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
Tech Veteran Dick Hardt Launches SignIn.org to Add a Privacy-Protecting Identity Layer Between Apps and Providers
Veteran technologist Dick Hardt, founder of companies including Sxip Identity and ActiveState, is building SignIn.org to provide a privacy-protecting abstraction layer between apps and large identity providers so users can choose and switch providers without exposing their data. He argues the internet lacks an identity layer, that password growth and identity theft are serious problems, and that a technical trust architecture (rather than governance) could enable broader adoption.
Pro.com lays off 52 employees as COVID-19 halts construction; CEO Matt Williams confirms WARN filing
Seattle-based Pro.com laid off 52 employees after COVID-19 halted its construction work, and the company is resuming jobs with new safety and contact-tracing measures. CEO Matt Williams said the cuts were disclosed in a Washington WARN filing and affect a company that employs about 150 people on LinkedIn.
Hiya names Hillery Nye GC and John Novak SVP of Marketing; Unity hires Scott Pitasky; Bellevue College appoints Gary Locke interim president
Seattle caller-ID startup Hiya hired Hillery Nye as general counsel and John Novak as SVP of marketing; Unity Technologies named Scott Pitasky chief people officer. Bellevue College appointed former Washington governor Gary Locke as interim president starting June 15.
Madrona Venture Labs spinout Weekdays and other startups build tech to help parents manage childcare gaps during COVID-19
Seattle startup studio Madrona Venture Labs and spinout Weekdays are among tech entrepreneurs building services to help working parents handle childcare challenges compounded by COVID-19 — from closed schools and canceled camps to safety worries and financial strain. Single parents like Maria Hess report daily struggles juggling work and parenting, driving increased demand for tech-enabled in-home caregiver matching and other solutions.
Wyze Labs Raises $10M in Series A-1 Led by Norwest to Expand Smart Home Products and Boost AI Amid COVID-19
Wyze Labs raised $10 million in a Series A-1 round led by Norwest to expand its smart home products and enhance AI technology, while adapting operations during the COVID-19 crisis. The startup responded to pandemic needs by supplying no-touch thermometers, face masks, and webcam firmware, despite facing supply chain challenges.
University of Washington-Bothell and iInnovate Network report: Seattle tech, health and life-sciences grew in 2019 but COVID-19 threatens startups
The fifth annual Seattle Tech Ecosystem Report from University of Washington-Bothell School of Business and iInnovate Network finds Seattle’s tech, health and life-sciences sectors continued growing in 2019, with STEM jobs, GDP and venture investment strength, but warns COVID-19 creates uncertain short- and long-term impacts on startups and hiring. The report highlights local resources and notes many startups face cash-runway pressures while major firms like Microsoft and Amazon may weather the crisis and gain share.
Microsoft’s M12 Leads $700,000 Round for Venture Out, Seattle 12-Week Program Helping Corporate Tech Workers Launch Startups
Venture Out is a Seattle-based 12-week program that helps corporate tech workers launch startups by providing mentorship, requiring 10–20 hours/week commitment, and taking 4% equity. The organization raised $700,000 in a round led by Microsoft’s M12 and is accepting applications for a second cohort starting July 13.
Nautilus Biotechnology raises $76M Series B led by Vulcan Capital; Bezos Expeditions among investors, total funding tops $100M
Nautilus Biotechnology, co-founded by Stanford scientist Parag Mallick and Isilon co-founder Sujal Patel, revealed a platform to study the human proteome and announced a $76 million Series B led by Vulcan Capital with participation from Bezos Expeditions, Perceptive Advisors and others. The round brings total funding above $100 million for the 50-person startup as it exits stealth to accelerate proteomics-driven therapeutics development.
Matt Oppenheimer (Remitly CEO) on finding things that piss you off, willful ignorance, taking the road less traveled, and COVID-19
1,000+ employees, over $300M in funding, nearly $1B valuation, just 9 years in... Remitly's numbers impress. But I love the story even more. Go behind the scenes with Matt Oppenheimer on the path from business school to Kenya to Seattle, his learnings building Remitly, and how he's leading during COVID-19.
T-Mobile, Intel and NASA launch 5G Open Innovation Lab in Bellevue to run 12-week non-equity startup accelerator
T-Mobile, Intel, and NASA launched the 5G Open Innovation Lab in Bellevue, Washington, a 12-week, non-equity startup program providing resources, capital, and partner collaboration to help entrepreneurs prototype and learn about 5G applications. The lab offers partners early access to cohort companies and aims to accelerate 5G-driven innovations across industries.
Founders’ Co-op publishes customer experience promise to founders outlining five commitments after 200+ early-stage investments
Founders’ Co-op outlines a written customer experience promise to founders, committing to five principles—Tell the Truth, Be Fast, Give First, It’s Your Company, Be Human—based on the partners’ founder-to-VC experience and more than 200 early-stage investments.
Uber, Grubhub and Seattle; Amazon's virus-killing robot; Surface Earbuds first take
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Word leaked out this week that Uber is considering buying food-delivery service Grubhub, and it turns out there are many Seattle connections behind the possible deal, including links to Expedia and several other companies. Food delivery is a tough market to make a buck in, for companies and their drivers, so what's in the deal for Uber? Uber Eats is #2 and Grubhub is #3 in food delivery services, behind leader DoorDash. DoorDash grew its market share 42% in March while Grubhub stayed flat. Uber Eats grew 20% (it…
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launch joint innovation studio to build spinout companies, starting with a COVID-19 workplace-safety concept
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) has partnered with publicly traded industrial company Fortive to form a joint innovation studio that will build and spin out new companies and products, starting with a confidential workplace-safety concept prompted by COVID-19. PSL will apply its in-house startup studio model to create standalone venture-backed businesses or concepts Fortive may acquire, while Fortive aims to accelerate innovation and cultural change.
SirionLabs raises $44M Series C to open Seattle tech hub, hires Cloudera and Google/Microsoft veterans
Contract-management startup SirionLabs raised $44 million in a Series C round to open a Seattle-area technology center and expand its U.S. presence, hiring senior leaders from Cloudera, Microsoft and Google. The eight-year-old company, which manages 3.5 million contracts for clients like BP and Vodafone, has grown customers 4X in 18 months and has raised $66 million total.
Docugami doubles to 20 after $10M funding and keeps hiring amid widespread tech layoffs
Docugami, a Kirkland, Washington document-engineering startup, doubled its staff to 20 after a $10 million funding round in early February and continues hiring despite widespread tech layoffs. CEO Jean Paoli and new head of operations Hartley Riedner have onboarded remotely, reflecting a flipped labor market where some startups can recruit while larger firms cut jobs.
GeekWire Podcast: Amazon reports 26% Q1 sales growth but 30% profit drop, pledges $4B for COVID response; Bezos warns shareholders
The GeekWire Podcast discusses Amazon’s Q1 results and pandemic response — including $4 billion in COVID-19-related spending and CEO Jeff Bezos warning of costly challenges — plus worker safety concerns and calls for his Congressional testimony. The episode also covers a Madrona-led workplace-reopening toolkit (with input from Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks) and a COVID-19-driven decline in Pacific Northwest startup funding through April.
Bezos is Back
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon's sales rose 26% in the first quarter as the COVID-19 crisis made the online retailer an even bigger part of many lives, but profits were down 30% due to expenses from dealing with the virus. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos gave a clear message to shareholders, saying they "may want to take a seat," because there are big challenges ahead and they won't be easy or cheap to overcome. The company says it will spend $4 billion this quarter on initiatives related to the pandemic. With Amazon bigger and…
Julie Sandler (PSL) on how humanity & mental health are driving business decisions in this crisis
Go behind the scenes on Julie's conversations with portfolio companies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for conviction and speed in the face of uncertainty, and how humanity & mental health are driving decision making.
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.
Bill Gates on the future of work; Vicis reborn; Nintendo meets Lego
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Bill Gates talks about how work will change after the coronavirus ... and how school shouldn't. A Seattle startup that is trying to make a safer football helmet gets a new lease on life. And Lego and Nintendo bring Super Mario into the physical world in a surprising way. We have a lot of tech news to discuss on this week's episode: Vicis assets sold for $2.85M to Schutt investor, promising to revive failed startup’s helmet tech No Neo in 2020: Microsoft pauses work on dual-screen device running Windows…
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.
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
