GeekWire
GeekWire provides technology news, analysis, and resources for tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts. It covers developments in the technology industry, produces events and podcasts, and offers tools such as job boards and startup rankings to support the tech community. Its mission is to inform and connect people interested in technology and startups.
Facts
- HQ
- Seattle
- Sectors
- Online Audio and Video Media
- Founded
- 2011
- Type
- LLC Seattle business license
- Employees
- 26
- Registered name
- GeekWire LLC Seattle business license
- Founders
- John Cook, Todd Bishop
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Publication
- Last published Oct 15
Authors & Editors
Planetary Resources’ Lab Gear, Including 10‑Foot Vacuum Chamber and CNC Machine, Auctioned After 2018 Shutdown
Planetary Resources’ remaining hardware — including a 10-foot thermal vacuum chamber, CNC machining center, laptops, chairs and a rooftop satellite dish — was sold in an online-only auction after the asteroid-mining startup ran out of funding. Bids ranged from about $730 for the vacuum chamber to over $34,000 for the CNC machine, while the satellite dish drew no bids due to costly removal requirements.
Athira Pharma raises $85M Series B to push NDX-1017 toward FDA approval for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS
Seattle biotech Athira Pharma raised $85 million in a Series B round to advance NDX-1017, a regenerative therapy aimed at halting or reversing nerve damage in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS, with preliminary trial results reported as positive and potential market availability in 2–3 years.
Seattle Startup CEOs Condemn Racism, Urge Action and Investment in Black Founders After George Floyds Death
Seattle startup leaders publicly condemned racism after George Floyd’s death and pledged concrete actions — including learning, speaking up, and pushing for investments in entrepreneurs of color — while noting tech’s role in inequality and recent moves like SoftBank’s $100 million fund.
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.
Ventec Life Systems and GM Partner to Produce 30,000 Ventilators by August After Federal Request
Two months after the federal government asked Ventec Life Systems and General Motors to address the U.S. ventilator shortage, the startup and GM have formed a rapid manufacturing partnership aiming to produce 30,000 ventilators by August, scaling from about 200 units per month to thousands with government contracts and high-profile attention.
Tribute CEO Sarah Haggard ties for $140,000 top prize at Seattle Angel Conference XVII and wins Audience Choice
Sarah Haggard, founder and CEO of mentorship startup Tribute, advises taking bold steps toward big goals and recently tied for the top prize at Seattle Angel Conference XVII, winning $140,000 and the Audience Choice award. Tribute, launched in January 2018, aims to provide a real-time digital mentorship platform for remote workers to find on-demand help and better-aligned advice.
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.
Phase Genomics CEO Ivan Liachko shifts company to R&D focus after pandemic hits revenue; one furlough, no layoffs
Phase Genomics, a five-year-old University of Washington spinoff led by CEO Ivan Liachko, shifted to skeleton lab crews and remote work during the pandemic, cutting revenue and furloughing one employee while focusing R&D inward to adapt and continue innovating. The company is adjusting its genomics technology amid Seattle's biotech disruption and exploring ways to help with COVID-19 research.
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.
Sporcle launches Zoom trivia in 2020, hosts ~2,000 events and earns $2.5M in eight weeks after in-person business halts
Seattle trivia company Sporcle moved its live pub-style games online in 2020 after COVID-19 shutdowns halted 800 weekly in-person events, rapidly launching Sporcle Virtual Trivia on Zoom. In eight weeks the company hosted nearly 2,000 virtual events, generated over $2.5 million, and rehired many furloughed hosts.
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.
Ex-DeepMind Engineers’ Startup Phaidra Raises $1.5M to Build In-House AI for Industrial Customers, Launches in Seattle
Stealth startup Phaidra, founded by ex-DeepMind engineers Jim Gao and Vedavyas Panneershelvam with industry veteran Katherine Hoffman, raised $1.5 million to build AI tools that let industrial companies develop in-house models while retaining data and IP. The four-person company chose Seattle for its mix of tech ecosystem and industrial roots and is currently building a beta product.
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.
A-Alpha Bio wins $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR to develop molecular-glue discovery system
Seattle startup A-Alpha Bio received a $620,472 NSF Phase II SBIR grant to develop a system that identifies molecular glues which tag disease-causing proteins for cellular degradation, aiming to target previously 'undruggable' proteins for diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and autoimmune disorders.
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.
Brady Corporation invests $6M in Seattle panic-button maker React Mobile, becomes largest shareholder; valuation $25.7M
Seattle safety-software startup React Mobile received a $6 million investment from publicly traded Brady Corporation, valuing the company at $25.7 million and making Brady its largest shareholder; React Mobile sells GPS/Bluetooth panic-button devices mainly to hotels and has raised $10.4 million to date.
DefinedCrowd raises $50.5M Series B to scale crowd-powered AI training data for Mastercard, BMW and other Fortune 500s
Seattle-based DefinedCrowd raised $50.5 million in Series B funding to expand its AI training data platform that uses machine learning plus a 290,000-strong global crowd to provide datasets in 50 languages. Revenue grew over 650% in 2019, headcount more than doubled to 265 with plans to reach 500 employees and expand offices despite the pandemic.
MDMetrix raises $1.1M from Vulcan Capital and Seattle investors to scale COVID-19 Mission Control
Seattle startup MDMetrix raised $1.1 million from Vulcan Capital and other local investors to expand use of its COVID-19 Mission Control software, which analyzes hospital operational data to improve capacity and patient treatment.
Roche acquires Seattle startup Stratos Genomics, home of Sequencing By Expansion, to form Roche Diagnostics Seattle
Roche has acquired Seattle DNA sequencing startup Stratos Genomics, maker of Sequencing By Expansion (SBX) technology; Stratos will operate as Roche Diagnostics Seattle with its 60 employees joining Roche. Financial terms were not disclosed; Stratos had raised over $60 million previously and Roche was an early investor.
UW Student Ryan Yousefian’s ApnoMed Wins $25,000 Grand Prize for Sleep-Apnea Device at 2020 Dempsey Startup Competition
University of Washington student Ryan Yousefian’s startup ApnoMed won the $25,000 Herbert B. Jones Foundation grand prize at the 2020 Dempsey Startup Competition for a device treating obstructive sleep apnea; the virtual contest awarded $77,500 total and drew 97 teams from the Pacific Northwest.
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.
Beta Hatch raises $3M to build North America’s largest mealworm facility in Cashmere, opening early 2021
Beta Hatch, an insect‑rearing startup founded in 2015 by PhD entomologist Virginia Emery, raised $3 million in a new round (bringing total equity to $5M plus $4.6M in public funding) to advance its technology and build a Cashmere, Washington facility. The new plant, scheduled to open in early 2021, will be North America’s largest mealworm production site with capacity for one ton of insect protein per day and will use waste heat from a nearby data center.
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.
Magic Leap sued by Rainier Brewery owner for $52,547 in unpaid rent; landlord seeks possession (filed May 15)
Magic Leap, which raised over $2.6 billion and recently cut about half its workforce, is being sued by the owner of the Rainier Brewery building in Seattle for $52,547 in unpaid rent and to regain possession; the company closed its Seattle office affecting 39 workers. The suit was filed May 15 in King County Superior Court and follows the company's announced shift toward enterprise markets amid COVID-19 economic pressures.
Madrona Venture Labs spinout StrikeGraph launches to automate SOC 2 compliance, led by Justin Beals and Brian Bero
Madrona Venture Labs has launched StrikeGraph, a Seattle startup led by Justin Beals and Brian Bero that automates and simplifies the SOC 2 cybersecurity compliance process to reduce time and cost for companies seeking certification.
People
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John Cook Founder, Co-founder and Publisher, GeekWire
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Jonathan Sposato Founder, Chairman & co-founder
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Todd Bishop Founder, Co-Founder
