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
Is this your organization? Claim it
Publication
- Last published Oct 15
Authors & Editors
GeekWire Podcast: OthersideAI raises $2.6M to use GPT‑3 for drafting emails; Tom Alberg profile and Trivia Challenge return
The GeekWire Podcast covers OthersideAI, a startup using GPT-3 to draft emails that just raised a $2.6 million seed round, discusses Seattle tech investor Tom Alberg’s long career and current focus, and relaunches the GeekWire Trivia Challenge with a chance to win a limited-edition face mask.
Rebellion Defense, led by ex-DDS head Chris Lynch and backed by Eric Schmidt, opens Seattle engineering hub
Rebellion Defense, a year-old Washington D.C. startup led by CEO Chris Lynch and backed by investors including ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, opened a Seattle engineering hub led by Matt Shobe to build AI and ML software for government clients using an agile, SaaS pricing model.
Trovares, led by ex-Cray CEO Jim Rottsolk, raises $1.35M as part of $1.5M round to grow graph-analytics business
Seattle graph-analytics startup Trovares, led by former Cray CEO Jim Rottsolk, raised $1.35 million as part of a $1.5 million round from existing investors to expand its business; the nine-person company launched in 2015 and counts the Department of Defense among its customers.
Wyze co-founder Dave Crosby’s unreleased Wyze Cam Outdoor records car prowler stealing camera; Crosby tracks thief via Craigslist and films the pursuit
Wyze co-founder Dave Crosby used an unreleased Wyze Cam Outdoor mounted over his driveway to record a car prowler stealing a camera from his vehicle, then tracked the thief after the stolen device surfaced for sale on Craigslist and documented the incident on his popular YouTube channel.
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board and co-founded Madrona to build Seattle’s tech scene
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board, and later co-founded Madrona Investment Group to back Pacific Northwest internet startups, helping shape Seattle’s tech ecosystem. His early bets and leadership influenced regional tech growth and left a legacy noted by Jeff Bezos and others.
Rover partners with Walmart as Seattle pet-care startup recovers from COVID layoffs, eyes profitability
Seattle pet-care startup Rover, which laid off about 41% of staff in March as pandemic demand collapsed, has regained momentum with rising pet ownership and a new partnership with Walmart that promotes Rover services on Walmart.com. The company expects roughly $250M in gross bookings this year after trimming expenses, received over $5M in PPP loans, and says it may reach profitability sooner than pre-COVID plans.
Madrona leads $2.6M seed round for OthersideAI to build GPT-3–powered automated email composer
OthersideAI, founded months ago by Matt Shumer, Miles Feldstein and Jason Kuperberg, raised a $2.6M seed round led by Madrona to build a GPT-3–powered tool that automatically composes email drafts; the company is testing a Chrome extension with ~100 early users and a ~10,000-person waitlist.
Lumedic launches 'Lumedic Exchange' to set blockchain-based digital identity standards with Mastercard, Providence, Cambia
Lumedic launched the Lumedic Exchange to develop digital identity standards for healthcare using blockchain-based private ledgers and secure mobile wallets, aiming to give patients control over data and reduce friction in care delivery and billing. Initial partners include Mastercard, Providence St. Joseph Health, and Cambia Health Solutions, though the company acknowledges scaling and standards adoption will be challenging.
2048 Ventures Hires Seattle Investor Minda Brusse to Lead Pre-Seed Sourcing in Seattle and Portland
NYC-based 2048 Ventures has hired Seattle investor Minda Brusse as a venture partner to source pre-seed investments in Seattle and Portland while she remains at First Row Partners; 2048 launched last year with a $27 million fund and has backed 29 companies.
Foursquare CEO David Shim to Resign; Gary Little Named CEO in 2021; Other Tech Leadership Moves Reported
Foursquare CEO David Shim, founder of Placed, is resigning and will be succeeded by board member Gary Little in 2021 after a transition; Shim plans to return to entrepreneurship. Other moves: investor Karan Mehandru left Trinity Ventures to join Steadfast Financial while remaining on several boards, 343 Industries’ Chris Lee stepped down from Halo Infinite project direction, and WTIA hired Molly Jones as VP of government affairs.
Algorithmia CEO Diego Oppenheimer urges resilience amid COVID slump; startup has raised $37.9M including $25M Series B
Algorithmia CEO Diego Oppenheimer encourages professionals stuck in a COVID-19 rut to balance survival with seizing opportunities, citing family background and a focus on employee growth; Algorithmia is a 58-person startup that has raised $37.9 million, including a $25 million Series B last year.
Seattle startup Rubica shuts down after raising $15 million but failing to secure further investment
Seattle cybersecurity startup Rubica, founded in 2016 and spun out of Concentric Advisors, shut down after raising $15 million but failing to secure further investment or reach profitability amid pandemic-driven revenue declines. CEO Frances Dewing said the company is liquidating assets and was unable to convince investors to back a pivot toward serving larger businesses.
Bottomless says Amazon’s new Dash Smart Shelf validates Seattle startup’s WiFi coffee-reordering scale; Bottomless is profitable with ~$2M sales
Seattle startup Bottomless, which sells a WiFi-connected smart scale that automatically reorders coffee beans, says Amazon’s new Dash Smart Shelf validates its market; Bottomless is profitable, has raised over $2 million, and generates nearly $2 million in annual coffee sales.
Navigating Cancer founder Gena Cook sues Merck’s Global Health Innovation Fund and board member David Rubin alleging gender bias, wrongful termination and blocked acquisition
Gena Cook, founder and former CEO of Seattle health-tech startup Navigating Cancer, sued Merck’s Global Health Innovation Fund, board member David Rubin, Navigating Cancer and current CEO Bill Bunker on Oct. 29 in King County Superior Court alleging gender discrimination, wrongful termination and interference with a potential acquisition. The complaint alleges Rubin led efforts to demote and push out Cook, including a comment that she didn’t fit his perception of “what a CEO should look like,” and says Merck blocked acquisition talks; Navigating Cancer had raised $44 million and had about 80 employees.
Seattle startup Plunk raises $2M+ to power AI-driven home valuation and renovation recommendations
Seattle startup Plunk, founded by Brian Lent and David Bluhm, has developed an app that uses image processing, AI and machine learning to evaluate home condition, estimate renovation-driven value increases (a "Plunk Value") and recommend specific projects; the company has 15 employees and has raised over $2 million to date, including an initial $1M reported in 2019.
Community Brands acquires Seattle virtual-events startup Pathable after 20x revenue surge and rapid expansion
Seattle event-app company Pathable pivoted from near-shutdown when in-person events collapsed, rapidly building a virtual events platform that grew revenue 20x and expanded staff from 20 to over 120. In late September Community Brands acquired Pathable, which will operate as a standalone business to help organizations reimagine events during and after the pandemic.
Textio launches 'Textio for Employer Brand' to infuse DEI language across corporate messaging
Textio launched Textio for Employer Brand, an augmented-writing tool that guides companies to use more diverse, equitable and inclusive language across corporate messaging beyond job listings. The product, now exiting beta, aims to update guidance continuously and apply DEI-focused language suggestions to pages like 'About this company' and culture blog posts as firms rebuild and rehire after the pandemic.
Airbnb cleaning startup Neu raises $700,000 led by New Stack Ventures to fund Scottsdale expansion
Seattle startup Neu, which provides cleaning services to Airbnb hosts, adapted to pandemic-era demand by adding PPE and meeting Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocols and has raised $700,000 led by New Stack Ventures to support expansion including a planned move into Scottsdale, AZ.
Shift expands to Seattle region, offering at-home test drives and digital purchases after SPAC-led Nasdaq debut
Used-car marketplace Shift has expanded into the Seattle region, offering end-to-end digital buying services including at-home test drives and on-the-spot purchases within 60 miles of central Seattle, after recently going public via a SPAC merger.
NEA leads $37.5M Series B in Seattle cloud startup Pulumi, bringing total funding to $57.5M
Seattle startup Pulumi raised $37.5 million in a Series B led by NEA, bringing its total funding to $57.5 million to expand R&D and sales/marketing. NEA partner Aaron Jacobson will join Pulumi’s board alongside existing investors Madrona Venture Group and Tola Capital.
Former Zillow Leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong Raise $40M Seed for Tomo Networks to Build Tech-Driven Mortgage Platform
Former Zillow leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong launched Tomo Networks, a fintech startup building a tech-driven mortgage and transaction platform, and raised a $40 million seed round led by prominent real estate investors. The company, founded a few months ago, is targeting agents and consumers while keeping specific business model details private.
Membrion develops spray coating to boost cotton mask protection by adsorbing coronavirus particles
Seattle startup Membrion is developing a sprayable, food-safe coating derived from its ion-exchange membrane technology to make cotton masks more protective by adsorbing and neutralizing coronavirus particles.
University of Washington taps Justin Dunnicliff as NSIN university program director; Meredith Han named VP of Product at FlyHomes
The University of Washington partnered with the Department of Defense’s National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) and named UW alumnus Justin Dunnicliff as university program director to run NSIN programs at UW, connecting students to DoD-related research and employment opportunities. The article also notes Meredith Han, an early Amazon employee and angel investor, has become VP of product at FlyHomes.
Sana CEO Steve Harr Details Cell- and Gene-Therapy Plans After $700M+ Summer Raise
Sana Biotechnology CEO Steve Harr described the stealthy, Seattle-based gene and cell therapy startup’s plan to develop tools that repair and replace human cells to treat diseases and create new medicines, after raising more than $700 million this summer. Founded in 2019 by former Juno Therapeutics executives, the 250-person company emphasizes faster decision-making, focus, and communication as its competitive edge against larger rivals.
Terry Myerson launches Seattle health-data startup Truveta to develop patient-care innovations, pledges strict privacy
Terry Myerson, former head of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, launched Seattle-area health-data startup Truveta to use patient data for developing treatments and improving care while emphasizing strong privacy protections. The company has hired nearly 20 people, plans to grow, declined to disclose funding or ownership details, and signals collaborations with health systems such as Providence Health & Services.
People
See all 5-
John Cook Founder, Co-founder and Publisher, GeekWire
-
Jonathan Sposato Founder, Chairman & co-founder
-
Todd Bishop Founder, Co-Founder
