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Gradial Raises $65M Series C Led by Insight Partners to Scale AI Marketing Platform with $675M Valuation
Seattle-based startup Gradial raised $65 million in a Series C funding round led by Insight Partners, bringing total funds raised to over $110 million in 16 months. The company builds an AI orchestration platform for enterprise marketing that integrates with tools like Adobe and Salesforce, and plans to use the funds to scale engineering, sales, and cloud infrastructure.
Point72, AI2 Incubator, Amazon Alexa and SBI Invest $6M in Hearvana to Commercialize Sub-10ms ‘Sound Bubble’ Audio AI
Point72 and others invested $6 million in Hearvana, a startup building on-device ‘sound bubble’ technology that separates and amplifies selected voices with sub-10 ms latency to improve headphones, hearing aids, AR glasses, and voice assistants.
Seattle Startup Hearvana Raises $6M to Develop AI-Driven Sound Enhancement Technology
Seattle startup Hearvana, founded by University of Washington researchers including Shyam Gollakota, raised $6 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI-powered sound enhancement technology for devices like earbuds and hearing aids. Their AI platform enables real-time, on-device audio processing to improve listening in complex and noisy environments.
Seattle Startup Augmodo Raises $5.3M Seed Round to Improve Retail Inventory Tracking with Wearable Smartbadges
Augmodo, a Seattle startup, raised $5.3 million in seed funding led by Lerer Hippeau to enhance retail inventory management using wearable Smartbadges and advanced technologies. Their system collects real-time shelf data to reduce costly out-of-stock and overstock issues in stores.
American Airlines to Buy 100 Hydrogen Electric Engines from ZeroAvia for CRJ700 Jets
American Airlines plans to purchase 100 hydrogen electric engines from clean aviation startup ZeroAvia to power its regional Bombardier CRJ700 jets, supporting the development of zero-emission aircraft propulsion. ZeroAvia, founded in 2017, is advancing certification of its ZA600 and ZA2000 hydrogen fuel cell engines and has opened a large manufacturing facility in Washington.
98point6 Raises $30.7M to Expand Software Licensing After $100M Sale to Transcarent
Seattle-based digital health company 98point6 raised $30.7 million in mixed debt and option financing to support its transition into a software licensor following its sale of a virtual care and primary care business to Transcarent. The new funding led by L Catterton, Activant Capital, and Transcarent will scale its software platform and develop AI innovations.
Seattle Startup Aiberry Raises $8M for AI Mental Health Screening Software Using Conversation Analysis
Seattle-area startup Aiberry raised $8 million to develop AI-powered software that screens mental health conditions by analyzing audio, visual, and language data from short conversations. The tool offers an alternative to traditional surveys by providing risk scores and insights via a clinician dashboard, and is compliant with federal health privacy regulations.
RealPage Acquires Seattle Apartment Property Management Startup Knock Founded in 2014
RealPage, a real estate technology company backed by Thoma Bravo, is acquiring Seattle-based startup Knock, which provides software for apartment property managers. Knock, founded in 2014 and serving over two million units, will retain its brand post-acquisition, though financial terms were not disclosed.
Deel Acquires Seattle Visa Automation Startup Legalpad to Enhance Global Workforce Solutions
Seattle-based startup Legalpad, which automates visa applications for international employees, has been acquired by San Francisco payroll and compliance company Deel. Deel, valued at $12 billion after a $50 million funding round, aims to combine forces with Legalpad to better solve global workforce immigration challenges.
Carta Study Finds Seattle Tech Startup Pay Now Matches Silicon Valley Amid Remote Work Trend
A study by financial technology company Carta finds that remote work is causing tech startup pay to equalize across the U.S., with Seattle salaries now matching those in Silicon Valley after a recent increase. This convergence is changing hiring strategies as companies increasingly compete for talent beyond traditional tech hubs.
Seattle Tops as Most Desired City for College Grads Amid Growth of New U.S. Tech Hubs Like Miami and San Antonio
Seattle remains the most desired U.S. city for college graduates and a leading tech hub, despite the rise of new tech centers like Miami and San Antonio fueled by remote work trends. Data from Brookings and LinkedIn reveal that while some tech workers are migrating to smaller or sunnier cities, established cities like Seattle continue to attract the majority of tech jobs.
Tagboard raises $8M to expand cloud live-production platform as Nathan Peterson becomes CEO
Seattle-area startup Tagboard raised $8 million to expand its cloud-based live production and graphics platform used by sports teams, broadcasters and media companies. The 40-person firm, which counts more than 600 clients including CNN, FOX and Telemundo, aims to replace legacy hardware and enable remote production after promoting Nathan Peterson to CEO.
Amazon defies gravity, Microsoft's biggest challenge, and one startup's quest to wipe out deforestation
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon's latest results demonstrated its extraordinary flexibility and ability to overcome challenges in the broader economy using the built-in safeguards in its business, most notably the Amazon Web Services cash machine. Amazon spent an extra $4 billion to keep its business running smoothly despite a clogged economy. Plus, Microsoft hires an Amazon veteran to take on "one of the greatest challenges of our time," and Seattle startup Cloud Paper raises $5 million in new funding for its environmentally friendly, tree-free toilet paper. With Todd Bishop and John Cook; Edited by Curt Milton; theme music…
Seattle’s Stack Raises $500,000 to Launch March Crypto Investing Platform for Teens with Parental Co-Ownership
Seattle startup Stack is building a gamified crypto investing platform for teenagers and financially disenfranchised young people, launching in March with parental co-ownership and educational rewards. The company raised $500,000 in a pre-seed round from On Deck and Santa Clara Ventures and joined a Seattle fintech incubator.
Ciara and Russell Wilson’s House of LR&C to raise up to $15M in Series A after revenue hits eight figures
The House of LR&C, a Seattle fashion house co-founded by Ciara and Russell Wilson, plans to raise up to $15 million in a Series A this year after reaching eight-figure revenue and roughly 70% growth; the company previously raised a $7 million convertible note led by Harlem Capital.
Helion Raises $500M — Potential $1.7B More — to Build Polaris Fusion Generator, Aiming for 2024 Demonstration in Everett, Wash.
Helion Energy raised $500 million (with up to $1.7 billion more contingent on milestones) to build its Polaris fusion generator and finish a demonstration facility in Everett, Wash., aiming to operate in 2024 and move toward commercializing fusion power.
Sana Biotechnology Raises $587.5M in IPO, Debuts on Nasdaq as SANA with $6B Market Value
Sana Biotechnology raised $587.5 million by pricing 23.5 million shares at $25 in its IPO and began trading on Nasdaq under ticker SANA, with shares jumping about 40% on debut to close at $35.10. The 3-year-old Seattle gene-editing company, pre-revenue and led by former Juno executives, aims to use the proceeds to advance gene and cell therapies—including cancer treatments—and may file drug applications as early as 2022.
Pandemic Accelerates Adoption of Enterprise Software in Seattle, Boosting Cloud and Cybersecurity Startups
The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating adoption of enterprise software in the Seattle and Pacific Northwest tech scene, highlighting startups in cloud computing and cybersecurity that dominate the GeekWire 200. Analysts say enterprise cloud firms appear relatively resilient to recessionary pressures compared with consumer-facing startups, though risks remain if businesses cut spending.
WestRiver Group CEO Erik Anderson and Riverstone launch Decarbonization Plus Acquisition SPAC, raising $200M to pursue global decarbonization targets
WestRiver Group CEO Erik Anderson and asset manager Riverstone launched Decarbonization Plus Acquisition, a SPAC that raised $200 million to target companies advancing global decarbonization across energy, agriculture, industrials, transportation and commercial/residential sectors.
Craig McCaw’s Holicity files for $250M IPO to pursue TMT acquisitions via SPAC
Telecom pioneer Craig McCaw has co-founded Holicity, a Seattle-area SPAC that filed for an IPO seeking about $250 million to pursue acquisitions in technology, media and telecommunications. The blank-check company is led by McCaw and Randy Russell and targets U.S. and other developed-market TMT businesses amid a broader SPAC surge.
Sana Biotechnology raises over $700M (SEC filings suggest $866.8M total) to advance gene and cell therapies
Sana Biotechnology announced it has raised more than $700 million in venture funding to develop gene- and cell-therapy approaches, marking one of the largest life-sciences venture rounds and among Seattles biggest. SEC filings indicate total capital and non-cash assets may total about $866.8 million, though the company declined to disclose valuation.
Glowforge and Lytics Turn Down ~$3.85M in Approved PPP Loans to Leave Aid for Smaller Businesses
Two venture-backed Pacific Northwest tech startups, Glowforge and Lytics, declined approved Paycheck Protection Program loans of about $1.85 million and $2 million respectively, choosing to leave funds for smaller businesses that lack access to capital after concluding they could avoid layoffs and survive the crisis.
GeekWire Summit backstage: Satya Nadella, HQ2 and more
The 2017 GeekWire summit was our biggest yet, with keynoters including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and influential tech executives and thought leaders from around the country, including executives at Amazon. We lift the curtain and talk about our favorite moments on stage and behind the scenes on this episode of the Week In Geek. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: Winshuttle, the SAP data management experts — learn more at Winshuttle.com; Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to…
