Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
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.
GeekWire Honors Aviel Ginzburg, Chaitra Vedullapalli, and Emer Dooley for Building Seattle’s Tech Community at 2025 Awards
The 2025 GeekWire Awards honored Aviel Ginzburg, Chaitra Vedullapalli, and Emer Dooley for their efforts in strengthening Seattle's tech community through inclusive initiatives and startup support. The awards ceremony recognizing nearly 50 finalists will take place on April 30, 2025, in Seattle.
Stepchange Raises $7M for Climate-Focused Venture Fund Targeting Software Startups in Transportation, Energy, and Resilience
Seattle-based venture firm Stepchange raised $7 million for its inaugural fund to invest in climate-focused startups targeting sectors like transportation, energy, and resilience with asset-light, cost-competitive software solutions. Founded by Anay Shah and Ben Eidelson, the fund has already backed 13 startups and plans 30 investments, supported by over 100 investors including Bain Capital Ventures and tech leaders from major companies.
Juicer Energy, Led by Ex-OfferUp CEO Nick Huzar, Raises $7M to Expand EV Charging at Apartments and Hotels
Seattle startup Juicer Energy, led by ex-OfferUp CEO Nick Huzar, installs and manages full EV charging infrastructure at apartment buildings, hotels, and businesses, backed by $7 million in funding from notable investors. The company aims to simplify EV charging for both consumers and property owners to support greater EV adoption nationwide.
Convoy Co-Founder Grant Goodale Joins Ryder as Chief Product and Technology Officer
Grant Goodale, co-founder and former CTO of Convoy, has joined Ryder as chief product and technology officer, marking his return to the trucking industry. Additionally, Seattle startups Shipium and Graham & Walker announced key leadership hires with Geoff Tamman named CFO and Ryan Hughes as chief of staff, respectively.
Seattle Startup FlavorCloud Gains Demand from Trump’s Tariff Changes and New China Import Rules
Seattle startup FlavorCloud, led by CEO Rathna Sharad, is benefiting from increased demand as companies navigate new complexities from President Trump's recent tariff changes, including the elimination of the $800 'de minimis' exemption on imports from China effective May 2. FlavorCloud specializes in cross-border shipping and compliance, helping e-commerce brands manage duties and taxes amid unprecedented global trade shifts.
Gennev Founder Jill Angelo Steps Down After Acquisition; Aurion Biotech CEO Replaced Following Alcon Majority Stake; Temporal Adds New Leadership
Jill Angelo, founder and CEO of menopause startup Gennev, stepped down following its acquisition by Unified Women’s Healthcare, while Aurion Biotech replaced CEO Greg Kunst with Arnaud Lacoste after Alcon acquired a majority stake. Temporal also announced leadership additions with Jim Cyb as president and Sahir Azam as an independent board member.
Washington’s Proposed 5% Payroll Tax on Large Employers Draws Tech Industry Backlash Amid $16B Budget Shortfall
Washington state Democrats propose a 5% statewide payroll tax on wages exceeding $176,100 for companies with payrolls over $7 million to address a $16 billion budget gap, drawing criticism from CEOs and tech leaders including Microsoft President Brad Smith who warn it could harm the tech sector and drive businesses away.
Agility Robotics Seeks $400 Million Funding at $1.75 Billion Valuation to Advance Digit Warehouse Robots
Agility Robotics is reportedly raising $400 million at a $1.75 billion valuation to fund its Digit humanoid warehouse robots, with lead investor WP Global and participation from SoftBank. The company recently announced new improvements to Digit's capabilities and continues pilot testing with Amazon, a previous investor.
Seattle Maritime Logistics Startup OpenTug Raises $2.2M Led by New York Firm TMV
Seattle-based maritime logistics startup OpenTug raised $2.2 million in a funding round led by New York firm TMV, bringing its total funding to $5.3 million. OpenTug offers software to optimize freight efficiency for inland and coastal waterways, serving barge shippers and tug operators.
Tiger Global Leads $146M Funding Round for Temporal, Raising Valuation to $1.72B
Temporal, a Seattle startup that offers an open-source microservices orchestration platform, raised $146 million in a funding round led by Tiger Global, boosting its valuation to $1.72 billion. The company serves major clients like Snap and Netflix, with a reported 4.4X revenue growth in 18 months.
Seattle Startup Summit Highlights City's AI Strengths and Need for More Entrepreneurial Energy
At the inaugural Seattle Startup Summit, leaders like Statsig CEO Vijaye Raji and Acquired podcast co-host Ben Gilbert highlighted Seattle's strong AI ecosystem, anchored by tech giants Amazon and Microsoft, and specialization in biotech and disease research. Despite this, they noted the city could benefit from cultivating a more vibrant entrepreneurial culture to maximize its potential in AI innovation.
Crisp Acquires Seattle Startup Shelf Engine to Enhance Retail Data and Food Waste Reduction
Seattle startup Shelf Engine, which uses machine learning to help grocers reduce food waste, was acquired by New York-based retail data company Crisp. Shelf Engine, backed by over $60 million in investments and celebrity investors, operates in over 7,000 U.S. stores.
Perplexity Teams Up with Seattle’s Firmly.ai to Enhance E-Commerce in AI Search App
Perplexity partners with Seattle startup Firmly.ai to integrate e-commerce features into its AI search app, enabling businesses to sell products directly through the platform. Firmly, founded by ex-Samsung executives and backed by $5.2 million in funding, supports 'buy-anywhere' shopping experiences amid rising demand.
Outreach founder Manny Medina launches Paid to help AI agents get paid, raises €10M pre-seed from EQT, Sequoia, GTMFund
Manny Medina, founder of Outreach, launched Paid, a platform that helps AI agent startups price and collect payments for agent-delivered outcomes; Paid raised €10 million (~$11M) in a pre-seed round from EQT Ventures, Sequoia, and GTMFund.
TerraPower Plans to Deploy First Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming by 2030, With 10-12 More Plants Planned
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates and receiving $2 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy, is on track to deploy its first next-generation small modular nuclear reactor in Wyoming by 2030 and plans to have 10 to 12 additional plants under construction by then. The company is ahead of schedule on permitting and benefits from bipartisan political support and international competitiveness in nuclear technology.
GeekWire Awards 2025 Sustainable Innovation Finalists Include Carbon Robotics and CarbonQuest for Advanced Environmental Technologies
The 2025 GeekWire Awards Sustainable Innovation finalists include Carbon Robotics, CarbonQuest, Helion, Modern Hydrogen, and Tidal Vision, companies developing technologies from AI-powered laser weeders to carbon capture and clean energy solutions. These innovations aim to protect the planet by transforming energy production, eliminating weeds sustainably, and capturing carbon emissions.
Madrona Venture Group Marks 30 Years with $770M Raised for New Funds, Continuing Strong Seattle Investments
Madrona Venture Group, a Seattle-based venture capital firm celebrating its 30th anniversary, has invested in major startups like Amazon and recently raised $770 million for two new funds to support about 40 investments. While expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest with a Palo Alto office, Madrona continues to focus most of its investments locally.
Agasthya Upadhya Promoted to CEO of Seattle Freight Software Startup Logixboard; Co-founder Julian Alvarez Becomes Chairman
Agasthya Upadhya has been named CEO of Seattle-based freight software startup Logixboard, succeeding co-founder Julian Alvarez who becomes chairman. Other notable Pacific Northwest tech leadership changes include Angelique Okeke at F5, Beth Birnbaum at Mudstack, and Kenny Wyatt at Pushpay.
Seattle AI Marketing Startup Gradial Raises $13M Series A Led by Madrona to Scale Automation Platform
Seattle startup Gradial raised $13 million in a Series A round led by Madrona to expand its AI platform that automates marketing content operations. The company has experienced 30x revenue growth and plans to double its staff to accelerate product development and customer acquisition.
University of Washington Students Pitch AI and Tech Startups After 10-Week Entrepreneurship Course Led by Greg Gottesman
The University of Washington offers a popular 10-week entrepreneurship class led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman, culminating in student pitches of tech startups at Pioneer Square Labs. The course attracted strong demand, featured high-profile guest speakers like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, and highlighted trends such as AI and computer vision.
Seattle Venture Capitalists Urge Founders to Prioritize Practical AI Over Pursuit of AGI
Seattle venture capitalists at a Plug and Play event encouraged tech founders to focus on building practical AI products for specific industries rather than chasing artificial general intelligence (AGI), which they believe is uncertain and not imminent.
2025 GeekWire Awards Finalists: Lassen Peak, Lumotive, Microsoft, Starfish Space, and TerraPower Compete for Innovation of the Year
The 2025 GeekWire Awards Innovation of the Year finalists include Lassen Peak, Lumotive, Microsoft, Starfish Space, and TerraPower, featuring advancements in nuclear power, quantum computing, weapon detection, and sensor technology. These innovations highlight emerging technologies that could significantly impact future living and work.
Seattle Startup Rhodium Raises $2 Million to Revolutionize Marketing for Medical Spas and Beauty Brands with AI
Seattle startup Rhodium, founded by former Petabyte executives, has raised $2 million to provide AI-driven marketing software for medical spas and beauty brands. The company combines machine learning with merged direct-to-consumer brands to enhance customer engagement and revenue.
Seattle Startup Read AI Launches AI-Powered Search Copilot to Transform Enterprise Data Discovery, Raises $81M Total Funding
Seattle startup Read AI launched Search Copilot, an AI-powered enterprise search tool that helps users find and analyze internal data across multiple platforms, offering free access with limits. The company has grown rapidly with 40,000 new accounts daily, 5X revenue growth last year, and $81 million funding to date.
People
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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
