Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
Who will be the Next Tech Titan? Previewing the GeekWire Awards
This week on the show, we get a sneak preview of the GeekWire Awards, coming up at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle on Thursday, May 9. We look back at the past winners of the Next Tech Titan title in the awards, and consider the event's track record in predicting major companies to emerge from Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. We also contemplate the evolution of the "Workplace of the Year" category through the rise of remote and hybrid work. And finally, we consider the impact of migration on another part of state: Spokane, Wash., and the Inland Northwest. See…
Building a Modern Database: Nikita Shamgunov on Postgres and Beyond
In this episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Investor Paul Goel and Neon Co-founder & CEO Nikita Shamgunov dive into the database market and the importance of creating a killer developer experience while balancing that experience with performance and reliability. Nikita also shares just how bullish he is on AI, his excitement for AI agents like Devin, and advises founders to not wait on an idea they're passionate about. Full transcript here: (00:00) Introduction (00:46) Nikita's Background and the Genesis of Neon (02:50) The Right Time to Build Neon and Database Market Insights (05:17) Neon's Differentiation in the Database Market…
Tola Capital co-founder Sheila Gulati raises $230 million third fund, firm totals $688 million in capital
Seattle venture capital firm Tola Capital, co-founded by Sheila Gulati, raised a $230 million third fund in November and has already made multiple investments, bringing the firm's total capital raised to $688 million. Gulati, whose early exposure to tech influenced her career, runs the AI-focused firm that has backed companies like Simpplr and B12.
Bill Gates Visits Modern Hydrogen, Demonstrates Carbon-Sequestering Asphalt From Hydrogen Fuel Technology
Bill Gates visited climate tech startup Modern Hydrogen in Woodinville, Washington, where he helped fill a pothole using carbon-trapping asphalt made from solid carbon produced in hydrogen fuel creation. Modern Hydrogen develops methane pyrolysis reactors that convert natural gas into clean hydrogen and solid carbon for industrial uses, with demo reactors deployed to customers in Oregon and Miami.
AI Tinkerers Launches Toronto Chapter With 7,696 Members and Eight Global Meetups Ahead in April-May 2024
AI Tinkerers is rapidly growing with 7,696 active members worldwide and eight global meetups planned in the next month, including a highly anticipated launch in Toronto. The network features members from leading tech companies and has seen 622 demos submitted, fostering numerous startup formations and cofounder relationships.
Munil Shah Joins Talkdesk as CTO; Ajay Nair Hired by Elastic; Libretto Raises $3.7M Led by Ex-Redfin Leaders
Munil Shah, former UiPath CTO with 23 years at Microsoft, joined Talkdesk as CTO amid growth in conversational AI; Ajay Nair, ex-Microsoft and AWS leader, joined Elastic as VP, while LLM startup Libretto, led by former Redfin executives, secured $3.7 million funding.
Breakwater's Peter Mueller Identifies Missing 'Middle Layer' in Seattle Startup Funding, Discusses Ecosystem Challenges
Peter Mueller of Breakwater Ventures highlights Seattle's tech potential but points out a missing 'middle layer' of Series A-C startups due to cautious early-stage angel investing. He discusses these gaps and Breakwater's investment approach in a Startup Project podcast episode.
GeekWire Highlights: Amazon Protests, Tesla Cybertruck Test Drive, Veeam's $1.5B Revenue, OpenPipe's $6.7M Funding, and Washington's Fusion Power Support
GeekWire's most popular technology stories for the week of March 24, 2024, covered topics including Amazon protesters opposing fossil fuel use, Tesla Cybertruck test drives in Seattle, Veeam's headquarters move and revenue milestone, OpenPipe's $6.7M funding round, and Washington state's support for fusion power development.
Seattle’s Soundry AI Launches Text-to-Sample Generator to Revolutionize Music Creation with Y Combinator Support
Seattle-based Soundry AI, founded by Mark Buckler, Diandre Ruiz, and Justin Parus, has developed a text-to-sample generator that uses AI to help musicians create customizable music samples. The startup, part of Y Combinator's latest cohort, aims to simplify music creation and competes with companies like Suno AI and Splice by offering authentic, emotion-driven samples without copyright concerns.
University of Washington’s AgroFilms Wins $15,000 at 2023 Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
University of Washington students competed in the Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge, with AgroFilms winning the $15,000 grand prize for their biodegradable solution. The event showcased innovative climate tech startups integrating various technologies to tackle environmental challenges.
Veeam Software Moves HQ to Kirkland, WA, Hits $1.5B+ Annual Recurring Revenue Amid Microsoft AI Partnership
Veeam Software relocated its headquarters from Ohio to Kirkland, Washington, to leverage the local cloud ecosystem and technical talent, following its acquisition by Insight Partners. The company, a leader in data protection and ransomware recovery with over $1.5 billion in annual recurring revenue, also extended its strategic AI partnership with Microsoft.
Jen Haller Named Partner at Ascend VC to Enhance Founder Support and Community Engagement
Jen Haller has been promoted to partner at Seattle-based pre-seed VC firm Ascend, expanding her role in operational guidance and community engagement for founders. The firm has over 80 portfolio companies, mostly in the Seattle area, and Haller is recognized for significantly enhancing Ascend's early-stage support offerings.
2024 GeekWire Awards CEO of the Year Finalists Include Leaders from Lexion, Common Room, Edge Delta, Statsig, and Mason
The 2024 GeekWire Awards CEO of the Year finalists are software veterans leading startups focused on enterprise solutions such as AI-powered contract management, data analysis, and A/B testing. These finalists include Gaurav Oberoi of Lexion, Linda Lian of Common Room, Ozan Unlu of Edge Delta, Vijaye Raji of Statsig, and Nancy Xiao of Mason.
Apptio Co-Founder Sunny Gupta Reflects on Building a $4.6 Billion Tech Business Following Key CIO Insight
Sunny Gupta, co-founder of Apptio, shared how a pivotal question from a CIO about managing technology costs inspired him to found the company, which pioneered Technology Business Management. Apptio went public in 2016, was acquired by Vista Equity Partners for nearly $2 billion in 2019, and then bought by IBM in a $4.6 billion deal in 2023.
How Bobsled is Revolutionizing Cross-Cloud Data Sharing
Investor Sabrina Wu hosts Bobsled Co-founder and CEO Jake Graham for the latest episode of Founded & Funded. Jake is revolutionizing data sharing across platforms, enabling customers to get to analysis faster directly in the platforms where they work. Madrona co-led Bobsled's $17 million series A last year, which put the company at an $87 million valuation. In this episode, Jake — who had stints at Neo4j, Intel, and Microsoft — provides his perspective on why enabling cross-cloud data sharing is often cumbersome yet so important in the age of AI. He also shares why you can't PLG the enterprise…
Seattle Startup Round Shuts Down After $12M Series A as Tech Downturn and VC Model Challenges Loom
Seattle startup Round, which raised $12 million in Series A funding and quickly reached $1 million in annual recurring revenue, shut down due to challenges from the 2022 tech downturn and flaws in its venture-backed business model dependent on employer-sponsored memberships. CEO Ryan Fuller reflected on the risks of venture capital funding and the impact of macroeconomic factors despite investor support.
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower to Submit NRC Application and Break Ground on Natrium Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming in 2024
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates, is advancing the development and deployment of its Natrium small modular nuclear reactor, with plans to submit a certification application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this month and begin construction of a demonstration plant in Wyoming this spring. The company is positioned to be the first to bring next-generation nuclear technology to the U.S. and is exploring potential large-scale sales internationally.
FUSE Leads $32M Series B in Seattle's Zuper, Highlighting India's Vital Role in Local Tech Innovation
FUSE, a Bellevue-based venture capital firm, led a $32 million Series B investment in Seattle-based software startup Zuper, which has a significant team presence in India. The cross-border collaboration between U.S. tech companies like Zuper and Icertis and their India-based engineering teams exemplifies the importance of India's talent pool to Seattle’s innovation ecosystem.
week of march 4: Emily Parkhurst - Formidable
Top Stories: 1. Expedia layoffs Geekwire article 2. Microsoft and Mistral AI Seattle Times article 3. Techstars accelerator closes Geekwire article 4. Blackstone acquires Rover PSBJ article 5. FTC blocks Kroger acquisition Seattle Times article 6. Burb’s Burgers closes Seattle Eater article Co-Host Emily Parkhurst: Emily Parkhurst was most recently the VP of Content at 6AM City. Prior to this role, she was the Publisher and Market President of the Puget Sound Business Journal. She was a Senior Reporter at The Forecaster where she won the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting in 2010. She…
BONUS: Seattle after Techstars, with guest Chris DeVore
Entrepreneur and investor Chris DeVore had an inside view of Techstars Seattle as one of the original leaders of the local startup accelerator in 2010, serving as its managing director from 2014 to 2019. His Feb. 21 post "What went wrong at Techstars," looked closely at the organization's evolution — including its increased focus on corporate sponsorships and shift to centralized fundraising — as the backdrop for the news last week that Techstars is closing its Seattle accelerator as part of a broader reset. So where should Seattle's tech community go from here? And what role do startup accelerators serve…
Former Microsoft Exec Yatharth Gupta’s Codified Raises $4M Seed to Advance AI-Powered Data Governance
Seattle startup Codified, founded by former Microsoft executive Yatharth Gupta, raised a $4 million seed round led by Madrona Venture Group to develop an AI-driven data governance platform. The company aims to simplify and improve internal data access management by enabling users to create data access rules in plain English, addressing industry challenges around data access complexity and security.
Madrona Leads Series Seed in Codified to Deliver AI-Powered Policy-Driven Data Governance
Madrona led a Series Seed investment in Codified, an AI-powered, policy-driven data governance platform founded by Yatharth Gupta, aiming to provide seamless, secure, least-privilege access to data amid rising privacy and security concerns.
Anoop Gutpa - CEO and Co-founder at SeekOut
Anoop Gupta is the CEO and Co-Founder of SeekOut, an AI-powered Talent Intelligence Platform helping organizations recruit, retain, and grow talent. Anoop started SeekOut after an 18-year career at Microsoft. During his tenure, Anoop was the Corporate Vice-President of the multibillion-dollar Unified Communications Group (Skype + Exchange). He was TA to Bill Gates, advising on technology and product strategy, and as a Distinguished Scientist at MSR, he led work on AI, Natural User Interfaces, and Telepresence. Prior to Microsoft, Anoop was a tenured professor at Stanford University and he holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. See…
Pioneer Square Labs and Mayfield Partner to Co-Invest $1.5M Minimum in AI Startups
Seattle's Pioneer Square Labs and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Mayfield have formed a partnership to co-invest at least $1.5 million in AI-focused startups spun out from PSL. This collaboration combines PSL's startup incubation with Mayfield's venture funding strength to accelerate AI technology ventures.
Techstars Seattle Accelerator Ends After Launching 160+ Startups and 3 Unicorns in Restructuring Move
Techstars Seattle, which launched over 160 startups and created three billion-dollar companies, announced its closure this week as part of a broader restructuring. The accelerator, operational since 2010, partnered with major firms like Microsoft and Amazon but is now shutting down to focus on cities with more venture capital activity.
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
