Blue Origin
Facts
- HQ
- Kent, WA, US
- Sectors
- Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
- Founded
- 2000
- Employees
- 12874
- Stage
- Public
Jeff Bezos Optimistic About Trump’s Return, Predicts Blue Origin Will Surpass Amazon
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos expressed optimism about President-elect Donald Trump's return to office, highlighting Trump's calmer demeanor and regulatory reduction goals. Bezos also stated that his space venture Blue Origin will become a bigger business than Amazon.
Highspot Takes No. 1 Spot on GeekWire 200 Startup Ranking After Outreach’s Layoffs and CEO Departure
Seattle-based sales enablement company Highspot has claimed the No. 1 spot on GeekWire's 200 ranking of privately held startups in the Pacific Northwest, replacing Outreach which recently downsized and saw its CEO step down. The GeekWire 200 ranking reflects changes in the dynamic startup landscape based on factors like funding, employee growth, and layoffs.
Starfish Space Secures $29M to Launch Otter Orbital Servicing Vehicles for U.S. Space Force, NASA, and Intelsat
Starfish Space raised $29 million led by Shield Capital to develop its first three Otter orbital servicing vehicles aimed at servicing satellites for the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and Intelsat. The funding will enable launching the Otters, which use innovative docking technologies to inspect, service, and safely dispose of satellites in orbit.
Former Blue Origin Vets Chris Le and Andrew Woodfield Launch Actuate Ventures to Fund and Support Space and Deep-Tech Startups
Former Blue Origin employees Chris Le and Andrew Woodfield launched Actuate Ventures, a venture studio focused on space and deep-tech startups, currently raising a $25 million fund. The studio combines incubation and investment to actively support emerging companies with specialized resources and expertise.
Starfish Space Raises Nearly $21M to Advance Otter Spacecraft for Satellite Servicing Contracts with U.S. Space Force, Intelsat, and NASA
Starfish Space has raised nearly $21 million in a new funding round as it prepares its Otter spacecraft for satellite inspection and servicing missions, including contracts with the U.S. Space Force, Intelsat, and NASA. The company plans to begin on-orbit life extension and inspection missions starting in 2026 and 2027.
Starfish Space Wins $15 Million NASA Contract for 2027 Satellite Inspection Mission
Starfish Space has been awarded a $15 million NASA contract for a three-year mission using its Otter spacecraft to inspect defunct satellites in orbit starting in 2027. This mission aims to advance satellite servicing and orbital debris mitigation as part of NASA's Space Sustainability Strategy.
Lamina1, Weta Workshop and Neal Stephenson Collaborate on Blockchain-Based Virtual World Platform Artefact
Lamina1 is partnering with Weta Workshop and sci-fi author Neal Stephenson to launch Artefact, a blockchain-based platform for immersive virtual worlds inspired by Stephenson's vision of the metaverse. The collaboration aims to engage creators and fans in expanding digital content through interactive experiences starting this fall.
NASA Awards $348,000 Grant to Seattle's Interlune to Test Lunar Soil-Processing Tech on Reduced-Gravity Flights
Interlune received a $348,000 NASA grant to test its CRUMBLE lunar soil-processing system during reduced-gravity flights aimed at harvesting moon resources such as helium-3. The Seattle-based company plans to complete these tests by year-end as part of NASA’s TechFlights program supporting space technology development.
GeekWire Highlights: Amazon Protests, Tesla Cybertruck Test Drive, Veeam's $1.5B Revenue, OpenPipe's $6.7M Funding, and Washington's Fusion Power Support
GeekWire's most popular technology stories for the week of March 24, 2024, covered topics including Amazon protesters opposing fossil fuel use, Tesla Cybertruck test drives in Seattle, Veeam's headquarters move and revenue milestone, OpenPipe's $6.7M funding round, and Washington state's support for fusion power development.
Interlune Plans Robotic Helium-3 Harvesting on Moon with $18M Seed Funding, Aiming for 2026 Prospecting Mission
Seattle-based startup Interlune revealed plans to build a robotic harvester to extract helium-3 from the moon, aiming for a prospecting mission by 2026 and commercial operations in the 2030s. The company raised $18 million in seed funding led by Seven Seven Six, with the goal of enabling advanced technologies like quantum computing and fusion power.
Bellevue Startup Lumen Orbit Raises $2.4M to Launch 300 Satellites for AI Data Processing in Space
Lumen Orbit, a Bellevue-based startup, raised $2.4 million in a pre-seed round to launch a constellation of about 300 satellites aimed at processing data in space using onboard AI before downlinking it to Earth. The company’s founders include ex-McKinsey associate Philip Johnston, Oxford Space Systems and Airbus engineer Ezra Feilden, and former SpaceX software engineer Adi Oltean.
Blue Origin Raises New Glenn Rocket on Florida Pad for First Time Ahead of Tests Led by Jeff Bezos
Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos and CEO Dave Limp, successfully raised its orbital-class New Glenn rocket on Florida's Launch Complex 36 for the first time, marking a key milestone before a series of upcoming tests. The rocket will undergo tanking tests without engines and is designed as a heavy-lift, reusable vehicle named in honor of astronaut John Glenn.
Interlune, Co-Founded by Former Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson, Raises $17.7M to Harvest Moon Resources
Interlune, a startup co-founded by former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson, is raising $17.7 million to develop technology for harvesting lunar resources to use on Earth. The company, founded in 2020, has received $15.6 million from 18 investors and a $246,000 NSF grant for moon dirt sorting research.
Jeff Bezos' big move, Convoy's final stop, AI meets VC
What should we make of Jeff Bezos' decision to move his primary residence from Seattle to Miami? That's our first topic on this week's episode. Plus, Convoy's final destination; a new AI feature from Seattle startup Yoodli that helps startup founders hone their pitches; and Amazon tests Bluetooth earplugs for warehouse workers. Related stories and links ‘Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart’: Jeff Bezos leaving Amazon’s hometown for Miami Jeff Bezos’ move out of Washington state sparks questions about wealth taxes Swimming from Seattle? Jeff Bezos’ big move brings us full circle from the mid-1990s Flexport…
Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Announces Move from Seattle to Miami to Be Near Family and Blue Origin Operations
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced he is moving from Seattle to Miami to be closer to his parents and due to Blue Origin’s operations shifting to Cape Canaveral. Bezos reflected on Seattle as his home since 1994 and expressed emotional ties to the city despite the move.
Yifan Zhang Joins AI2 Incubator as Managing Director; Dropbox, Marchex, and Seattle Startups Appoint New Tech Leaders
Yifan Zhang, former Loftium co-founder, is joining the AI2 Incubator as managing director starting February 2024, while several Seattle tech companies made key executive hires including Dropbox, Marchex, Simply Augmented, and Chainguard.
Amazon Exec Dave Limp Named New CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Space Venture
Dave Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of devices and services, will become CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture starting December. The current CEO Bob Smith is retiring but will remain through January to support the transition.
Blue Origin Conducts Rare Layoffs in HR Amid Rapid Workforce Growth
Blue Origin has conducted layoffs, mainly affecting human resources and talent acquisition staff, marking an uncommon move amid the company's rapid growth. Despite this, the space venture continues hiring for technical roles and development projects.
Drones and the future of public safety, with Brinc CEO Blake Resnick
Blake Resnick built a fusion reactor in his garage at age 14, and interned at McLaren Automotive, Tesla, and DJI, before dropping out of Northwestern University in 2017 to launch drone startup Brinc. Now, at age 23, he oversees a team of nearly 100 people making drones and other technology for public safety agencies, serving more than 400 customers. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, recorded on-location at the company's headquarters in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, Resnick talks about Brinc’s origins, its move from Las Vegas to Seattle, the upcoming release of its Lemur 2 drone, his recent White House…
Starfish Space's Otter Pup Satellite Spins After June 12 Anomaly on Launcher Orbiter SN3 During Docking Test
Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite embarked on a June 12 rideshare mission but was spun uncontrollably following an anomaly with its mothership, Launcher’s Orbiter SN3. Emergency deployment allowed Otter Pup to remain operational and communicate, though its planned docking maneuvers were disrupted.
Avalanche Energy Raises $40M Series A Led by Lowercarbon Capital and Hits 200 kV Fusion Milestone with Device Marty
Avalanche Energy, a Seattle-based micro-fusion startup, secured $40 million in a Series A funding round led by Lowercarbon Capital and announced a technology milestone operating its fusion device Marty at 200 kV. The company aims to develop small-scale fusion power with the potential for unlimited clean energy and plans to reach 300 kV within the next year.
Relativity Space Launches First 3D-Printed Terran 1 Rocket from Cape Canaveral on March 23, 2023, but Fails to Reach Orbit
Relativity Space launched its first 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket on March 23, 2023, at Cape Canaveral, but the test flight fell short of reaching orbit due to technical challenges despite successful liftoff and engine performance.
Claudiu Bulai Joins AI Startup Quantarium; Lynn Seely Named CEO of Lyell Immunopharma
Claudiu Bulai joined Bellevue AI startup Quantarium as chief innovation officer after five years at Meta’s Reality Labs Research. Lynn Seely became CEO and president of Lyell Immunopharma, succeeding Elizabeth Homans, who will consult through June 2024.
The pioneering spirit and joyful life of late 'Cranium' creator Richard Tait
Tributes and memories have been pouring in from longtime friends and colleagues of Cranium creator Richard Tait since the Seattle entrepreneur's death on July 25 the age of 58 from complications due to COVID-19. A passionate and visionary entrepreneur known for being tough, Tait had a generous spirit, effusive personality, and rare ability to connect with people he encountered. This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we're listening back to a conversation that Tait recorded with Fuel Talent CEO and founder Shauna Swerland in 2018 for her podcast, What Fuels You. It's inspiring, insightful, and bittersweet, and we're grateful to Shauna…
Avalanche Energy, Founded by Blue Origin Vets, Raises $5M to Develop Small-Scale Fusion Device, Achieves First Neutron Fusion
Avalanche Energy, founded by former Blue Origin executives Robin Langtry and Brian Riordan, is developing a small-scale fusion energy device and recently raised $5 million in seed funding. The Seattle-based startup has generated its first neutrons via fusion and secured an international patent, aiming for a simpler, scalable fusion solution.
