Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
Seattle Tech Veteran Matt Fisher Joins Immersive Media Startup Adventr to Lead AI-Based Interactive Gaming Innovation
Seattle tech veteran Matt Fisher has joined immersive media startup Adventr as a late-stage co-founder to advance AI-driven interactive gaming and media experiences, emphasizing voice-controlled content creation and interaction.
Robotics Startup FieldAI Valued at $2 Billion After $405 Million Funding Led by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos
FieldAI, a California-based robotics startup backed by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and others, raised $405 million, valuing the company at $2 billion. The company develops unique foundation models that enable various robots to operate autonomously in dynamic and unstructured environments across multiple industries.
Building an AI-first company: What these two business leaders learned from top experts in the field
Our guests this week: Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, co-authors of the book AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand. Brotman was Starbucks’ chief digital officer and later co-CEO of J.Crew. Sack is a founder, investor, and longtime advisor to tech leaders. Together, they run Forum3, a company that helps brands rethink loyalty and customer engagement. For their book, they interviewed experts including Bill Gates, Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman and Ethan Mollick, and spent time with companies that have had early success with AI implementation. We talk about their "holy sh*t" moment with Sam Altman, how Moderna…
Terry Myerson - CEO and Co-Founder at Truveta
Terry Myerson is CEO and co-founder of Truveta, a leader in EHR data and analytics, led by a growing health system collective that together provide more than 18% of all daily clinical care in the US. Truveta is trusted by more than 50 leading healthcare and life science customers to study safety and effectiveness, improve patient care, and train medical AI. Across these leading organizations, Truveta connects data, people, and ideas to pursue the mission of Saving Lives with Data. Terry previously enjoyed a 21-year career at Microsoft, leading the development of Windows, Xbox, and the early days of Office…
Seattle Startup Plutus Raises Funds to Democratize Thematic Portfolio Investing for Retail Investors
Seattle-based startup Plutus, co-founded by Shashank Chiranewala and Mitren Chinoy, is creating a marketplace for thematic model portfolios to give everyday investors access to hedge fund-level strategies. The platform integrates with Interactive Brokers and offers curated portfolios with automated rebalancing and potential tax benefits.
Qbeast Raises $7.6M Seed Round Led by Peak XV's Surge to Optimize Analytics on Open Data Platforms
Qbeast, a Bellevue-based data optimization startup led by former AWS and Azure veteran Srikanth Satya, raised $7.6 million in a seed round led by Peak XV's Surge. The company offers an indexing layer for open data platforms, promising faster queries and reduced compute costs.
Seattle Startup Founders Highlight Focused Community and Talent Amid Risk-Aversion Concerns
Seattle startup founders praise the city's focused, welcoming community, strong technical talent, and unique advantages like proximity to Joint Base Lewis-McCord. However, concerns remain about the region's risk-averse culture, limited local capital, and government policies.
Helion Energy Breaks Ground on World's First Commercial Fusion Plant in Washington, Targeting 2028 Operation
Helion Energy has begun construction on its Orion fusion power plant in Malaga, Washington, aiming to be the world's first commercial fusion facility. The project, backed by a historic power purchase agreement with Microsoft, targets operational status by 2028 despite significant industry challenges.
Seattle Startups Data Freelancers, Dodda, Miirr, and Little Blueprint Spotlight Innovation in AI, Real Estate, Fashion, and Parenting
Four Seattle startups—Data Freelancers, Dodda, Miirr, and Little Blueprint—are innovating in fields including AI freelancing, real estate technology, fashion merchandising, and parenting support. Each company is led by experienced founders and is at different stages of development and market focus.
Flexport Sells Convoy Technology to DAT Freight & Analytics for Approximately $250 Million in 2024
Flexport announced it is selling Convoy's freight marketplace technology to DAT Freight & Analytics for around $250 million, after acquiring Convoy in 2022 following its shutdown. DAT, part of Roper Technologies, will operate the marketplace, expanding its freight-matching network in North America.
Seattle Investors and Founders See AI Boom as Key Startup Opportunity Amid Cultural and Capital Challenges
Seattle's startup ecosystem is poised for significant growth amid the AI boom, thanks to a strong talent pool and tech presence, according to over 20 investors and founders. However, concerns about a risk-averse culture, limited local capital, and government policies could hinder the city's ability to fully capitalize on this opportunity.
Seattle Startup Dropzone AI Raises $37M Series B to Scale AI SOC Analyst Security Software with 100+ Enterprise Clients
Seattle startup Dropzone AI raised $37 million in a Series B round to advance its AI-powered SOC analyst software aimed at reducing security alert fatigue. The company serves over 100 enterprise clients and claims superior false negative and positive rates while competing with tech giants like Microsoft and Google.
Ascend analysis: Bay Area tops startup ROI with 10.07 MOIC; Boston 7.89 and Seattle 7.48 on $100M+ exits (2000–June 2025)
An Ascend analysis of U.S. startup ecosystems finds the Bay Area leads in capital efficiency with a MOIC of 10.07, followed by Boston (7.89) and surprise third-place Seattle (7.48), based on exits over $100M from 2000–mid‑2025; smaller metros generally underperform and selection/bias limitations are noted.
Lumotive Secures Additional $14M in Series B Funding from Amazon and Oman's ITHCA Group
Lumotive, a semiconductor startup specializing in optical chips for 3D sensors, raised an additional $14 million for its Series B round from Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund and Oman's ITHCA Group. Previously, it had secured $45 million in February, with investors including Bill Gates' Gates Frontier and MetaVC.
Madrona’s Matt McIlwain Forecasts Microsoft and Amazon Outpacing Apple After One Year
Madrona’s Matt McIlwain predicted a year ago that Microsoft and Amazon would outperform Apple, with Amazon up 25%, Microsoft up 15%, and Apple down 5%. He attributes this to Microsoft and Amazon’s strong positioning in AI and sees continued divergence in Big Tech performance going forward.
Nikesh Parekh Advises Microsoft and Amazon Execs on Engaging with Seattle Startups as Advisors, Board Members, and Investors
Nikesh Parekh shares a guide for Microsoft and Amazon employees on engaging with the Seattle startup ecosystem through roles like advisors or board members and by strategic investing, highlighting common practices and compensation details.
Seattle Startups from Amazon and Box Veterans Launch AI Solutions in Childcare, Cybersecurity, and Local Services in 2024
Seattle startup founders with backgrounds from companies like Amazon and Box are addressing diverse challenges in childcare, cybersecurity, social work, and local business support with innovative AI-driven solutions. Venture investor Jenn Wrenn Henry provides insights on these early-stage companies featured in the latest startup radar spotlight.
Tola Capital appoints former Microsoft VP Vahé Torossian as Venture Partner to support portfolio growth
Tola Capital has appointed Vahé Torossian, a former Microsoft Corporate Vice President and ex-Deputy CEO of Builder.ai, as a Venture Partner to advise portfolio company CEOs and accelerate growth. His role emphasizes hands-on operational support and leveraging his global technology and go-to-market experience to advance enterprise AI opportunities.
Statsig Opens New Bellevue Headquarters for 500 Employees, Emphasizing Full-Time In-Person Work After $100M Funding
Statsig, a Bellevue-based startup specializing in software testing tools, is expanding into a new headquarters accommodating up to 500 employees, reinforcing its requirement for full in-person work. This move follows their recent $100 million funding round at a $1.1 billion valuation and reflects the company’s commitment to an open, collaborative office culture.
Reimagining Hiring in the Age of AI and Bias with Humanly CEO Prem Kumar
In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, Boaz welcomes Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly and GeekWire Award winner for CEO of the Year. With his unique background as both a buyer of HR solutions at Microsoft and a startup leader at TINYpulse, Prem shares how his company is revolutionizing the hiring process through AI-powered solutions that create more human-centered experiences. Prem dives into the challenges facing today's job seekers and recruiters, revealing how Humanly's technology enables meaningful two-way conversations for every candidate within 24 hours of application. The discussion explores how AI can reduce bias in hiring, improve standardization…
Samsung Electronics to Acquire Seattle-Based Digital Health Startup Xealth to Enhance Healthcare Integration
Samsung Electronics is acquiring Seattle-based digital health startup Xealth, which helps healthcare providers manage digital health tools and is used by over 500 U.S. hospitals. The acquisition aims to integrate consumer health data with clinical records to enhance personalized and preventive care, with the deal expected to close later this year pending regulatory approval.
GeekWire Startup Radar spotlights 2024 Seattle AI startups including AlsonAI and InnoMat with VC assessments from WestRiver’s Anthony Bontrager
GeekWire’s Startup Radar highlights early-stage Seattle companies focused on AI across space robotics, storytelling, and supply chain, featuring VC viewpoints from Anthony Bontrager of WestRiver Group. Spotlights include AlsonAI (generative AI storytelling) and InnoMat (AI-driven material selection), both founded in 2024 and currently bootstrapped.
Seattle Early-Stage Startups AlsonAI, InnoMat, LoftxAI, and Orbital Robotics Spotlighted for AI Innovations in Storytelling and Supply Chains
GeekWire's startup radar highlights early-stage Seattle companies focusing on AI innovations in space robotics, storytelling, and supply chain, featuring leaders like Nafisa Muzaffar of AlsonAI and Charlie Sun of InnoMat. Venture capitalist Anthony Bontrager offers insights on their potential and challenges in market adoption.
Report: "Cascadian Dynamism"—Pacific Northwest startups marry AI and physical systems across fusion, satellites, robotics and energy
The Pacific Northwest is spawning a cluster of engineering-heavy startups—what the author calls "Cascadian Dynamism"—that combine AI with physical systems (autonomy, fusion, satellites, robotics, energy) driven by regional talent, infrastructure, and nearby enterprise and federal customers.
Nineteen Startups Graduate from Creative Destruction Lab’s Seattle Accelerator, Raising Over $190 Million Since 2022
Nineteen startups graduated from the Creative Destruction Lab’s nine-month accelerator program in Seattle, hosted at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. The cohort includes companies from manufacturing and computational health sectors, and CDL-Seattle startups have collectively raised at least $190 million since 2022.
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Ali Farhadi Executive, Former Allen Institute for AI CEO
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Bill Gates Executive, Former CEO, Co-founder
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Gaurav Sareen Executive, Chief Technology Officer - CAP
