta Raises $1M to Connect Amazon Sellers with Influencers, Hits $1M Annual Revenue
Seattle-based startup Levanta raised $1 million to help Amazon sellers create affiliate programs with influencers and has surpassed $1 million in annual recurring revenue. Founded in 2023 by University of Washington grads, the profitable company serves nearly 2,000 creators and 500 brands.
Seattle Startup Expanso Raises $7.5M Seed Round Led by General Catalyst and Hetz Ventures to Expand Edge Data Processing Software
Seattle startup Expanso raised $7.5 million in a seed round led by General Catalyst and Hetz Ventures to advance its distributed data processing software powered by open source Bacalhau. The company is led by CEO David Aronchick, a former Amazon, Microsoft, and Google veteran.
Bill Gates-backed Graphyte Develops $100-per-Ton Plant-Based Bricks for 1,000-Year Underground Carbon Storage
Graphyte, backed by Bill Gates-led Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has developed affordable plant-based bricks that can store carbon underground for up to 1,000 years at under $100 per ton, meeting the Biden administration's climate funding goals. The technology uses waste biomass compressed into stable blocks for scalable, long-term carbon storage.
Seattle Startup Wokelo Raises $1.5M Pre-Seed to Use AI for Rapid M&A Due Diligence Reports
Wokelo, a Seattle-based startup founded by two former management consultants, uses AI to generate detailed due-diligence reports in minutes, streamlining the M&A research process. Founded in 2022, it has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to further develop its product.
Boundless CEO Xiao Wang Uses Personal Immigration Experience to Revolutionize U.S. Green Card Process
Boundless co-founder and CEO Xiao Wang, an immigrant himself, launched the company to simplify the complex U.S. immigration process after witnessing his parents' struggles. Leveraging his tech background and extensive research, Wang aims to address systemic pain points and help families navigate immigration more efficiently.
Jeff Bezos Moves from Seattle to Miami, Raising Questions on Washington's Capital Gains Tax Impact
Jeff Bezos is moving from Seattle to Miami, marking a symbolic end of an era for the Seattle region where he influenced business and philanthropy for three decades. The move raises questions about Washington state's capital gains tax and its impact on local leadership, while Bezos remains executive chairman of Amazon.
Flexport Acquires Convoy’s Technology and CEO Dan Lewis After Convoy’s Sudden Shutdown
Freight company Flexport acquired Convoy's technology and some employees, including CEO Dan Lewis, after Convoy abruptly shut down, citing a modest purchase price. Convoy, once valued at $3.8 billion, collapsed due to market challenges and exhausted strategic options despite significant funding.
Yifan Zhang Joins AI2 Incubator as Managing Director; Dropbox, Marchex, and Seattle Startups Appoint New Tech Leaders
Yifan Zhang, former Loftium co-founder, is joining the AI2 Incubator as managing director starting February 2024, while several Seattle tech companies made key executive hires including Dropbox, Marchex, Simply Augmented, and Chainguard.
Seattle Startup PerfectRec Uses AI and Expert Reviews to Simplify Electronics Shopping
PerfectRec, founded by Joe Golden, is a Seattle-based AI-driven product recommendation startup launched in early 2024 that helps users find electronics by combining expert reviews and data science to simplify online shopping decisions. The company employs freelance product experts and around 10 full-time employees, aiming to become the primary starting point for online shopping in a market worth hundreds of billions.
Five Seattle-Area Companies Featured in Time Magazine’s 200 Best Inventions of 2023 for Innovative Tech Solutions
Time Magazine's 2023 list of the 200 Best Inventions features five Seattle-area companies innovating in AI, fitness, smart home technology, health software, and green hardware. Notable entries include Alitheon's object-identifying technology and Amazon's Echo Hub smart home device.
Seattle Cloud Firm Skytap Raises $18M from Vistara Growth to Expand Cloud Solutions
Seattle-based cloud company Skytap raised $18 million from Vistara Growth to enhance its cloud software offerings, serving clients with traditional applications like IBM Power. Founded 16 years ago and led by CEO Bradley Schick since 2019, Skytap counts investors including Goldman Sachs and Jeff Bezos among its backers.
Seattle Trucking Marketplace Convoy Pauses Shipments and Considers Sale Amid Market Recession
Seattle-based trucking startup Convoy has paused shipments and is reportedly winding down operations amid a freight market recession and financial struggles, with layoffs and potential sale talks ongoing. The company, valued at $3.8 billion last year, faces stiff competition and market headwinds, and plans to share more details on its transition later this week.
Flexport Cuts 165 Jobs at Bellevue Office Amid 20% Company-Wide Layoffs to Restructure for Profitability
Logistics company Flexport is laying off 165 employees from its Bellevue office as part of a broader 20% company-wide workforce reduction announced last week, aiming to restructure for profitability. The Bellevue office remains operational and important for technology and product development despite recent leadership changes and past layoffs.
First Row Partners Launches $150K–$200K Startup Competition to Revive Pacific Northwest Angel Investing
Seattle venture capital firm First Row Partners has launched The Ensemble Event Fund, a startup competition offering $150,000–$200,000 to early-stage companies nationwide, aiming to revitalize the Pacific Northwest's angel investor network. The competition engages over 15 angel investors to boost capital deployment amid declining venture funding and a shrinking local angel community.
Seattle Startup Muir AI Raises $3.25M Seed Round to Enhance AI Carbon Emissions Tracking
Seattle startup Muir AI, founded by aerospace veterans Harris Chalat and Peter Williams, raised $3.25 million in a seed round led by Base10 Partners to advance its AI and satellite-based carbon accounting technology. The company helps businesses measure complex supply chain emissions to reduce their carbon footprints.
Amazon Exec Dave Limp Named New CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Space Venture
Dave Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of devices and services, will become CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture starting December. The current CEO Bob Smith is retiring but will remain through January to support the transition.
Seattle VC Firm Fuse Raises $250M Second Fund to Back 30-35 Pacific Northwest Startups
Seattle-based venture capital firm Fuse raised $250 million for its second fund to invest in early-stage enterprise software startups across the Pacific Northwest, aiming to back 30-35 companies despite a broader venture capital slowdown. Founded in 2020 with an initial $170 million fund, Fuse credits its growth to the strong local talent and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Fuse closes $250M second fund to back 30–35 Pacific Northwest software and AI startups
Seattle-area VC firm Fuse has closed a $250 million second fund to invest in 30–35 Pacific Northwest software and AI-enabled startups, writing $1M–$10M checks and co-leading rounds. Backers include state-affiliated accounts, foundations, universities and prominent Seattle software executives, and Fuse aims to back companies that automate business processes or augment workers.
Seattle Marketing Executive Joanna Lord Becomes CMO at Spring Health Amid Outreach Resignation and Maveron CFO Hire
Joanna Lord, formerly a marketing leader in Seattle and New York, has joined New York-based Spring Health as chief marketing officer. Seattle's Outreach exec Amritansh Raghav resigned amid layoffs, and Maveron hired Nathan Apsel as CFO.
Seattle’s Oldest Angel Group Puget Sound Venture Club Merges with Alliance of Angels After Nearly 40 Years
Puget Sound Venture Club, Seattle's oldest angel group founded by Gary Ritner in 1985, is merging its membership with Alliance of Angels to create a larger impact on the Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem. The merger involves around 30 members, no financial transaction, and plans for Ritner to remain actively involved in the combined group.
Amazon Alumni Raise $12.5M for Griptape, a Seattle Startup Building Secure AI App Frameworks for Enterprises
Amazon veterans Kyle Roche and Vasily Vasinov raised $12.5 million for Griptape, a Seattle startup creating a secure AI application framework for enterprises. Griptape offers an open-source Python toolkit and cloud platform to help companies safely build and manage large language models, with a commercial launch planned for October 2023.
ZeroAvia Raises Largest Funding Round with Investment from Airbus, Amazon, Bill Gates, Alaska Airlines to Develop Hydrogen Aircraft Engines
ZeroAvia, a clean aviation startup developing hydrogen-electric aircraft propulsion, has raised its largest funding round co-led by Airbus and others to support engine certification. The company is partnering with Alaska Airlines to retrofit planes and aims to offer engines for 20-seat aircraft by 2025.
Former Fabric CEO Faisal Masud Joins HP as SVP and President of New WW Digital Services Division
Former Fabric CEO Faisal Masud has joined Hewlett-Packard as senior vice president and president of the new WW Digital Services division within HP Workforce Solutions, remaining based in Seattle. Masud brings extensive experience from Amazon, eBay, Groupon, Staples, and Alphabet's Wing, while Fabric continues to grow under new leadership after a $140 million funding round.
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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
