Microsoft
Facts
- HQ
- NASDAQ:MSFT
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
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.
Dan Lewis
Dan Lewis is the Co-Founder and CEO of Convoy, a digital trucking network that is transforming the trillion-dollar global trucking industry in service of its mission, “To transport the world with endless capacity and zero waste”. Before Convoy, Dan served as General Manager of New Shopping Experiences at Amazon, after having product and data roles at Microsoft, Google, and various startups. Dan started his career in supply-chain and strategy consulting for Oliver Wyman, working in operations across Europe, Latin America, and the US, after graduating from Yale University with a Bachelor’s degree in cognitive science. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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.
Armoire's startup survival story
Armoire CEO and founder Ambika Singh and her team built a women's clothing subscription service with their "bosslady" members in mind, providing an on-demand wardrobe of apparel primarily for work and events. Two years ago, the Seattle-based startup was on a roll, posting a record month in February 2020 after growing nearly 400% in 2019. But then came the pandemic. Armoire's members no longer needed to dress up for the office or to go out. So close the door on Armoire, right? Not so fast. Ambika Singh talks with GeekWire's John Cook and Todd Bishop about Armoire's survival story, how…
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.
Why Microsoft's return to the office may not be the norm
What does Microsoft's return to the office mean for everybody else? That was one of the questions raised by the tech giant's announcement Monday that it will fully reopen its Washington state offices, including its Redmond headquarters, starting on Feb. 28. The company says it will offer flexibility but expects most employees to be back in the office at least 50% of the time. Microsoft and other big tech companies were among the first in the country to ask employees to work from home at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly two years ago. The rest of the industry…
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.
Amazon defies gravity, Microsoft's biggest challenge, and one startup's quest to wipe out deforestation
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon's latest results demonstrated its extraordinary flexibility and ability to overcome challenges in the broader economy using the built-in safeguards in its business, most notably the Amazon Web Services cash machine. Amazon spent an extra $4 billion to keep its business running smoothly despite a clogged economy. Plus, Microsoft hires an Amazon veteran to take on "one of the greatest challenges of our time," and Seattle startup Cloud Paper raises $5 million in new funding for its environmentally friendly, tree-free toilet paper. With Todd Bishop and John Cook; Edited by Curt Milton; theme music…
Amperity CEO and co-founder Kabir Shahani steps down; Barry Padgett named CEO as company scales after $100M round
Amperity CEO and co-founder Kabir Shahani has relinquished the CEO title seven months after the company raised $100 million and reached unicorn status; president and COO Barry Padgett becomes CEO and Monica Pool Knox is named chief people officer. The company called 2021 a record year, offered no explanation for Shahani's departure, and said it will focus on scaling its customer-data software business.
Videon raises $9M from Seattle investors Voyager Capital, Cercano Management and Forston VC after $7.3M July round
Videon, a live-streaming video infrastructure startup led by CEO Tricia Iboshi, raised $9 million in new funding from Seattle investors including Voyager Capital, Cercano Management, and Forston VC, following a separate $7.3 million round in July; the company serves customers in 19 countries from its State College, Pa. base.
Data journalist Sherrell Dorsey on her new book, 'Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us'
Data journalist and entrepreneur Sherrell Dorsey is a Seattle native whose story is a powerful testament to the potential of kids in overlooked communities, and to the possibilities that emerge when their paths are cleared. Dorsey is founder and CEO of The Plug, a venture-backed news and insights platform covering Black startups and ecosystems. Her new book is Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us. Read an excerpt from Dorsey's book on GeekWire: Seattle’s ‘Motown of tech’ changed Sherrell Dorsey’s life — now she’s passing it along See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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
