Makara
Facts
- HQ
- Seattle
- Sectors
- Cryptocurrency, Investment Management, Financial Services, Robo-advisor, Fintech
- Stage
- Early stage
Venice.ai Raises $65M at $1B Valuation for Privacy-Focused AI Led by Erik Voorhees and Jesse Proudman
Venice.ai, founded by CEO Erik Voorhees and CTO Jesse Proudman, raised $65 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation to provide a privacy-focused AI service that does not store user prompts or responses. The company aims to compete with mainstream AI services by offering unfiltered, on-device conversations through a range of open-source and commercial AI models.
Venice.ai founder Jesse Proudman leaves Washington after 'millionaire tax' prompts exodus of business leaders
Tech entrepreneur Jesse Proudman, founder and CTO of Venice.ai, is leaving Washington State, saying the state's new 'millionaire tax' and a hostile tax climate have driven him and other business leaders to relocate. He described Washington as shifting from a 'startup sanctuary' to a place that 'villainizes' companies.
Seattle-Area Startups Eve Wealth, Omnivista, and SelfFull Leverage AI in Investing, Voice Agents, and Coaching with $1.75M Raised
Several early stage Seattle-area startups are using AI in innovative ways across diverse sectors including digital asset investing, voice agents for websites, and AI-powered coaching platforms. Notable among them are Eve Wealth relaunching with $1.75 million raised to support crypto education and investment, Omnivista enabling rapid deployment of voice agents for customer interaction, and SelfFull scaling coaching impact with AI.
Seattle Digital Assets Startup Strix Leviathan Acquired by New York Crypto Hedge Fund Parataxis
Seattle fintech startup Strix Leviathan, founded by Jesse Proudman and Sadie Raney in 2018, was acquired by New York-based crypto hedge fund Parataxis, with key leadership transitions following the deal.
Koru Founder Kristen Hamilton Joins Enjoy the Work as General Partner; Portland Seed Fund Adds Principal Devon Horace
Kristen Hamilton, founder of predictive hiring startup Koru, has joined San Francisco-based startup advisory firm Enjoy the Work as a general partner, focusing on Seattle and beyond. Additionally, Portland Seed Fund added Devon Horace as principal, expanding its leadership team with experienced regional executives.
Seattle startups push into crypto, blockchain and Web3 amid investor caution and regulatory shifts
The article lists Seattle startups building products and services around crypto, blockchain, and Web3, noting the region’s talent but limited local investor interest and regulatory uncertainty. Industry leaders cite Seattle’s potential as a cloud-computing hub while warning entrepreneurs face funding disadvantages compared with other jurisdictions.
Betterment to acquire Seattle crypto robo-advisor Makara, joining crypto investing to its $32B platform
Betterment agreed to acquire Seattle crypto robo-advisor Makara, which launched in May 2021 and offers thematic crypto baskets; Betterment manages $32 billion for nearly 700,000 clients. Makara spun out of Strix Leviathan, was founded by Jesse Proudman and others, and raised about $3 million in seed funding while pursuing a Series A.
Former Rover CTO Scott Porad named Dolly’s first CTO as Dolly plans headcount, sales expansion; Regi Vengalil to become Metromile CFO in May
Scott Porad, former Rover CTO, has joined Seattle peer-to-peer moving app Dolly as its first chief technology officer as the startup plans to double headcount and sales; Regi Vengalil will leave Egencia in May to become CFO of Metromile, a pay-per-mile insurer.
Coinbase IPO Soars to $85 Billion, Nets Windfalls for Early Backers Including Version One Ventures
Coinbase’s IPO pushed its valuation to $85 billion and delivered major returns to early investors like Version One Ventures, which made a highly profitable bet years ago. The article examines how Seattle and Pacific Northwest investors view crypto and blockchain as the region seeks to grow its fintech presence amid emerging local startups and initiatives.
Strix Leviathan founders launch Makara robo-advisor; SEC-registered, raised $2M and launched mobile app
Seattle crypto startup Strix Leviathan spun out Makara, a robo-advisor that builds thematic baskets to simplify investing in digital assets; Makara is an SEC-registered investment adviser, raised $2 million, and launched a mobile app.
