Avalara
Facts
- HQ
- Germany
- Sectors
- Tax software, SaaS, Fintech
- Stage
- Public
Amazon names Anne Toth director of Alexa Trust; Zillow adds Claire Cormier Thielke to board; Lockstep exits stealth
Amazon hired Anne Toth as director of Alexa Trust to lead privacy, security, accessibility and ethics efforts for Alexa; Zillow added Claire Cormier Thielke to its board and Lockstep, a Seattle accounting-software startup founded in 2019, emerged from stealth with a founding team drawn from Avalara, Globys, e2b Teknologies and Winshuttle.
Adam Schoenfeld’s Seattle Startup Hiring Tracker: 67% of 348 Seattle tech firms have openings, 2,620 roles; 42% grew headcount
A new Seattle Startup Hiring Tracker from entrepreneur Adam Schoenfeld shows 67% of 348 tracked Seattle tech companies have open roles (2,620 total), with 42% growing headcount month-over-month, 35% stable and 23% shrinking despite the pandemic.
RipeLocker raises $7M total with $2M round led by Avalara co-founders Scott McFarlane and Jared Vogt
RipeLocker, a pallet-sized low-oxygen storage device co-created by George and Kyle Lobisser to extend shelf life of berries and other produce, raised $7 million from angel investors including a newly closed $2 million round. The $2M tranche included Avalara co-founders Scott McFarlane and Jared Vogt plus investor Gary Waterman after tasting 98-day-old blueberries preserved in a RipeLocker.
Accolade exits GeekWire 200 after $220M IPO at $1.2B valuation; PNW health techs climb as VC funding hits $2.3B in H1 2020
GeekWire’s latest GeekWire 200 update shows health tech startups rising in the Pacific Northwest rankings during the pandemic, highlighted by Accolade’s $220M IPO at a $1.2B valuation and a surge in VC activity ($2.3B across 135 deals in H1 2020).
Leg Up and Seattle tech HR leaders publish employer guide to support working parents during COVID-19
Seattle startup Leg Up and local tech HR leaders released a new guide to help small and medium-sized employers support working parents and caregivers during COVID-19, offering resources, policy suggestions and executive insights. The guide compiles parent experiences, discounts and HR program changes and complements other toolkits like Madrona Venture Group’s Back to Work Toolkit.
Smartsheet CFO Jennifer Ceran joins Auth0 board; Auth0 hires three execs; Outreach opens NYC office led by David Rubinstein
Smartsheet CFO Jennifer Ceran joined the board of Bellevue identity provider Auth0 as she prepares to retire, and Auth0 added three senior hires: Holly Files (SVP customer success), Cassio Sampaio (VP product) and Ken Oestreich (VP product marketing). Separately, Seattle sales-engagement firm Outreach is opening a New York City office led by David Rubinstein as part of its U.S. and international expansion.
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.
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.
StormSensor Raises $1.2 Million to Expand Digital Stormwater Monitoring for Pollution and Flood Prevention
Seattle startup StormSensor raised $1.2 million to expand its wireless stormwater monitoring system that helps municipalities and agencies track pollution and prevent flooding. Founded in 2015, the company uses predictive algorithms to digitize stormwater quality reporting and has piloted its system in locations including Jersey City and the Port of Seattle.
Smartsheet Rises to No. 6 on GeekWire 200 List with Over $70M Revenue and Boston Expansion Plans
Smartsheet has risen to number six on the GeekWire 200 list of privately held Pacific Northwest startups, up from 13th at the start of the year, driven by strong subscription revenue growth and key executive hires. Other notable movers include Vacation rental startup Vacasa entering the top 10 and Seattle’s Highspot climbing to number 148 after forming a strategic partnership with Brainshark.
Pioneer Square Labs names Peter Denton marketing lead; Museum of Flight promotes Matt Hayes to EVP
Pioneer Square Labs hired Peter Denton, formerly VP of marketing at Stellar and ex-Cheezburger product manager, as its marketing lead to oversee digital marketing, product–market fit, and customer acquisition and to advise studio spinouts. Seattle’s Museum of Flight promoted long-time staffer Matt Hayes to its first executive vice president, moving him from CFO to run day-to-day operations.
GeekWire 200 November Update: DocuSign Tops as Textio Rises 23 Spots and Morningstar Acquires PitchBook for $180M
The November update of the GeekWire 200 highlights Pacific Northwest startups leveraging recent large funding rounds to expand products and staff, with DocuSign leading the list. Notable moves include Textio jumping 23 spots to number 176 and Avvo advancing into the seventh spot, while PitchBook was acquired by Morningstar for $180 million.
