Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
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.
When Mark Zuckerberg met Seattle
The year was 2011, Facebook was serving a mere 600 million users, and Mark Zuckerberg was making his pitch to a crowd of prospective hires inside the company's office near Pike Place Market — explaining why the social network had chosen Seattle for its first remote engineering hub. "We were like, alright, at some point, we should probably think about opening up offices in other places," he said. "And we figured that Seattle would be a good starting place, because it's culturally pretty similar to the Bay Area, pretty close by. ... It's the same time zone. So it's easier…
Ally Robotics, Founded by Ex-Microsoft Engineer, Raises $10M and Secures $30M Letter-of-Intent with Miso Robotics for Robotic Arms
Ally Robotics, a Seattle startup founded by former Microsoft and UPS engineers, develops AI-powered robotic arms for restaurants and construction, securing $10 million in funding and a $30 million letter-of-intent with Miso Robotics. The company also holds contracts with a bubble tea business and a manufacturing firm, aiming to automate physical tasks to enhance efficiency and tackle labor shortages.
Syndio Hires Milan Parikh as CFO; Multiple Pacific Northwest Tech Firms Announce Executive Changes
Seattle startup Syndio hired Milan Parikh as CFO, bringing his extensive finance leadership experience. Additionally, several Pacific Northwest tech firms announced key executive changes, including Porch Group, Absci, GlobalGiving, F5, Samsara, and Tozny.
LeadScorz Secures $5.6M Series A to Expand AI Sales Lead Analysis Platform
LeadScorz, a Seattle-based AI startup analyzing digital sales leads, raised $5.6 million in a Series A funding round to expand and hire more staff. Founded by Pat Murphy in 2018, the company targets large marketers and integrates with major CRM systems to improve lead scoring amid evolving customer preferences.
The road ahead for autonomous vehicles: Aurora CEO Chris Urmson on the future of cars and trucks
Fully autonomous vehicles are closer to commonplace than you might expect, as cars and big rigs gain the ability to operate safely on our streets and highways. As one of the pioneers in the field, Chris Urmson has been there from the beginning, competing in the landmark DARPA Grand Challenge before going on to lead Google’s self-driving car initiative. Now he’s following through on the vision as the CEO of Aurora, which is developing self-driving technology for use by a variety of car and truck makers. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we're playing highlights from our conversation with…
Seattle Health Data Analytics Firm Advata Lays Off 32 Employees Following Merger of Six Companies
Advata, a Seattle-area health data analytics company formed from six merged firms owned by Providence, laid off 32 employees amid broader tech industry cutbacks. The company offers AI-powered healthcare tools and recently launched a new revenue cycle management product.
Seattle YC Startup Needl Raises $2.5M to Build Universal Personal Search Tool for Project Managers
Needl, a Seattle-based YC startup founded by University of Chicago alums, raised $2.5 million to develop a personal search product that integrates across web apps, targeting project managers to quickly find files and information. The tool launched a closed beta in August and aims to be an easy-to-adopt alternative to enterprise-focused search solutions.
Icertis Raises $150 Million Debt Financing to Support Growth and Flexibility in Contract Management Market
Icertis, a Bellevue-based contract management software provider valued at around $5 billion, raised $150 million through debt financing as of October 31, 2022, to ensure business flexibility. The company serves clients worldwide, including Microsoft and SAP, and reported over 50% growth in annual recurring revenue in early 2022.
Seattle Startup Koidra and Four U.S. Universities Awarded $3.77M USDA Grant for AI Indoor Farming Tech
Seattle-based indoor agriculture startup Koidra received a $3.77 million USDA research grant to advance AI-driven indoor farming technologies, collaborating with four U.S. universities over four years. Founded by former Microsoft scientist Kenneth Tran, Koidra applies model-based reinforcement learning to optimize plant growth, building on successes like winning the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge.
Seattle Trucking Startup Convoy Conducts New Layoffs Amid Economic Pressures Following $260M Funding
Seattle-based trucking startup Convoy has conducted another round of layoffs amid economic uncertainty and supply chain challenges, following a 7% workforce reduction earlier this year after raising $260 million at a $3.8 billion valuation.
Ex-Nike COO Erik Sprunk Joins Board of Seattle Startup Jigx, Aiding $9 Million Fundraise for Mobile App Development
Seattle-based mobile app development startup Jigx, led by K2 Software veterans, raised $9 million including investment from former Nike COO Erik Sprunk who joined its board. Jigx helps companies accelerate and reduce costs in building mobile apps, serving clients like Motul and Life Flight Australia.
Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Hosts 2022 Climate Tech Summit in Seattle Showcasing $2B+ in Decarbonization Investments
The 2022 Breakthrough Energy Summit in Seattle, hosted by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, brought together 700 climate tech innovators and investors to showcase and support technologies like plant-based dairy proteins and carbon-negative cement. Breakthrough Energy has raised over $2 billion to invest in decarbonization startups and provided an additional $1 billion in grants, aiming to accelerate climate solutions amid global challenges like war and economic recession.
Data Visionary Bob Muglia on the Modern Data Stack and Lessons from Snowflake
In this week's episode which is leading up to our Intelligent Applications Summit on November 2nd, Soma speaks with Bob Muglia. Bob has thought deeply about the Modern Data Stack and they speak about it here - what is needed in the data stack to enable Intelligent Applications (or data driven apps as Bob calls them) and the opportunities for new companies to innovate. Bob is also well known as the CEO that took Snowflake from a promising application for the public cloud to success by focusing on the problem of scaling a data warehouse in the cloud, and building…
Algorithmia Founder Diego Oppenheimer Joins Venture Firm Factory to Open Seattle Office; Expedia Appoints Brad Bentley and Tript Singh Lamba to Executive Roles
Diego Oppenheimer, former CEO of Algorithmia, has joined venture capital firm Factory as partner and CEO-in-residence to open its new Seattle office, focusing on AI startups. Additionally, Expedia Group hired Brad Bentley as COO of Expedia Brands and Tript Singh Lamba as SVP of consumer product.
Unified Women’s Healthcare Acquires Menopause Telehealth Startup Gennev to Expand Care Network
Unified Women’s Healthcare acquired Seattle telehealth startup Gennev, which focuses on menopause care, allowing Gennev to scale further within a large network of specialists. Gennev, founded by Jill Angelo in 2016, offers products and services for perimenopause and menopause, operating independently within the Florida-based parent company's platform.
Bill Gates Opens Breakthrough Energy Summit in Seattle Highlighting Climate Tech Progress Since 2015
Bill Gates opened the inaugural Breakthrough Energy Summit in Seattle on Oct. 18, 2022, highlighting significant progress in climate tech since 2015 as private sector involvement has increased. The three-day event features top climate leaders discussing innovations and challenges in combating climate change.
Seattle Startup Diagrid Raises $20M Series A Led by Norwest, Backed by Microsoft Azure CTO and Kubernetes Co-founder
Seattle startup Diagrid, co-founded by former Microsoft engineers who created the Dapr project, raised $20 million in a Series A led by Norwest Venture Partners to provide managed Dapr on Kubernetes services. The company’s software supports cloud-native applications and has backing from prominent industry figures including Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich and Kubernetes co-founder Joe Beda.
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
