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
Starcloud Raises $170M, Reaches $1.1B Valuation to Build Solar-Powered Space Data Centers
Starcloud, a Redmond-based startup building solar-powered space data centers, raised $170 million to reach a $1.1 billion valuation just 17 months after its Y Combinator demo day. The company demonstrated AI computing in orbit with its Starcloud-1 satellite and plans a more powerful Starcloud-2 launch later this year.
Allen Institute for AI, Carbon Robotics, DAT Freight & Analytics, Humanly, and Yoodli Named 2026 GeekWire Workplace of the Year Finalists
The 2026 GeekWire Awards Workplace of the Year finalists include Allen Institute for AI, Carbon Robotics, DAT Freight & Analytics, Humanly, and Yoodli, recognized for building exceptional workplace cultures based on core values like trust and openness. The award ceremony occurs on May 7 in Seattle, with public voting open through April 16.
Seattle Startup Edo Develops Virtual Power Plant Tech to Turn Commercial Buildings into Grid Assets Amid Rising Demand
Seattle startup Edo has developed technology over five years to transform commercial buildings into virtual power plants, helping utilities manage peak electricity demand amid rising pressures from data centers and extreme weather. Their solution enables buildings to reduce electricity use during high demand and adapt to dynamic pricing, attracting growing interest from utilities and building operators.
Pay-i Founder David Tepper Wins GeekWire’s AI Startup Pitch Competition with Advanced AI Spend Management Platform
At GeekWire’s Agents of Transformation event in Seattle, four AI startups—Pay-i, Cascade, Autessa, and GemaTEG—pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, with Pay-i founder David Tepper winning for his AI spend management platform that accurately tracks AI costs beyond token usage. Judges praised Tepper for his strong presentation skills and ability to answer questions under pressure.
GeekWire 2026 Innovation of the Year Finalists Include Alpenglow Biosciences and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
The 2026 GeekWire Awards announced finalists for Innovation of the Year, including Alpenglow Biosciences, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, RevealDx, Starcloud, and VerAvanti, recognized for breakthroughs in healthcare and data center technology. The awards event will be held on May 7 in Seattle, with public voting open through April 10.
Aetheon Raises $1.24M Seed Funding to Launch Skills Translation Platform for Veterans and Graduates
Aetheon, a startup helping workers, especially veterans and recent graduates, translate real-world skills into job-ready competencies, raised $1.24 million in seed funding. The company plans to use the funding to launch its beta, expand pilot programs, and enhance its skills data platform.
Brinc Drones Moves to 35,000 Sq Ft Seattle HQ and Factory, Plans Expansion to 50,000 Sq Ft Amid Rapid Growth
Brinc Drones is relocating its headquarters and factory to a 35,000-square-foot space at West Canal Yards in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, doubling its production footprint to support rapid growth. The company, which develops drones for first responders and employs 160 people, plans to expand to 50,000 square feet and expects to exceed 250 employees by year-end.
Katherine Sizov’s Strella Raises $22M to Reduce Food Waste with Produce Monitoring Technology
Katherine Sizov founded Strella, a Seattle-based ag tech startup that uses sensor technology and machine vision to monitor produce freshness across supply chains, helping reduce food waste. Since 2019, her company has raised $22 million, operates in 26 countries, and is nearing profitability while expanding its product range.
GeekWire Hosts Agents of Transformation AI Summit in Seattle on March 24 Featuring Microsoft, AWS, and OpenAI Leaders
GeekWire's Agents of Transformation summit in Seattle on March 24 will explore how agentic AI is reshaping work, creativity, and leadership through keynote talks, panels, and demos featuring leaders from Microsoft, AWS, and OpenAI. The half-day event includes fireside chats, startup pitches, and networking opportunities with industry experts and sponsors like Accenture and Nebius.
Plug and Play Launches Third Seattle Accelerator Cohort with 10 Startups for 12-Week Program Ending Mid-June
Plug and Play selected 10 startups, primarily Seattle-based, for its third Seattle-area accelerator cohort, a 12-week program running through mid-June focusing on enterprise software, biotech, AI, robotics, and health tech. The program provides tailored mentorship and opportunities to develop business strategies, pilot projects, and commercial partnerships.
Bluesky Raises $100M Series B Led by Bain Capital Crypto, Reaches 43M Users Amid Leadership Shift
Bluesky raised $100 million in a Series B round led by Bain Capital Crypto in April 2025, following a $15 million Series A in October 2024. The company reported a 60% user growth last year, reaching 43 million users, while undergoing leadership changes with Toni Schneider as interim CEO.
OpenAI's $1.1B Statsig Acquisition and Other Billion-Dollar Deals Finalists for 2026 GeekWire Deal of the Year
The 2026 GeekWire Awards feature finalists including billion-dollar deals by OpenAI and others, a rare Seattle-area IPO, and a $5 billion mega-round, all recognized for their significant impact on Northwest tech. Voting for the Deal of the Year, which highlights key transactions in innovation, runs through April 16.
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space Launch Debris Removal Service to Tackle Orbital Junk Starting 2024
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space are partnering to offer Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS), using Portal’s maneuverable spacecraft and Paladin’s Triton payload to track and remove small-to-medium sized orbital debris. Starburst-1 is set to launch this year, with the larger Supernova platform debuting in 2027, aiming to reduce space junk threats for satellite operators.
Seattle Startup Lamu Uses AI to Facilitate Meaningful Dating with $9.99 Registration and Weekly Matched Introductions
Ada Jin founded Lamu, a Seattle-based dating app that uses AI to facilitate intentional and meaningful human connections by learning about users and moderating matches with features like a 'love score' and wingman-style group chats. The app charges a $9.99 registration fee and reveals limited matches weekly to reduce choice overload.
Seattle AI Startup Phaidra, Backed by Nvidia, Raises $120M to Combat Data Center Overheating with Partners CoreWeave and Applied Digital
Seattle startup Phaidra, backed by Nvidia, has developed AI technology to predict and prevent data center overheating, partnering with CoreWeave and Applied Digital to deploy its cooling solution. The company has raised $120 million and employs around 90 people.
Helion Energy Tops GeekWire 200 as No. 1 Pacific Northwest Tech Startup in Q2 2025 Amid Hardware Sector Growth
Helion Energy, a fusion power startup backed by SoftBank and Sam Altman, has become the new No. 1 on the GeekWire 200 list of top Pacific Northwest tech startups. The list highlights a growing trend of hardware-focused startups in sectors like space, energy, robotics, and agriculture, shifting away from the region's traditional emphasis on enterprise software.
Vantari Relocates Headquarters to Seattle to Expand VR Medical Training Across North America with Harvard, Yale, and Others as Clients
Vantari, a VR startup founded in 2017, has moved its headquarters from Sydney to Seattle to expand its healthcare training software across North America. Its VR platform, used by top medical centers including Harvard and Yale, simulates medical procedures with AI guidance and realistic controls to improve clinician training.
Cloud Security Startup Native Raises $42M Led by Ballistic Ventures to Automate Multi-Cloud Policy Enforcement
Cloud security startup Native, founded by AWS veterans, raised $42 million in funding to develop a platform that automatically enforces security policies across multiple cloud providers like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud. The startup focuses on embedding security policies directly into cloud infrastructure to prevent vulnerabilities upfront, serving major enterprises including top streaming services and chip manufacturers.
Ramp Acquires 2024-Founded Corporate Travel Startup Juno Backed by Madrona
Ramp acquired Juno, a 2024-founded corporate travel expense startup backed by Madrona and Bungalow Ventures, with Juno’s founders continuing as co-CEOs. The acquisition aims to integrate Juno’s platform for managing non-employee expenses into Ramp’s fintech offerings while preserving Juno’s brand and team.
Former CrowdStrike and Bloomberg Engineers Raise $2M for Seattle Fintech OpenCFO to Automate Mid-Sized Company Finance
Seattle fintech startup OpenCFO, led by former CrowdStrike and Bloomberg engineers, has raised $2 million to automate financial functions for mid-sized companies by unifying accounts payable, receivable, and treasury. The company launched in December, now employs 15 people, and integrates agentic AI with treasury infrastructure for enhanced financial operations visibility and control.
Seattle Startup Certiv Raises $4.2M to Secure AI Agents on Employee Devices, Led by Jason Needham
Seattle startup Certiv secured $4.2 million in funding to develop security software that monitors and controls AI agents on employee computers, led by CEO Jason Needham. Founded in June 2025, Certiv's technology enforces company policies to prevent unauthorized actions by AI agents and has already begun enterprise pilot deployments.
Taylor Soper Named Director of Seattle’s AI House at AI2 Incubator After 13 Years at GeekWire
Taylor Soper is leaving GeekWire after more than 13 years as a reporter and editor to become director of AI House at AI2 Incubator, a key hub for AI founders and researchers in Seattle. His deep connections in the Seattle tech scene and editorial leadership will support his new role in the AI community.
UW Students Pitch AI Startup Ideas to Seattle Venture Capitalists After 10-Week Program at Pioneer Square Labs
University of Washington students from seven teams pitched AI-driven startup ideas to influential Seattle investors at Pioneer Square Labs, concluding a 10-week entrepreneurship program led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman and UW professor Ed Lazowska. The event featured realistic pitch rounds, attracting prominent tech leaders as guests throughout the course.
Tim Chen’s Essence VC Raises New $7 Million Fund to Boost Infrastructure Startup Investments
Essence VC, led by Tim Chen, is raising a new $7 million fund to lead larger pre-seed rounds and have greater investment flexibility, focusing on infrastructure startups. This fund is separate from their previous $41 million fund raised last year.
Seattle Startup Homeostasis Converts Carbon Emissions into Graphite for Batteries, Backed by Saudi Aramco Investment
Seattle-area startup Homeostasis is developing technology to convert captured carbon dioxide into graphite for batteries, aiming to compete with China's dominant supply amid shifting U.S. policies and global trade tensions. The company secured strategic funding from Saudi Aramco's investment arm to scale operations and support Saudi Arabia's domestic EV supply chain ambitions.
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
