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
Seattle Mobile Game Developer Lightfox Games Raises $6M to Develop New Title Following Success of Knight’s Edge
Seattle-based mobile game developer Lightfox Games, known for its 2021 debut title Knight’s Edge, has raised $6 million to fund a new game in development. CEO Ryan Hanft-Murphy confirmed the funding but has not disclosed investor details, and plans to unveil the new project this summer.
Flyhomes Acquires Seattle’s Loftium to Expand Host-to-Own Real Estate Services
Flyhomes has acquired Seattle-based host-to-own real estate platform Loftium, expanding its home-buying services while retaining Loftium’s team and operations amid a challenging market. Loftium’s unique model enables buyers to use rental income from Airbnb hosting to finance down payments, a program launched a year ago.
Ex-Washington Senator Reuven Carlyle Launches Earth Finance Startup, Raises $14M for Climate Solutions
Former Washington State Senator Reuven Carlyle has launched Earth Finance, a climate consulting and finance startup that has secured $14 million in seed funding. The company aims to help businesses develop climate plans that align with financial goals through strategy, finance, and technology services.
Glowforge Launches Magic Canvas AI Image Generator for 3D Laser Printing Creations
Glowforge launched Magic Canvas, an AI-powered image generator that creates artwork from text prompts optimized for 3D laser printing on materials like wood and acrylic. The tool simplifies the design process by producing copyright-free images ready for engraving and cutting.
Abacus Bioscience Raises $4.4M for Novel Cancer Vaccine Technology Led by Ex-Seagen Executives
Abacus Bioscience, a University of Washington spinout led by former Seattle Genetics veterans, raised $4.4 million to develop a novel cancer vaccine approach targeting tumor antigens to stimulate a strong immune response. Despite historical skepticism about cancer vaccines, Abacus aims to advance a new technology that activates immune cells via antibody fragments linked to tumor antigens.
Microsoft Veteran Kevin Wang Launches Mentors in Tech Program Supporting Community College Students in Tech Careers
Kevin Wang, a Microsoft veteran, founded Mentors in Tech (MinT) to support community college students pursuing tech careers by connecting them with mentors and internships. The program has engaged nearly 500 students nationally, aiming to address workforce diversity and skill shortages by helping overlooked, underserved students gain entry into the tech industry.
RealWear to Go Public via SPAC Merger with Cascadia Capital Valued at $375.5 Million
RealWear, a Vancouver, Washington-based industrial headset maker, is going public through a SPAC merger with Seattle's Cascadia Capital, valuing the combined company at $375.5 million. The company, serving over 5,000 enterprise customers including 41 Fortune 100 firms, reported $20.5 million in revenue for 2022 with a 63% gross margin.
Transparent Path Uses Intel IoT Sensors and AI to Predict Food Spoilage and Support Hunger Relief
Seattle-based Transparent Path uses Intel-powered IoT sensors and AI to monitor perishable food shipments, assigning freshness scores to prevent spoilage and support hunger relief efforts. The company charges a fee per shipment and has helped nonprofits provide over 100,000 meals by saving food at risk.
Seattle Food Automation Startup Picnic Lays Off Employees Amid Tech Downturn, Keeps Domino's Partnership
Seattle-based food automation startup Picnic, maker of a pizza-making robot, is laying off employees amid the tech industry downturn to reduce costs and extend its cash runway. Despite staffing cuts, Picnic maintains partnerships with Domino's and several universities, with plans for further installations in the U.S. and Canada.
Kirill Zubovsky Launches Smartynames AI Tool Generating Over 1 Million Domain Name Suggestions Since December 2023
Startup founder Kirill Zubovsky created Smartynames, an AI-powered tool using OpenAI's GPT-3, that generates available domain name suggestions from business descriptions. Since its December launch, the tool has generated over one million domain name suggestions and plans to expand its AI offerings for businesses.
Snapbar CEO Sam Eitzen Leads Pivot from Physical Booths to Global Virtual Photo Booth App, Doubling Revenue Multiple Times Since 2020
Snapbar, originally a physical photo booth company, pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch a virtual photo booth web application called Snapshot, which rapidly grew to become its primary revenue source and expanded its customer base globally. CEO Sam Eitzen credits this strategic shift with doubling the company's revenue multiple times and transitioning Snapbar from a regional startup to a worldwide tech business.
Seattle Startup Whalesync Raises $1.8M to Expand No-Code Data Sync Tool for Businesses
Whalesync, a Seattle-based startup founded by Curtis Fonger and Matthew Busel, raised $1.8 million to develop a no-code data syncing tool for businesses. The platform simplifies syncing data across software apps and is used by hundreds of customers, competing with companies like Zapier and HubSpot.
Seattle-Area Longevity Biomedical to Go Public via SPAC in Q2 2023, Raising $30M with $236M Valuation
Longevity Biomedical, formed by merging Seattle-area startups Cerevast Medical, NovoKera, and Aegeria Soft Tissue, plans to go public via a SPAC merger expected to close in Q2 2023, raising at least $30 million. The combined company targets healthspan extension with treatments for stroke, blindness, and soft-tissue reconstruction, and is valued at $236.2 million.
Group14 Technologies Raises $648M to Develop Silicon-Carbon Battery Anodes, Valued Over $3 Billion
Group14 Technologies, valued at over $3 billion, is developing next-generation silicon-carbon battery anodes in Woodinville, Washington, aiming to improve power and charging speeds for batteries. Backed by investors like Porsche and Microsoft, the startup has raised over $648 million and federal support exceeding $100 million.
Seattle Biotech Myosana Raises $5M to Develop Advanced Gene Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Myosana Therapeutics, a Seattle biotech co-founded by University of Washington researchers, raised $5 million to advance a novel gene therapy candidate targeting Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The company aims to develop a gene delivery platform that can handle larger DNA segments compared to current standard methods, potentially improving treatment options against DMD.
DevZero, Founded by Ex-Uber Engineers, Raises $26M to Expand Cloud DevOps Platform
DevZero, a Seattle-based DevOps startup founded by former Uber engineers Debo Ray and Rob Fletcher, raised $26 million to expand its cloud development platform. The platform, now generally available, is used by companies like Okta and Carta to create production-like environments on local devices for Kubernetes and serverless development.
Seattle Startup Valid8 Financial Raises $1.25M Debt to Support Forensic Accounting in Major White-Collar Crime Cases
Seattle startup Valid8 Financial offers a forensic accounting platform used by lawyers, CPAs, and government agencies to analyze money flows in white-collar crime cases and financial disputes. Founded in 2017, Valid8 recently raised $1.25 million in debt financing and serves clients like law and CPA firms as well as six states for fraud investigations.
Seattle Interviewing Startup Karat Lays Off 47 Employees to Invest in Growth and New Products
Seattle startup Karat, known for conducting technical interviews, laid off 47 employees to focus resources on expanding its enterprise customer base, scaling programs, and developing new products. The company reached unicorn status in October 2021 after raising $110 million but is now restructuring teams to support self-funded growth initiatives.
Startups Shift to Venture Debt Amid Slowing Venture Capital, Raising $29B+ in 2022
As venture capital funding slows, startups increasingly consider venture debt and loans to extend cash runways without diluting ownership, despite the risks of repayment and financial scrutiny. In 2022, tech companies raised over $29 billion in venture debt across more than 2,100 deals, highlighting a significant shift toward alternative financing.
SafKan Health Raises $8M and Secures FDA Clearance for OtoSet Earwax Removal Device after Viral TikTok Success
Seattle-based SafKan Health has raised $8 million and received FDA clearance for its OtoSet device, which removes earwax through a combination of irrigation and suction and has gained viral attention on TikTok. The device aims to modernize earwax removal by being faster and easier to use than current clinical methods, and has been adopted by hundreds of clinics.
Ex-Lululemon CTO Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll Joins Seattle Startup Littlebird as CTO and Co-Founder; Microsoft AI Ethics Leader Mira Lane Joins Google
Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll, former Lululemon Studio CTO, joined Seattle startup Littlebird as CTO and co-founder; Mira Lane, ex-Microsoft AI ethics leader, joined Google as senior director on the technology and society team.
Seattle’s Rec Room Partners with NFL to Launch Official Team Gear for Avatars Ahead of Playoffs
Rec Room, a Seattle-based social gaming startup, partnered with the NFL to offer official team merchandise for avatars in its app, just in time for the NFL playoffs. Fans can now buy licensed NFL hoodies and hats for their avatars, enhancing virtual fan experiences within the app’s community of over 80 million users.
Seattle Startup Esper Cuts 21% of Staff Amid 2023 Business Uncertainty Following $100M Funding
Seattle startup Esper laid off 21% of its workforce in its second reduction within seven months, citing an unpredictable 2023 business environment despite strong 2022 growth. Founded by Yadhu Gopalan and Shiv Sundar, Esper offers a DevOps platform for managing Android device fleets and has raised $100 million to date.
Seattle Startup Atomo Restructures and Cuts Workforce Six Months After $40M Funding
Seattle-based startup Atomo, which makes coffee from upcycled plant ingredients, is undergoing a strategic realignment and restructuring just six months after raising $40 million, including workforce reductions. CEO Andy Kleitsch said the company aims to scale its sustainable coffee offerings more quickly by adding new specialized staff.
Century Therapeutics Cuts 25% Staff, Closes Seattle and Hamilton Sites, R&D Head Hyam Levitsky to Resign by Jan 31
Century Therapeutics is closing its Seattle hub and cutting 25% of its workforce, including a shutdown of its Hamilton, Ontario location, as it shifts priorities and extends its cash runway to 2026. The company’s president of R&D, Hyam Levitsky, plans to resign by January 31, and Century is de-prioritizing programs for glioblastoma and blood cancers.
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
