Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
Snapbar CEO Sam Eitzen Leads Pivot from Physical Booths to Global Virtual Photo Booth App, Doubling Revenue Multiple Times Since 2020
Snapbar, originally a physical photo booth company, pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch a virtual photo booth web application called Snapshot, which rapidly grew to become its primary revenue source and expanded its customer base globally. CEO Sam Eitzen credits this strategic shift with doubling the company's revenue multiple times and transitioning Snapbar from a regional startup to a worldwide tech business.
Group14 Technologies Raises $648M to Develop Silicon-Carbon Battery Anodes, Valued Over $3 Billion
Group14 Technologies, valued at over $3 billion, is developing next-generation silicon-carbon battery anodes in Woodinville, Washington, aiming to improve power and charging speeds for batteries. Backed by investors like Porsche and Microsoft, the startup has raised over $648 million and federal support exceeding $100 million.
Seattle Interviewing Startup Karat Lays Off 47 Employees to Invest in Growth and New Products
Seattle startup Karat, known for conducting technical interviews, laid off 47 employees to focus resources on expanding its enterprise customer base, scaling programs, and developing new products. The company reached unicorn status in October 2021 after raising $110 million but is now restructuring teams to support self-funded growth initiatives.
Ex-Lululemon CTO Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll Joins Seattle Startup Littlebird as CTO and Co-Founder; Microsoft AI Ethics Leader Mira Lane Joins Google
Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll, former Lululemon Studio CTO, joined Seattle startup Littlebird as CTO and co-founder; Mira Lane, ex-Microsoft AI ethics leader, joined Google as senior director on the technology and society team.
Founders’ Co-op celebrates 15 years, reflecting on 2008 founding and mission to fund Pacific Northwest technical founders
Founders’ Co-op marks its 15th year, reflecting on founding in 2008 and its mission to build a day-zero launchpad for technical founders in the Pacific Northwest and connect them to Series A+ capital. The partners describe learning the hard lessons of venture investing—how VC’s long, deliberate cycles and irrevocable decisions differ from startup speed and scale.
Seattle Startup Esper Cuts 21% of Staff Amid 2023 Business Uncertainty Following $100M Funding
Seattle startup Esper laid off 21% of its workforce in its second reduction within seven months, citing an unpredictable 2023 business environment despite strong 2022 growth. Founded by Yadhu Gopalan and Shiv Sundar, Esper offers a DevOps platform for managing Android device fleets and has raised $100 million to date.
Ex-Apple Engineers Launch Seattle's XetHub with $7.5M Seed to Accelerate AI Application Development
Seattle-based startup XetHub, founded by three former Apple engineers, raised $7.5 million in seed funding to develop a data storage platform for AI and machine learning application developers. The company aims to streamline code writing and deployment for intelligent applications, targeting businesses adopting AI beyond major tech players.
Point72 Private Investments Expands Seattle Team to Invest in Local Tech Startups Across Funding Stages
Point72 Private Investments, led by partner Sri Chandrasekar, is expanding its venture capital presence in Seattle with plans to grow its team and invest in tech startups at various funding stages. The firm, drawn by Seattle's tech talent and undercapitalized market, aims to support companies from early funding rounds through Series D.
Washington State Tech Companies Including Amazon, HaptX, and Elektrobit Showcase Innovations at CES 2023 in Las Vegas
CES 2023 is returning to Las Vegas with about 100,000 expected attendees, featuring a range of Washington state companies from startups to giants like Amazon showcasing innovations in tech fields such as AR/VR, IoT, automotive software, and more. GeekWire highlights key exhibitors including Amazon, Ant Reality, Bluetooth SIG, Elektrobit, HaptX, and Heybike among others.
SirionLabs Raises $25M More in Series D, Totaling $110M to Enhance AI-Powered Contract Management
SirionLabs, a Seattle-based contract lifecycle management startup, raised an additional $25 million in its Series D round, totaling $110 million. The company uses AI and natural language processing to manage contracts and plans to invest in product innovation and enterprise integrations.
Seattle Startups Uplevel and Volt Athletics Report Productivity Boost and Revenue Gains from Four-Day Workweek Trials
Seattle startups Uplevel and Volt Athletics found that adopting a four-day workweek increased productivity and employee wellbeing without hurting business performance. Uplevel saw higher product delivery and customer onboarding during their three-month trial, while a global study reported a 38% average revenue increase among companies piloting the shorter week.
Seattle Couple Launch Group B Labs with Bubbe, a High-Tech Baby Bottle for Perfect Milk Temperature
Seattle couple Illi and Olivia Eisner co-founded Group B Labs to develop Bubbe, a high-tech baby bottle that keeps breastmilk or formula cold and quickly heats to the perfect temperature, addressing common parent frustrations. Illi brings over a decade of hardware experience from major tech companies, while Olivia is a certified nurse midwife and lactation consultant.
Bill Gates Embraces Grandfather Role in 2023, Highlights Global Health and Climate Challenges in Annual Essay
Bill Gates reflects on becoming a grandfather in 2023 and emphasizes his focus on combating global challenges such as childhood disease, climate change, and education through his philanthropic work. Despite personal struggles, he remains optimistic about solving major problems and advancing clean energy innovation.
Seattle Officials Question Tech Industry's Role in Addressing Housing and Inequality Amid Meta's Regional Expansion and Layoffs
Tech companies like Meta have significantly boosted Seattle's economy and employment but are also criticized for contributing to income inequality and housing issues. Local officials discussed whether these companies are doing enough to address these regional challenges at a Seattle Metro Chamber event featuring Meta's Pacific Northwest head Paresh Rajwat.
Seattle Startups Karat and Common Room Hire New Execs; Microsoft Veteran Peter Petesch Departs After 32 Years
Seattle startups Karat and Common Room have hired new executives, with Karat appointing Scott Bonneau as EVP of operations and product, and Amy Sennett as general counsel, while Common Room brought on Matt Duchesne as VP of sales. Additionally, longtime Microsoft engineering leader Peter Petesch departed after 32 years, and Seattle-based Skytap hired Rahul Tripathi as chief product and technology officer.
Group14 Raises $214M from Microsoft Climate Fund Amid $400M Series C and $100M Federal Boost, Valued Over $3B
Group14 Technologies, a Washington-based battery materials manufacturer, raised $214 million from investors including Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, adding to a $400 million Series C investment and $100 million in federal funding. The company, valued at over $3 billion, develops silicon-carbon composite anodes that enhance lithium-ion battery performance and is poised to benefit from growing EV sales and federal mandates to boost domestic battery production.
Former Starbucks Exec Adam Brotman and Investor Andy Sack Raise $10M for Forum3 to Expand NFT Loyalty Tech
Seattle tech veterans Adam Brotman and Andy Sack raised $10 million to launch Forum3, a startup offering NFT-based customer engagement tech designed to simplify blockchain use for consumer brands. Forum3 aims to provide a white-labeled version of Starbucks' NFT loyalty program, Odyssey, removing cryptocurrency barriers for users.
Allen Institute Names Helen Protheroe and Arden Yang to Executive Roles; Qumulo’s Aaron Passey Returns as Engineering Lead
The Allen Institute appointed Helen Protheroe as executive director of global partnerships and philanthropy and Arden Yang as vice president of innovation, while Aaron Passey returned to Qumulo as an engineering leader. Other notable tech leadership changes include Kevin Goldsmith becoming CTO of DistroKid, Samir Diwan joining Madrona Venture Labs, S. Skye Yoden stepping down from PATH, and Lindsie Goss joining Outpace Bio.
Maureen Ezekwugo Named CEO of Oggvo; Chad Cohen Joins Capella Space as CFO and COO; GitHub Appoints Inbal Shani as Chief Product Officer
Maureen Ezekwugo became CEO of Seattle-based Oggvo, specializing in customer review software, while Chad Cohen joined Capella Space as CFO and COO. Microsoft-owned GitHub hired Inbal Shani as its new chief product officer, and Falkon added two executives after raising $16 million.
Seattle Startup Keyplay Raises $3M Led by MHS Capital to Launch Sales Lead Aggregation Platform
Seattle startup Keyplay, co-founded by Adam Schoenfeld, raised $3 million led by MHS Capital to launch a subscription platform that aggregates and scores sales leads. The platform integrates multiple data sources to help sales teams identify potential accounts and currently serves eight customers with plans to expand offerings by mid-2023.
Singapore's Aizen Acquires Seattle AI Startup Kurvv to Enhance Equipment Failure Prediction Capabilities
Seattle-based AI startup Kurvv, known for its equipment failure prediction tools, is being acquired by Singapore-based fintech AI firm Aizen. The acquisition will integrate Kurvv's technology into Aizen’s offerings, though Kurvv’s branding and most employees will not continue post-acquisition.
Seattle Startup Ixana Develops Breakthrough YR11 Chip for All-Day Battery AR Headsets Backed by $3M Funding
Seattle startup Ixana has developed an energy-efficient chip, YR11, enabling augmented reality headsets with all-day battery life and advanced AI capabilities. The company has raised $3 million in funding and plans to showcase the chip at CES in January.
Seattle Startup One Item Expands CDC-Funded Heart Health Study with UAMS to Enroll Over 200 in Rural Arkansas
Seattle-area health startup One Item is partnering with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in a CDC-funded study targeting rural Arkansas communities at risk of poor heart health, using its Health Science Index app to help over 200 participants improve wellness. The app prioritizes health improvement areas, provides daily reminders, and tracks user progress to support preventive health behaviors.
Seattle Startup Nvirovate Raises $850K to Commercialize Soy-Based Compostable Adhesives Cutting 70% Greenhouse Gases
Seattle startup Nvirovate is commercializing a soy-based, compostable adhesive to replace petroleum-based glues in shipping labels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70%. Founded in May 2021, Nvirovate recently secured $850,000 in angel investments to expand into the $80 billion global tape and label market.
OfferUp Cuts 19% of Workforce Amid Missed 2022 Revenue Growth Targets
OfferUp, a Bellevue-based mobile marketplace, is laying off 19% of its staff due to revenue growth shortfalls despite having multiple years of financial runway. This move aligns with a broader trend of tech layoffs across the Seattle region amid economic uncertainties.
People
See all 8-
Ali Farhadi Executive, Former Allen Institute for AI CEO
-
Bill Gates Executive, Former CEO, Co-founder
-
Gaurav Sareen Executive, Chief Technology Officer - CAP
