Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
University of Washington’s Team Melodic Advances to Microsoft Imagine Cup Finals with $100K Prize in May Competition
University of Washington's Team Melodic advanced to the finals of Microsoft’s 2022 Imagine Cup, competing for a $100,000 grand prize with technology aiding prelingual deaf children’s speech therapy. The team leverages Azure cloud technology for real-time analysis and customized therapy solutions.
Jonathan Sposato launches JoySauce Network to spotlight American Asian talent with streaming shows and podcasts
Seattle entrepreneur Jonathan Sposato launched JoySauce Network, a digital entertainment platform focused on spotlighting and celebrating American Asian (AAPI) personalities and stories through scripted and unscripted shows, podcasts, films, and editorial content. Projects include a late-night talk show hosted by Sposato, a Korean-focused cooking show, and guides to AAPI arts and restaurants; the platform aims to counter under‑representation and reshape narratives about American Asians.
Five Finalists for 2022 GeekWire Health Innovation of the Year Include A-Alpha Bio and UW Institute for Protein Design
The 2022 GeekWire Health Innovation of the Year finalists include A-Alpha Bio, Parse Biosciences, Tasso, Truveta, and the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design, highlighting advances in computational health approaches. Winners will be announced on May 12 at the GeekWire Awards, with community voting open until April 22.
Former Microsoft VP Gavriella Schuster Joins Nerdio Board; Ex-Mailchimp CPO Natalia Williams Hired by Hootsuite; Ex-Amazon Product Leader Sophi Kim Joins Shelf Engine
Gavriella Schuster, former Microsoft VP, joined Nerdio's board, Natalia Williams became Hootsuite's CPO, and Sophi Kim, ex-Amazon product leader, joined Shelf Engine as head of product management. These strategic hires bolster leadership at companies focused on cloud services, social media management, and grocery tech.
Innovega Licenses AR Eyewear Technology to Global Assistive Tech Leader for Visually Impaired
Innovega Inc., a Bellevue-based AR/VR eyewear company, announced a licensing agreement with a leading global provider of assistive technology for the visually impaired to use its contact lens and glasses technology. This marks Innovega's first commercial licensing deal for its next-generation display eyewear system, after over a decade developing augmented reality solutions.
Seattle Sisters Aparna and Ambika Thyagarajan Lead Shobitam, a Fast-Growing Ethnic Fashion E-Commerce Startup, Raising $1.5M Seed Funding
Seattle sisters Aparna and Ambika Thyagarajan co-founded ethnic fashion e-commerce startup Shobitam three years ago, growing its direct-to-consumer platform globally and supporting Indian weavers. The company leveraged technology for an engaging online experience, saw growth during the pandemic, and raised $1.5 million in seed funding to expand while giving back half its profits to affected artisans.
Seattle Entrepreneur Alex Algard Launches Online List Tracking 375+ Corporations Boycotting Russia Amid Ukraine Invasion
Seattle entrepreneur Alex Algard created an online list tracking the economic actions of over 375 corporations boycotting Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting both those who have acted and those still operating there. The list is detailed by sector and aims to provide an accurate, up-to-date resource to support collective efforts against Russia.
Bill Gates Leads $84M Funding Round to Expand Kymeta's Flat-Panel Antenna Production and Market Reach
Bill Gates led an $84 million funding round for Kymeta, a mobile connectivity startup specializing in flat-panel antennas that provide hybrid cellular-satellite connectivity. The investment will support production acceleration and market expansion, especially for defense and satellite broadband users.
Armoire opens Armoire Go in Seattle using RFID-tagged garments for contactless pickups, returns and swaps
Seattle clothing rental startup Armoire opened Armoire Go, a high-tech physical store that uses RFID-tagged apparel and a contactless tablet-and-table system to let subscribers pick up, return, try on, and swap items quickly. The store aims to combine online convenience with in-person experience, improve operational efficiency, and required hand-sewing RFID tags into about 75,000 garments before launch.
Tola Capital Files to Raise $400M Third Fund; Seattle-Area VC Led by Sheila Gulati and Stacey Giard Manages $440M
Seattle-area venture firm Tola Capital is raising $400 million for its third fund, according to an SEC filing; the firm, led by former Microsoft managers Sheila Gulati and Stacey Giard, currently manages $440 million and has invested in over 20 companies.
Round, founded by ex-Microsoft leaders Ryan Fuller, Mani Gill and Brian Jansen, raises $12M seed to build vetted network for senior tech leaders
Round, a Seattle startup founded by former Microsoft leaders, raised a $12 million seed round to build a vetted network for senior tech leaders; other Pacific Northwest deals include PTO Exchange's $5.4 million raise and funding and licensing activity at PupPod.
Qumulo CEO Bill Richter Discusses Microsoft Azure Partnership and Enterprise Collaboration on Madrona’s Founded and Funded
Madrona partners Matt McIlwain and Aseem Datar interview Qumulo CEO Bill Richter about building meaningful enterprise partnerships, including Qumulo’s recent launch of Qumulo on Azure as a Service with Microsoft. The episode explores why startups partner with large enterprises, how those partnerships create mutual value, and practical advice for making them work.
Former Google engineering director Ankur Sinha named Remitly CTO; Karim Meghji to advisory role in February
Ankur Sinha, formerly a Google engineering director who oversaw Google Cloud’s commerce capabilities and previously spent 12 years at Microsoft, joined Remitly as chief technology officer. Several other Seattle-area tech and health hires and role changes are noted, including Karim Meghji shifting to an executive advisory role at Remitly at the end of February.
Seattle startups push into crypto, blockchain and Web3 amid investor caution and regulatory shifts
The article lists Seattle startups building products and services around crypto, blockchain, and Web3, noting the region’s talent but limited local investor interest and regulatory uncertainty. Industry leaders cite Seattle’s potential as a cloud-computing hub while warning entrepreneurs face funding disadvantages compared with other jurisdictions.
Fabric raises $140M Series C led by SoftBank at $1.5B valuation to scale e-commerce platform
Seattle e-commerce platform Fabric, led by former Amazon executives and CEO Faisal Masud, raised $140 million in a Series C led by SoftBank at a $1.5 billion valuation, bringing total funding to $293.5 million. The 300-person company provides APIs and software for mid-market retailers (clients include Chico’s, McDonald’s, TriMark, L’azurde and The Honest Company) to manage pricing, inventory, storefronts and checkout as commerce moves online.
Madrona investors say ETHDenver shows surging Web3 momentum, talent exodus from Web2, and new startup opportunities
Madrona Venture Group investors Maria Gilfoyle and Chris Picardo report strong momentum for Web3 after attending ETHDenver, noting growing consumer behavior shifts, new app categories, and a large talent migration from Web2 to Web3. They highlight the Pacific Northwest's relevance to Web3 and identify talent movement, future Ethereum work, and startup opportunities as key takeaways.
Andreessen Horowitz, Madrona and other tech VCs ramp up bets on AI-driven biotech startups as founders from software enter life sciences
Tech venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Seattle’s Madrona Venture Group are increasingly investing in life-science startups that use AI, machine learning and data science to speed drug discovery and development. Investors are following founders who transitioned from software to biotech—such as Sujal Patel of Nautilus and Terry Myerson of Truveta—seeing reduced perceived risk and new opportunity at this intersection.
Seattle-based Fuse leads $12M Series A for Vancouver hospitality software startup Operto
Vancouver hospitality-software startup Operto raised a $12 million Series A led by Seattle-based Fuse to fund growth; the 50-person company, led by CEO Steve Davis, reported 400% revenue growth in 2021.
MontyCloud raises $3M from Raptor Group, Lytical Ventures and Madrona; total funding hits $6M
Seattle-based MontyCloud, a 22-person startup founded in 2018 that automates cloud operations and governance, raised $3 million from investors including Raptor Group, Lytical Ventures, and Madrona Venture Group, bringing total funding to $6 million.
Armoire CEO Ambika Singh pivots subscription wardrobe to loungewear, secures funding and rehiring after pandemic shock
Seattle clothing subscription startup Armoire, led by founder and CEO Ambika Singh, survived the pandemic by pivoting its inventory from workwear to cashmere loungewear and athleisure, growing long-term memberships and briefly turning a profit. The company raised new funding, rehired furloughed staff to reach 50 employees, and expanded its Seattle footprint.
Temporal raises $103M Series B at $1.5B valuation as 55-person startup reaches unicorn status
Temporal, a 55-person Seattle startup that provides an open-source microservices orchestration platform, raised $103 million at a $1.5 billion valuation, becoming a unicorn three years after launch with total funding over $120 million. The company—founded by former Uber engineers Maxim Fateev (CEO) and Samar Abbas (CTO)—says adoption is growing 25–50% month-over-month and counts customers like Snap, Netflix, Instacart, and Qualtrics.
Former Amperity CEO Kabir Shahani Resigned From CEO Role and Board Last Week, Says He Left Voluntarily
Kabir Shahani unexpectedly resigned as CEO of Seattle marketing tech startup Amperity last week and has also left the company’s board; he told GeekWire he left voluntarily for personal reasons while Amperity executives have not publicly commented.
Mystery raises $18.5M at $100M valuation after pivoting to B2B ‘morale as a service’ for companies including Amazon and Microsoft
Seattle-based Mystery pivoted from a consumer dating/event-planning service into a B2B ‘morale as a service’ provider during the pandemic and raised $18.5 million at a $100 million valuation to deliver virtual employee engagement experiences to companies like Amazon and Microsoft. The company uses software to handle logistics, encourages surprise events to boost attendance and bonding, and reports thousands of teams used its service in 2021.
Amperity co-founder Kabir Shahani exits as CEO; COO Barry Padgett named successor
Amperity co-founder and CEO Kabir Shahani stepped down and was replaced by COO Barry Padgett, as the Seattle customer-data startup — valued at over $1 billion last year — also named Monica Pool Knox as its first chief people officer.
Nonprofit TisBest Has Enabled $51M in Donations Through Customizable Biodegradable Charity Gift Cards
Nonprofit Seattle startup TisBest, which issues customizable biodegradable charity gift cards redeemable at the recipients chosen charities, has facilitated $51 million in donations since its founding despite early setbacks. The founders credit mission-driven persistence, celebrity endorsements, and partnerships (including $4 million in giveaway cards from Ray Dalio) for the companys growth and environmental and philanthropic impact.
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
