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
Convoy leans on technology to navigate COVID-19 surge after $400M raise at $2.7B valuation
Seattle digital freight startup Convoy experienced record activity on its network as COVID-19 increased demand for essentials, and CEO Dan Lewis says the company’s efficiency-focused technology helps it navigate a volatile, recessionary period. Convoy remains a Seattle unicorn after raising $400 million at a $2.7 billion valuation in September and continues serving major shippers like Anheuser-Busch, Home Depot, and Procter & Gamble.
PhishCloud offers one year free of PhishCloud Lite to businesses amid coronavirus to fight phishing attacks
Seattle startup PhishCloud offers automated link-scoring tools to help businesses and employees spot phishing across email, social media and documents, tagging links as safe, suspicious or unsafe. CEO Terry McCorkle is offering the companys entry package, PhishCloud Lite, free for one year to companies affected by the coronavirus.
GeekWire Podcast: Bill Gates on COVID-19’s permanent work shift; Vicis assets sold for $2.85M; LEGO and Nintendo launch interactive Super Mario set
The GeekWire Podcast covers Bill Gates on how COVID-19 will permanently change work (while preserving in-person schooling), the resurrection of Seattle helmet maker Vicis through a $2.85M asset sale, and a collaboration bringing Super Mario into LEGO physical sets, plus tech and COVID-related business headlines.
Foursquare and Factual merge under Foursquare brand with David Shim named CEO; Sue Desmond-Hellmann joins Pfizer board
Foursquare and Factual are merging under the Foursquare brand with Placed founder David Shim as CEO; Sue Desmond-Hellmann joined Pfizer’s board after leaving the Gates Foundation, and other executive moves include Microsoft hiring Rubén Caballero and leadership change at Egencia.
OctoML raises $15M from Amplify and Madrona to scale TVM-based ML deployment tools
Seattle startup OctoML, spun out of the University of Washington and led by Apache TVM creators, raised $15 million from investors including Amplify and Madrona to expand its ML deployment software. The company, which launched a TVM-based SaaS called Octomizer, will use the funding to grow hiring and scale its optimizer for edge and cloud model deployment.
Tomorrow says app traffic rises 200% as COVID-19 drives demand for free wills; company serves 400,000 users
Seattle startup Tomorrow reports a more than 200% increase in traffic to its free legal will–creating app and falling customer acquisition costs as COVID-19 spurs interest in end-of-life planning. The company — founded by Dave Hanley in 2016, built with 52 attorneys and serving over 400,000 customers — offers wills and long-term life insurance options.
OfferUp Raises $120M, Acquires Letgo; OLX Group to Own 40% of Combined Entity
OfferUp raised $120 million and agreed to acquire rival app Letgo, creating a combined U.S. marketplace with over 20 million monthly active users; OLX Group led the round and will own 40% of the merged company. OfferUp CEO Nick Huzar will lead the combined business, while Letgo's non‑North American operations will remain with OLX.
Lighter Capital names Patricia Elliott CSO and Kevin Fink CTO after $100M deal; Gaby Adam launches OurPlanet365; Accolade adds Pat Wadors to board
Seattle-based Lighter Capital hired Patricia Elliott as chief sales officer and Kevin Fink as chief technology officer after securing a $100 million deal; PR veteran Gaby Adam launched sustainability consultancy OurPlanet365; Accolade added Pat Wadors to its board as talent leader.
WestRiver Group mandates one-woman, one-man co-leadership for each VC fund as it eyes $150M Pacific Northwest raise
Seattle-based WestRiver Group will require each of its venture capital funds to be co-led by one man and one woman, a strategy it says drives bigger returns; the firm manages about $2 billion and is considering raising its Pacific Northwest fund to $150 million. Notable leaders include founder Erik Anderson, Lisa Stone, Richelle Parham, Scott Maw, Anthony Bontrager, Laurel Buckner, George Montgomery and Deepa Prasad.
Seattle Startup Picnic Raises $5M Seed Funding for Pizza-Making Robot Assembling 300 Pizzas Per Hour
Seattle startup Picnic raised $5 million in a seed round to advance their pizza-making robot, which can assemble 300 pizzas per hour and has attracted global interest. The funding will help develop the next version and expand pilot programs, addressing labor shortages in the food industry.
Satya Nadella and Seattle Tech Leaders Join Sounders FC Ownership; Cray Gets $600M DOE Supercomputer Contract Ahead of $1.3B HPE Acquisition
Seattle tech leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, have joined a revamped Sounders FC ownership group. Cray is developing a $600 million exascale supercomputer for the U.S. Department of Energy and is being acquired by HPE for $1.3 billion.
Amazon Launches Third Alexa Accelerator Cohort Featuring Nine Startups Innovating Voice Technology Applications
Amazon's Alexa Accelerator has launched its third cohort, featuring nine startups innovating with Alexa's voice technology across diverse applications like cooking and remote healthcare. The Alexa platform has rapidly grown, with over 90,000 skills and 100 million Alexa-enabled devices sold, reflecting the maturing voice tech market.
Chris DeVore to Step Down as Techstars Seattle Managing Director on July 1 to Focus on Founders’ Co-op VC Firm
Chris DeVore is stepping down as managing director of Techstars Seattle on July 1 after nearly five years to focus on running Founders’ Co-op, which recently raised a $25 million fund. He will remain involved with Techstars and continue working from the University of Washington’s Startup Hall.
Founders’ Co-op marks 10 years after launching in 2008 with $2.7M, raised $7.7M fund and brought Techstars to Seattle
Founders’ Co-op reflects on its first decade after launching in early 2008 with a $2.7M seed fund, helping regional startups through investments and by bringing Techstars to Seattle in 2010 while raising a second $7.7M fund.
Providence Ventures, led by ex-Amazon's Aaron Martin, raises $150M second fund to double healthcare tech investments
Providence Ventures, led by former Amazon executive Aaron Martin, has raised a second $150 million fund for early-stage healthcare technology investments, doubling its portfolio to $300 million. The firm focuses on companies that align with Providence St. Joseph Health's priorities and has invested in 15 companies from its initial fund.
Livible Raises $16M Series A Led by Global Logistics Properties to Expand Nationwide On-Demand Storage Service
Seattle-based startup Livible raised $16 million in a Series A round led by Global Logistics Properties to expand its on-demand storage service nationwide, targeting urban customers with convenient pickup and delivery. The company operates in Seattle, Portland, and Boston, partners with WeWork, and offers tech-enabled, affordable storage solutions with additional personal packing services.
2017 GeekWire Summit in Seattle Features CEOs Nadella, Johnson; Limited Tickets Available for Oct 9-11 Event
The 2017 GeekWire Summit, happening October 9-11 in Seattle, will gather over 800 leaders to discuss advances in tech, business, and science, featuring top speakers like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. The event includes fireside chats, startup showcases, and a new 'Immigrant’s Journey' speaker series, with limited tickets still available.
Puppet Acquires Seattle Startup Distelli to Enhance Cloud Automation and Code Deployment
Puppet has acquired Seattle-based startup Distelli to enhance its cloud automation platform by integrating Distelli’s efficient code deployment tools. Distelli, founded in 2015 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz, will join Puppet’s Seattle office to help improve software development speed and visibility for Puppet’s 37,000 customers.
Amazon Seeks Cities for $5 Billion Second Headquarters with 50,000 Jobs, Equal to Seattle Campus
Amazon announced plans to build a $5 billion second headquarters in North America, called HQ2, expected to create up to 50,000 jobs and be a full equal to its Seattle operations. The company is inviting cities to submit proposals for hosting the new campus.
TalentWorks raises $2.4M from Lowercase, Founder’s Co-op and Felicis to guarantee job interviews for $10/week
TalentWorks, co-founded by Kushal Chakrabarti and Ajit Banerjee, emerged from stealth with $2.4M from investors including Lowercase Capital, Founder’s Co-op and Felicis to offer a $10/week AI-driven job-interview matching service that guarantees interviews or refunds fees after 60 days.
Author argues regional VCs must map startups to the venture-capital 'stack' to connect local companies with San Francisco/New York growth capital
The author connects the concept of the venture capital valuation stack with how institutional LPs view regionally focused managers, arguing that regional innovation hubs can succeed only if they understand how to connect local startups to centralized global capital markets concentrated in places like San Francisco and New York.
Swym Launches Platform to Help E-Commerce Retailers Offer Amazon-Like Multi-Device Shopping Experiences
Swym, a Seattle-based startup, offers a platform that helps e-commerce retailers track shopper behavior across devices to provide personalized shopping experiences similar to Amazon's. Founded to enhance mobile shopping convenience, Swym aims to level the playing field for smaller retailers competing against giants like Amazon and Walmart.
Seattle Startup Fashwire Raises $725,000 to Launch Fashion App Providing Designers Real-Time Consumer Feedback
Seattle startup Fashwire raised $725,000 in a seed round to develop a fashion app that connects designers with consumers for real-time feedback. The app, which has 6,000 users and 1,400 designers in beta, plans a wider launch in August and will generate revenue primarily through designer subscriptions.
Over 100 Tech Companies and Startups Join Lawsuit Against Trump’s Immigration Ban Citing Harm to Innovation Economy
Tech giants and over 100 startups and investors, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, have joined a lawsuit against President Trump's immigration ban, arguing it causes immediate harm to innovation and the U.S. economy. They emphasize immigrants' crucial role in founding startups and driving technological innovation that contributes to national prosperity and security.
Stuffstr App Helps Users Repurpose $7,000 in Unused Household Items to Cut Waste and CO2 Emissions
Stuffstr, a Seattle-based company founded by sharing economy veterans John Atcheson and Steve Gutmann, offers an app to help users manage and repurpose $7,000 worth of unused household items, aiming to reduce waste and its significant CO2 emissions. The app partners with major brands and promotes sustainable circular economy practices by enabling easy donation, repair, or transfer of unused belongings.
People
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Jamie Siminoff Executive, Vice President
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Ben Wild Co-founder of Hubble Network, Former Amazon Product Lead
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Manish Srivastava Director, Product & Technology, A to Z Platform & PXT AI
