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
Former SoundCommerce VP Diena Lee Mann Launches AI Startup Spectio; Microsoft Federal President Rick Wagner Departs
Diena Lee Mann, former SoundCommerce senior VP, launched Spectio, an AI tool to help business analysts work with BI platforms like Tableau and Power BI. Microsoft Federal president Rick Wagner stepped down, and Jessica Boulanger joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as SVP of communications.
Seattle Digital Memorial Startup Lalo Shuts Down After Two Years Amid Funding and Monetization Challenges
Seattle startup Lalo, which helped families create digital memorials, is shutting down after two years due to inability to convert users to paying customers and raise sufficient venture capital despite growing interest. Founder Juan Medina reflected on the challenges, emphasizing the importance of testing ideas and the harsh reality of market fit in the 'death tech' space.
Kris Engskov
Kris Engskov is the Co-Founder & CEO of Rippl, a venture-backed start-up redefining the next generation of mental health for seniors. Leveraging a value-based approach, disruptive technology, and a relentless focus on empowering its clinicians, Rippl is pioneering a new care model to dramatically expand access to high-quality, wrap-around mental and behavioral healthcare for seniors, their families, and caregivers. Most recently, Kris served as President of Aegis Living, one of the nation’s leading innovators in providing assisted living, memory care, and wellness services to seniors. Prior to jumping into senior health, Kris spent over 16 years at Starbucks Coffee Company…
Seattle Venture Firm Essence VC Raises $27M to Fund Early-Stage Tech Infrastructure Startups
Seattle-based venture capital firm Essence VC, led by managing partner Timothy Chen, has raised $27 million for its third fund to invest in early-stage startups focused on software development tools, data infrastructure, and AI. The firm targets pre-product startups and has made seven investments since December, including in Jasper AI and MotherDuck.
Convoy Co-founder Grant Goodale Steps Down as Chief Experience Officer After Eight Years Amid Company Growth and Layoffs
Grant Goodale, co-founder of Seattle-based trucking startup Convoy, is stepping down as chief experience officer after eight years to spend more time with his family. Convoy, valued at $3.8 billion, aims to optimize trucking logistics but recently faced layoffs amid economic challenges.
Seattle's Picket Homes Raises $20M Series B Led by LL Funds to Expand Single-Family Rental Investment Platform
Seattle startup Picket Homes raised $20 million in a Series B funding round led by LL Funds to enhance its real estate investment and property management platform, which covers over 50 million US single-family properties. The platform assists investors with property analysis, transactions, and management services including digital leasing and maintenance.
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis Shares Leadership Insights as Startup Raises $260M at $3.8B Valuation Amid Layoffs
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis discussed his leadership philosophy emphasizing conviction and consistency at GeekWire’s Views and Brews event while highlighting the company's growth, funding, and recent layoffs amid economic challenges. Founded in 2015, Convoy automates trucking transactions and recently raised $260 million at a $3.8 billion valuation.
Statsig Releases Warehouse Native Platform and AI Experimentation Tools Under CEO Vijaye Raji
Statsig, founded by Vijaye Raji in 2021, has released Statsig Warehouse Native, enabling privacy-conscious companies to run A/B testing via their own data warehouses. The Seattle startup also launched generative AI experimentation tools and now serves hundreds of paying customers including Microsoft and Notion.
Seattle Tech Companies Cyemptive, Roku, Porch, and CalmWave Announce Key Executive and Board Appointments in 2024
Seattle-area tech companies made several executive and board changes, including Cyemptive appointing Ray McCay as chief revenue officer and Roku adding former Amazon exec Jeff Blackburn to its board. Other notable moves include Porch naming Alan Pickerill as lead independent director and CalmWave hiring Seth Falcon as VP of engineering.
GeerGarage Launches Outdoor Gear Rental Marketplace with Lend-to-Own Program, Plans Expansion Beyond Washington
GeerGarage, a Seattle startup founded by Microsoft product manager Adam Wise, is developing a peer-to-peer outdoor equipment rental marketplace with plans to expand beyond Western Washington and introduce a lend-to-own program. The company aims to make outdoor activities more affordable and accessible amid a growing $120 billion outdoor recreation market.
Ada Developers Academy Cuts 45% of Staff Amid Tech Hiring Slowdown, Slows Expansion Despite $10M Grant
Ada Developers Academy laid off 45% of its staff, about 34 employees, due to a tech industry hiring slowdown and fewer internship opportunities for students, impacting its mission to diversify tech. The Seattle-based nonprofit also plans to reduce student enrollment and halt expansion efforts initially funded by a $10 million grant from the Equality Can’t Wait challenge.
Seattle Startup Funding Plummets 79% in Q1 2023 Amid National 45% Venture Capital Decline
Venture capital funding for Seattle-based startups hit a six-year low in Q1 2023 due to broader economic uncertainty and rising interest rates, with a 79% drop in capital raised locally and a national 45% decline. Startups face fewer deals, lower valuations, and more down or flat rounds, signaling a shift in investor urgency and funding strategies.
GeekWire Week in Review (May 14, 2023): Top stories include ex-CFO indicted over $35M crypto transfer, Bezos’ $500M yacht, and Amazon legal/personnel news
GeekWire's Week in Review for May 14, 2023 lists the site's most-read stories, including a Seattle startup ex-CFO indicted over an alleged $35M crypto transfer, Jeff Bezos' $500M yacht, and Amazon-related legal and personnel news.
Investor Spotlight with Jon Turow
Get to know Madrona Partner Jon Turow. Learn why he got into VC, what he looks for in founders, where the opportunities lay for founders when it comes to generative AI, and what he enjoys doing outside the office. (00:00:00) Introduction (00:00:39) Jon Turow's background (00:01:19) Why venture capital (00:02:27) Why Madrona (00:03:20) Opportunities in generative AI (00:05:35) What Jon looks for in founders (00:07:02) Jon's book recommendations (00:08:58) What Jon does for fun
Union.AI Raises $19.1M Series A to Develop Union Cloud Platform, Powered by Flyte Workflow Tool
Union.AI, a Bellevue-based startup behind the open-source workflow tool Flyte, raised $19.1 million in Series A funding to develop Union Cloud, a platform aimed at improving machine learning efficiency and reducing compute costs.
Seattle Startup The Waves Launches Monthly Artisanal Wine Subscription with 300+ Small-Batch Wines
The Waves, a Seattle startup founded last year by ex-Amazon tech leader Gaurav Tiwari and former GQ editor Andy Comer, offers a monthly artisanal wine subscription featuring over 300 small-batch wines from a global network of farmers. The company aims to differentiate itself in the crowded $1 billion U.S. craft wine market through a product recommendation tool, editorial content, and direct engagement with small-batch winemakers.
Ascend’s Kirby Winfield closes $25M second fund to back pre-seed AI/ML startups in Pacific Northwest
Seattle-based VC Ascend, led by founder and solo GP Kirby Winfield, closed a $25 million second fund to invest in pre-seed AI and ML startups primarily in the Pacific Northwest, shifting focus away from brands and marketplaces.
Koru Founder Kristen Hamilton Joins Enjoy the Work as General Partner; Portland Seed Fund Adds Principal Devon Horace
Kristen Hamilton, founder of predictive hiring startup Koru, has joined San Francisco-based startup advisory firm Enjoy the Work as a general partner, focusing on Seattle and beyond. Additionally, Portland Seed Fund added Devon Horace as principal, expanding its leadership team with experienced regional executives.
Rad Power Bikes Executes Fourth Round of Layoffs Since April 2021 Amid Economic and Legal Challenges
Rad Power Bikes has laid off employees for the fourth time since April 2021, reducing its workforce amid economic challenges and legal issues. The Seattle-based e-bike company now has around 400 employees and is working to become more sustainable under new leadership.
Magnify Hires Apptentive Co-Founder Mike Saffitz as VP of Engineering; Amazon Names Eric Rimling Technical Advisor
Enterprise software startup Magnify appointed Mike Saffitz, co-founder of Apptentive, as its new VP of engineering following the departure of former CTO Jacob Sajo. Additionally, Eric Rimling was named technical advisor to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, replacing Sara Duffer, while Seattle-based Almas Insights added William Tincup as an advisor.
Seattle Chef Joel Gamoran's Homemade Startup Streams Free Interactive Cooking Classes to 3.5 Million Attendees
Seattle chef Joel Gamoran founded Homemade, a startup offering free interactive livestreamed cooking classes, which has attracted 3.5 million attendees over 2.5 years. The platform relies on brand sponsorships to keep the content free and emphasizes personal viewer engagement through Zoom sessions.
Seattle Startup Groundlight Raises $10M Seed to Revolutionize Warehouse Monitoring with AI and Natural Language Computer Vision
Seattle startup Groundlight, co-founded by former Amazon and Picobrew execs Leo Dirac and Avi Geiger, emerged from stealth with a $10 million seed fund to simplify warehouse monitoring using AI-powered computer vision. Their platform enables businesses to query real-time video feeds through natural language prompts for instant, customizable insights.
Seattle Carbon Removal Startup Nori Lays Off 10 Employees Amid Market Challenges
Seattle-based carbon removal startup Nori laid off 10 employees, about 37% of its staff, due to challenging market conditions and tightening startup funding. Founded in 2017, Nori focuses on selling carbon credits from sustainable farming practices and recently integrated its marketplace on blockchain.
Amazon and SpaceX Veterans Launch Muir AI to Improve Corporate Carbon Footprint Measurement Using AI and Satellite Technology
Muir AI, founded by Amazon and SpaceX veterans, uses AI and satellite technology to help corporations accurately measure and reduce their scope 3 carbon emissions, particularly from supply chains. The startup aims to fill data gaps that currently hinder precise carbon accounting and enable companies to meet climate goals more effectively.
Los Angeles Venture Firm Bonfire Expands Seattle B2B Startup Investments, Leads $4M Round for CalmWave
Los Angeles-based venture firm Bonfire is expanding its early-stage B2B startup investments into Seattle, backing three local startups including a $4 million funding round for CalmWave. Principal Tyler Churchill emphasizes Seattle's growing tech talent and ecosystem, noting increasing collaborative opportunities among venture firms despite competitive dynamics.
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
