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
Tom Alberg, Amazon Early Investor and Madrona Co-Founder, Dies at 82 After Shaping Seattle Tech
Tom Alberg, co-founder of Madrona Venture Group and early investor in Amazon, is remembered for his significant yet understated contributions to Seattle's tech industry, including his mentorship and 23 years on Amazon's board. He died at 82, leaving a lasting legacy both publicly and through his personal impact on colleagues and entrepreneurs.
Tom Alberg Remembered as Influential Mentor and Venture Capitalist Who Empowered Seattle Entrepreneurs
Tom Alberg was a deeply curious, humble, generous, and kind mentor who profoundly influenced the Seattle tech community and venture capital world. He empowered young entrepreneurs with trust and wisdom, helping build Madrona and Perkins Coie LLP into industry leaders while delighting in others' successes.
Tom Alberg, Early Amazon Investor and Seattle Tech Champion, Dies at 82
Tom Alberg, a Seattle business leader and early Amazon investor who was pivotal in Pacific Northwest tech growth and co-founded Madrona Venture Group, died peacefully at 82. He was also notable for his roles in aerospace law, McCaw Cellular Communications, and helping launch the Alliance of Angels.
Christie's Launches Venture Arm Led by Seattle's Devang Thakkar to Invest in Web3 and Art Tech Startups
Christie's has launched a new venture capital arm to fund early-stage tech startups in Web3, fintech for the art market, and AR/VR art experiences, led globally by Seattle-based Devang Thakkar. This move follows the auction house's notable involvement in NFTs, including facilitating Beeple's $69.3 million sale, amid a cooling NFT market now seen as an opportune investment period.
Matt McIlwain, Madrona Venture Group Managing Director, veteran investor in seed and Series A tech companies
Matt McIlwain is a Managing Director at Madrona Venture Group in Seattle with over 25 years investing in seed and Series A technology companies; Madrona manages over $2B and was an early investor in Amazon, Smartsheet, Isilon, Redfin, and Snowflake. He focuses on cloud computing, data-driven and intelligent applications, champions the 'Learning Loop' for entrepreneurs, and previously worked at Genuine Parts Company, McKinsey & Company, and Credit Suisse.
CommerceIQ's Guru Hariharan on Pivoting When You're in the Wrong Market
In this episode of Founded and Funded, Managing Director Scott Jacobson is talking with CommerceIQ CEO Guru Hariharan. CommerceIQ is a retail e-commerce management platform that automates and unifies category analytics, retail media management, and sales and operations all under one roof. The company secured $115 million in funding in March and just made its first acquisition — e-fundamentals — to expand into digital shelf analytics. The acquisition actually brings the company around full circle in a sense. CommerceIQ was originally Boomerang Commerce, which was a dynamic pricing software for multi-brand retail companies to better compete with the likes of…
Possible Finance and Lending Club Thrive Amid Rising Interest Rates by Serving Underserved Markets and Leveraging Banking Charters
Some tech-driven lending companies like Possible Finance and Lending Club are benefiting or remaining stable despite rising interest rates, as they cater to underserved or recession-resistant markets and have diversified revenue streams. Possible Finance expects growth fueled by increased demand for consumer credit among lower-income Americans, while Lending Club's banking charter helps buffer economic downturn impacts.
Seattle Rises to No. 9 Globally in Startup Genome Rankings with $8.5B VC Investment in 2021
Seattle ranked ninth globally and second in North America in Startup Genome's 2021 global startup ecosystem rankings, highlighted for strengths in AI, big data, and life sciences. The region saw $8.5 billion invested in 549 venture capital deals in 2021, with an estimated ecosystem value of approximately $109 billion.
Titan Casket Raises $3.5M to Expand Direct-to-Consumer Casket Line and Speed Delivery
Titan Casket, a startup selling caskets directly to consumers online, raised $3.5 million to expand its product line and improve shipping speeds. Founded in 2016, the company experienced 400% growth in 2021 and aims to deliver caskets within one to two business days to most U.S. metro areas.
Seattle VC Chris DeVore: Enterprise Software Startups in Pacific Northwest Poised for Resilience Amid Economic Downturn
Seattle's startup scene, centered on enterprise software and cloud infrastructure, may be more resilient during economic downturns according to VC Chris DeVore of Founders' Co-op. The region's focus on solving essential business problems positions its startups to endure better than those in more glamorous sectors.
Robotics Expert Sidd Srinivasa on Trends and What's Ripe for Innovation
In this episode of Founded and Funded Madrona Investors Aseem Datar and Sabrina Wu sit down with robotics expert and University of Washington Professor Sidd Srinivasa to talk about the technology and sociological trends that are leading to innovation in the robotics space, where Sidd sees opportunities for founders, and why now it is a time to pay attention to what's happening in the space. Sidd also shares why he is what he calls an "accidental roboticist" and some of the hard-learned lessons from throughout his extensive career.
Seattle Startup JetClosing to Shut Down on June 15 After Six Years Digitizing Home Closing Process
JetClosing, a Seattle startup founded in 2016 to digitize the home closing process using technology, is shutting down on June 15, 2022. The company struggled amid a cooling housing market and strong competition despite offering faster, cheaper, and more transparent services.
Seattle Startup Lockstep, Backed by American Express, Launches Free Shared Accounting Inbox Amid Rapid Growth
Seattle startup Lockstep, backed by American Express and led by CEO Peter Horadan, is growing rapidly with 20,000 customers and a rising demand for its accounting automation software. The company just launched Lockstep Inbox, a free shared accounting inbox, aiming to become the 'LinkedIn of accounting' by automating manual financial workflows.
Seattle Startup Veeve Partners with Albertsons to Launch Smart Shopping Carts in Dozens of Stores Nationwide in 2023
Seattle-based startup Veeve, founded by ex-Amazon engineers, is partnering with Albertsons to roll out its smart shopping carts in dozens of stores nationwide later this year, enabling checkout-free shopping. The carts feature touchscreens, integrated scales, and loyalty program integration, aligning with the growing trend toward contactless, cashierless retail experiences.
Amazon Shuts Down Selz One Year After Acquisition Amid Launch of Buy with Prime Program
Amazon is shutting down the e-commerce startup Selz about a year after acquiring it in 2023, while supporting merchants with a 60-day transition period and waiving service fees. This move coincides with Amazon's launch of Buy with Prime, a program enabling Prime members to purchase from non-Amazon sites, positioning Amazon in competition with Shopify, which recently announced a $2.1 billion deal to acquire logistics startup Deliverr.
Seattle-Area Startups Raise $1.5 Billion in Q1 2022 Amid U.S. VC Funding Slowdown from $95.4B Q4 2021
Seattle-area startups raised $1.5 billion in Q1 2022 across 112 deals, down from $2.7 billion in Q4 2021 but still higher than Q1 2021, amid a broader U.S. venture capital slowdown driven by inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty. Despite lower funding levels, the venture capital market is experiencing a healthy recalibration with strong business models and significant dry powder available to support startups.
Fintech Startup Formations Raises $8M to Simplify Taxes for Freelancers with Focus on Realtors
Bellevue-based fintech startup Formations raised $8 million to simplify tax and paperwork processes for self-employed individuals, initially targeting realtors. The company has served about 700 customers with average savings of $8,000 each and recently partnered with Gusto to expand its services.
Former Microsoft VP Gavriella Schuster Joins Nerdio Board; Ex-Mailchimp CPO Natalia Williams Hired by Hootsuite; Ex-Amazon Product Leader Sophi Kim Joins Shelf Engine
Gavriella Schuster, former Microsoft VP, joined Nerdio's board, Natalia Williams became Hootsuite's CPO, and Sophi Kim, ex-Amazon product leader, joined Shelf Engine as head of product management. These strategic hires bolster leadership at companies focused on cloud services, social media management, and grocery tech.
Hazel Analytics Expands Partnership with Yelp to Provide Health Ratings for Restaurants Across 48 U.S. States and Canada
Seattle startup Hazel Analytics expanded its partnership with Yelp to provide standardized health inspection ratings for restaurants now covering 48 states and parts of Canada, serving nearly 70% of the U.S. population. Founded in 2014 by academics and economists, Hazel collects and standardizes health data to improve public awareness and supports major restaurant chains with inspection dashboards.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Featured on 2022 Time 100 Most Influential Companies Cover Alongside Rec Room and Wyze
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is featured on the cover of Time's 2022 100 Most Influential Companies issue alongside Mindy Kaling and Bang Si-hyuk. Seattle-based VR company Rec Room and smart-home brand Wyze also appear on the list for their innovations and recent growth.
Tony Hsieh, Zappos, and Amazon
Tony Hsieh was a legendary entrepreneur who built Zappos and sold the online shoe retailer to Amazon for $1.2 billion in 2009. He was known for unusual experiments in management and business structure, and for pursuing long-term passions over short-term profits, as described in his 2010 book, Delivering Happiness. A new book, Happy at Any Cost: The Revolutionary Vision and Fatal Quest of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, tells the rest of the story of Hsieh's life, leading up to his tragic death from injuries sustained in a fire in New London, Conn., in November 2020. The book also goes behind-the-scenes…
Seattle Entrepreneur Alex Algard Launches Online List Tracking 375+ Corporations Boycotting Russia Amid Ukraine Invasion
Seattle entrepreneur Alex Algard created an online list tracking the economic actions of over 375 corporations boycotting Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting both those who have acted and those still operating there. The list is detailed by sector and aims to provide an accurate, up-to-date resource to support collective efforts against Russia.
Bill Gates Leads $84M Funding Round to Expand Kymeta's Flat-Panel Antenna Production and Market Reach
Bill Gates led an $84 million funding round for Kymeta, a mobile connectivity startup specializing in flat-panel antennas that provide hybrid cellular-satellite connectivity. The investment will support production acceleration and market expansion, especially for defense and satellite broadband users.
Armoire opens Armoire Go in Seattle using RFID-tagged garments for contactless pickups, returns and swaps
Seattle clothing rental startup Armoire opened Armoire Go, a high-tech physical store that uses RFID-tagged apparel and a contactless tablet-and-table system to let subscribers pick up, return, try on, and swap items quickly. The store aims to combine online convenience with in-person experience, improve operational efficiency, and required hand-sewing RFID tags into about 75,000 garments before launch.
Dan Lewis
Dan Lewis is the Co-Founder and CEO of Convoy, a digital trucking network that is transforming the trillion-dollar global trucking industry in service of its mission, “To transport the world with endless capacity and zero waste”. Before Convoy, Dan served as General Manager of New Shopping Experiences at Amazon, after having product and data roles at Microsoft, Google, and various startups. Dan started his career in supply-chain and strategy consulting for Oliver Wyman, working in operations across Europe, Latin America, and the US, after graduating from Yale University with a Bachelor’s degree in cognitive science. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People
See all 14-
Jamie Siminoff Executive, Vice President
-
Steve Rabuchin Executive, Vice President of Project Kuiper (Amazon Leo)
-
Ben Wild Co-founder of Hubble Network, Former Amazon Product Lead
