Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
Bill Gates-Backed Lumotive Raises $45M Series B to Advance Optical Semiconductor 3D Sensor Technology
Lumotive, a Bill Gates-backed semiconductor startup specializing in Light Control Metasurface chips for 3D sensing, raised $45 million in a Series B round to advance AI data center, aerospace, and defense applications. The startup aims to provide a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional LiDAR systems and has raised over $90 million to date.
Generative AI Poised to Boost Healthcare Efficiency but Slow Adoption and Sales Cycles Challenge Startups, Says Frazier’s Nader Naini
Generative AI and automation offer efficiency opportunities in the $4.5 trillion healthcare sector, but startups face challenges due to slow technology adoption and lengthy sales cycles. Venture funding in digital health exceeded $10 billion last year, with strong activity in Seattle-area startups and increased M&A.
Convoy Co-Founder Dan Lewis Joins Microsoft as Chief Product Officer for Enterprise AI Solutions
Dan Lewis, former Convoy CEO, has joined Microsoft as chief product officer for Business & Industry solutions and Copilot AI, focusing on enterprise AI initiatives. Lewis returns to Microsoft after leading Convoy to a $3.8 billion valuation before its 2023 shutdown.
Scaling, AI, and Leadership after Big Tech: Lessons from Highspot's Bhrighu Sareen
Thinking about leaving Big Tech for a startup? In this episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Managing Director Tim Porter sits down with Bhrighu Sareen, who took the leap from Microsoft to Highspot and has been leading AI-driven product innovation ever since. They talk about the realities of transitioning from a massive company to a high-growth startup, scaling AI-driven teams, and how Bhrighu's helping transform sales enablement through automation and intelligence. His insights on navigating change, working with founders, and executing at speed are a must-listen for any leader considering the leap from stability to startup chaos. Tune in now…
Modern Hydrogen Partners with Puget Sound Energy to Deploy Methane Pyrolysis for Industrial Decarbonization
Modern Hydrogen partnered with Seattle utility Puget Sound Energy to deploy methane pyrolysis technology that produces clean hydrogen fuel from natural gas, aiming to help hard-to-electrify industries reduce carbon emissions. This approach offers a climate-friendly alternative amid disruptions to clean energy deployment under President Trump's policies.
Former Microsoft engineers Koukoumidis and Elachqar launch Bellevue AI lab Oumi with $10M seed round
Bellevue-based AI lab Oumi, founded by former Microsoft engineers Manos Koukoumidis and Oussama Elachqar, launched with $10 million in seed funding to build a collaboration platform for AI researchers and developers and has partnered with academics from Caltech, MIT, UW and Stanford. The startup has 10 employees, one research fellow, dozens of founding scholars, and space in UW's Global Innovation Exchange in Bellevue.
Conduit Venture Labs Expands with Conduit Beacon to Support External Hard-Tech Startups
Conduit Venture Labs, a Seattle-based startup studio founded in 2022 by Amish Patel and Susan Paley to launch hardware-focused companies, has expanded its services with Conduit Beacon to support external founders, companies, VCs, and research entities in scaling and de-risking hard-tech ventures.
Helion Energy Raises $425 Million from Sam Altman, SoftBank, and Others, Valued at Over $5.4 Billion to Advance Fusion Power
Helion Energy, a Seattle-area fusion startup, raised $425 million from investors including Sam Altman and SoftBank to advance fusion power development, boosting its valuation above $5.4 billion. The funding emphasizes progress toward clean, carbon-free energy solutions crucial for powering AI data centers.
GeekWire Podcast Discusses OpenAI's $500B Stargate Project with Microsoft, Madrona’s $770M Fund, and Industry Impact
The GeekWire Podcast covers OpenAI's Stargate Project with Microsoft and others, Satya Nadella's investment remarks, Elon Musk's potential influence on tech policy, and Madrona's $770M new funds boosting Pacific NW startups.
Stargate, OpenAI and Microsoft; BlueSky in Seattle; and Madrona's big new funds
This week, we delve into the Project Stargate announcement by OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank, in conjunction with President Trump, and assess the implications for OpenAi's relationship with Microsoft. We explain what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella really meant with his CNBC zinger about the Stargate investment, and consider how Elon Musk's involvement in the new administration could play out in the tech industry. PLUS, we discuss Madrona's big new funds and the potential impact on startup activity in the Pacific NW, and find a revealing piece of Microsoft history on an old CD-ROM. Related stories: Microsoft and OpenAI tweak the terms…
Madrona Raises $770M for Two New Funds to Back Early and Late-Stage Tech Startups Amid VC Slowdown
Madrona, the largest venture capital firm in the Pacific Northwest, raised $770 million for two new funds focusing on early-stage and more mature tech startups despite a challenging VC fundraising environment in 2024. The firm plans to invest in about 30 companies at early stages and 12 at later stages, maintaining its strong position amid a slowdown in the broader venture capital sector.
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Achieves First Orbital Launch Amid Schedule Hiccups; Microsoft Creates New AI Division Led by Ex-Facebook Chief; Truveta Raises $320M for Genome Initiative
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin faced multiple scheduling changes before successfully launching its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to orbit for the first time. Additionally, Microsoft established a new AI division led by a former Facebook engineering chief, and Seattle's Truveta secured $320 million to start a large genome project.
Inside Amazon's strategic planning process; the state of the Seattle startup community
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: An inside look at Amazon's classic process for strategic thinking and decision-making, with a former Amazon product and technology director who has written new book about the documents used by the company to determine its direction. What can others learn from its approach? Plus, we break down this pivotal moment in Amazon's history, as employees return to the office five days a week; and we check in on the state of the Seattle startup world. Our guest is Marcelo Calbucci, a serial entrepreneur and longtime Seattle startup community leader who has worked for both…
SuperDial Acquires AI2 Incubator Spinout MajorBoost to Automate Healthcare Phone Calls
SuperDial, a San Francisco health tech startup founded in 2021, acquired Seattle-based MajorBoost, an AI2 Incubator spinout founded in 2020 that automates healthcare phone calls to insurance companies. The acquisition aims to reduce costly, time-consuming calls through AI voice agents, advancing automation for healthcare organizations.
Seattle's Truveta Raises $320M to Launch Largest Genomic Database with 10 Million Exomes Sequenced
Seattle-based health data company Truveta secured $320 million from 17 health systems, Illumina, and Regeneron to launch the Truveta Genome Project, aiming to create the largest and most diverse genomic and phenotypic dataset ever assembled, greatly surpassing previous efforts. The project will sequence exomes of 10 million volunteers using biospecimens linked to anonymized medical records to advance genetic research and healthcare insights.
Seattle Tech Veterans Launch AZX Startup Offering Custom AI Solutions to Clean Energy and Real Estate Industries
Seattle entrepreneurs Aaron Goldfeder, Rich Evans, and Michael Albrecht launched AZX in October 2023, a profitable startup developing bespoke AI solutions for clean energy and real estate companies. The firm focuses on custom AI apps to optimize internal business processes and integrates them into clients' existing systems.
Kieran Snyder Finds In-Person Tech Teams Show Higher Engagement and Growth Than Remote Ones in 2024
Kieran Snyder analyzes data comparing remote and in-office work, finding that in-person teams have more constructive disagreement, higher participation especially among women, and better growth signals in startups. Despite the popular benefits of remote work, her data suggests in-person collaboration may yield stronger business outcomes.
Seattle’s Soapbox Project Launches Weekly Climate Activism Meetups for Tech Workers Starting Jan. 7
Seattle nonprofit Soapbox Project, founded by Nivi Achanta, is hosting weekly meetups starting January 7 at Slip Gallery to engage tech workers and others in climate activism and community building. The organization also distributes a weekly 'changeletter' with actionable climate steps and offers resources to support collective climate action.
Seattle Startups Aeone, JustCoach, Lifecrafting, and Summed AI Launch Innovative Solutions for Creators and Athletes
Four Seattle-area startups—Aeone, JustCoach, Lifecrafting, and Summed AI—are developing innovative products to support content creators, youth athletes, and community experiences, led by founders with strong industry backgrounds. These early-stage companies are addressing markets such as influencer media tools, personalized sports coaching, and organized play activities.
Washington State Sen. Joe Nguyễn, ex-Microsoft veteran, appointed head of Commerce; Remitly EVP Rene Yoakum retiring
Washington State Senator Joe Nguyễn, a former Microsoft employee and 2024 Public Policy Champion for Innovation, will become director of the Washington Department of Commerce, succeeding Mike Fong. Additionally, Remitly's EVP Rene Yoakum is retiring after over six years, transitioning to a consulting role through 2026.
Seattle Spinout Certivo, Led by Kunal Chopra, Uses AI to Cut Compliance Management Costs by 90%
Certivo, a new Seattle-based spinout led by tech veteran Kunal Chopra and backed by Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive, uses AI to automate and streamline compliance management for manufacturers. Its platform offers cost-effective, multi-agent AI-driven solutions that integrate with major systems and provide real-time regulatory monitoring and predictive analysis.
AI, tech talent, and regional innovation: A swan song from retiring WTIA CEO Michael Schutzler
Michael Schutzler, the newly retired CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), joins us on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast to reflect on his 11 years running the not-for-profit trade association, assess the state of the tech industry in Seattle and Washington state, and discuss what's next for him. Schutzler, who has been succeeded as WTIA's CEO by Kelly Fukai, previously its COO, wrote about the extraordinary history of the state's tech industry in a recent post marking the WTIA's 40th anniversary and his retirement. See more highlights from the episode in this GeekWire post. Related coverage: WTIA…
Seattle Startup Tribute Shuts Down After Eight Years Despite Enterprise Interest and Funding Challenges
Seattle startup Tribute, founded by Sarah Haggard, is shutting down after eight years despite having enterprise interest and existing customers, due to unmaterialized deals and funding challenges. The platform evolved from a mentor-matching app to a workplace knowledge tool but ultimately could not sustain financially.
Expedia Appoints Scott Schenkel as CFO Amid C-Suite Changes; Ex-Microsoft AI VP Luis Vargas Launches AI Startup
Expedia Group appointed Scott Schenkel as its new CFO, succeeding Julie Whalen, amid broader executive changes including CEO Ariane Gorin's leadership. Meanwhile, former Microsoft AI VP Luis Vargas left to start a new AI startup as chief technologist.
Databricks Raises $10B at $62B Valuation and Expands Seattle Area Workforce to Nearly 400 Employees
Databricks is raising $10 billion at a $62 billion valuation to accelerate its AI efforts and plans to expand its Seattle-area offices, which have grown from 52 employees in 2021 to nearly 400 today. The company is actively hiring across engineering, product, and security roles to compete for AI talent alongside companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
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
