Microsoft
Facts
- Sectors
- Technology, Workplace tools, Cloud
- Founded
- 1975
- Employees
- 221000
- Stage
- Public
Virginia AI Startup Trase Raises $107M Seed Round, Expands Seattle Team to 100 Employees with AWS Vet Baskar Sridharan as President
Virginia-based AI startup Trase raised a $107 million seed round led by Arch Venture Partners and is expanding its Seattle-area team from 20 to 100 employees, led by new president Baskar Sridharan, to focus on AI deployment in highly regulated industries like healthcare.
Governor Ferguson Assembles 26 Business Leaders from Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon to Enhance Washington State's Economic Competitiveness
Governor Ferguson has gathered 26 business leaders from companies like Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon to advise on enhancing Washington state's economic competitiveness.
Amperity Undertakes Layoffs Amid AI-Driven Operational Shift Under New Co-CEOs Shahani and Slager
Seattle-based customer data startup Amperity conducted unspecified layoffs as it shifts its operations toward increased artificial intelligence integration under new co-CEOs Kabir Shahani and Derek Slager. The company, with over 200 employees globally, aims to build a stronger AI-driven future following leadership changes including the CEO transition earlier in 2024.
Starcloud Becomes Fastest Y Combinator Unicorn at $1.1B as Fusion Leader Helion Tops GeekWire 200 with $15.5B Valuation
The latest GeekWire 200 highlights a shift in the Pacific Northwest startup scene toward physical products like rockets, fusion reactors, and space-based data centers, with Starcloud becoming the fastest Y Combinator unicorn valued at $1.1 billion. Helion maintains the top spot with a $15.5 billion valuation, while notable companies like Stoke Space, Overland AI, and new unicorn XBOW also make significant moves.
Helion Clears Regulatory Hurdles for 50-Megawatt Fusion Plant to Power Microsoft Data Center by 2028
Helion has cleared regulatory approvals for its 50-megawatt fusion plant in Central Washington, advancing plans to supply power to Microsoft's data center by 2028.
Startups Starcloud and Cowboy Space Raise Over $445 Million to Develop Space-Based AI Data Centers Amid Launch Cost Challenges
Startups Starcloud and Cowboy Space are advancing space-based AI data centers with significant funding and hardware deployments, yet economic viability hinges on launch costs. Starcloud has already demonstrated AI in orbit and raised $170 million, while Cowboy Space plans to integrate rocket and data center technology with $275 million raised.
Former Convoy CEO Dan Lewis Launches Stealth Startup Focused on AI Infrastructure and Supply Chain Intelligence
Dan Lewis, former CEO of Convoy, has launched a stealth startup aimed at developing AI infrastructure and enhancing supply chain intelligence.
Seattle-Based AI Startup Yoodli Doubles Workforce Amid $120M Fundraising by AI House Incubator
Seattle is attracting AI startups like Yoodli, which develops AI speech-coaching software and recently doubled its staff to about 100 employees. Yoodli originated from the AI2 Incubator (now AI House) on Seattle's waterfront, which has raised around $120 million since 2020 to fund emerging startups.
Convoy Co-founder Dan Lewis Leaves Microsoft to Launch Stealth Startup for Efficient AI Model Computing
Dan Lewis, co-founder of the former freight marketplace Convoy, has left his corporate vice president role at Microsoft to launch a stealth startup focused on creating an efficient computing platform for running AI models. His new venture aims to optimize AI inference costs by managing data centers, networking, chips, and software to make AI more efficient and affordable.
ElevenLabs Invests $11 Million in Warsaw R&D Hub Amid $500 Million ARR Milestone and $11 Billion Valuation
ElevenLabs, a Polish AI voice company valued at $11 billion, invested $11 million in a Warsaw R&D hub while surpassing $500 million ARR. The company emphasizes maintaining engineering work in Europe despite global expansion.
Solius Labs Raises $23M Series A to Launch FDA-Cleared $2,995 At-Home UVB Light Therapy Device
Solius Labs, a Bainbridge Island startup founded in 2013, raised $23 million in Series A funding to launch the Solius Pro, a $2,995 FDA-cleared at-home UVB light therapy device that delivers safe, personalized vitamin D stimulating treatment via a smartphone-controlled wall-mounted unit. The device uses a patented skin-scanning sensor to customize UVB dosage in under five minutes per weekly session, enabling convenient home use previously only available in clinics.
Robbie Cape Launches The Instrument to Disrupt Trillion-Dollar Insurance Industry with Pioneer Square Labs Backing
Seattle entrepreneur Robbie Cape is launching The Instrument, a new startup backed by Pioneer Square Labs, to disrupt the trillion-dollar insurance industry. After a nine-month job search and drawn by the sector's complexity and financial potential, Cape aims to build generational wealth unlike his previous mission-driven ventures.
SpaceX Surpasses Amazon with $2.95 Trillion Valuation After IPO Amid Analyst Warnings of Overvaluation
SpaceX briefly became the fourth-largest company on Wall Street with a market cap of $2.95 trillion shortly after its IPO, surpassing Amazon and Microsoft, though many analysts warn its valuation is significantly inflated. The company faces critical tests with upcoming earnings reports and insider lockup expirations.
Ent Security, founded by RiskIQ veterans behind Microsoft Security Copilot, raises $100M seed to enable AI-driven endpoint prevention
Ent Security, founded by the RiskIQ team behind Microsoft Security Copilot, raised a $100 million seed round to develop AI-powered endpoint prevention aimed at stopping attacks before they occur.
Helion Energy Secures World’s First Regulatory Licenses for 50-Megawatt Fusion Power Plant in Washington
Helion Energy became the first company globally to receive regulatory licenses for a fusion power plant, securing critical Radioactive Materials and Air Emissions Licenses for its 50-megawatt fusion facility in Washington. This milestone advances Helion’s efforts to commercialize clean fusion energy, with plans to supply electricity by 2028 following a deal with Microsoft.
Neuralwatt, Led by Microsoft Veterans, Launches First Real-Time AI Carbon Emissions Tracker to Reduce Data Center Footprint
Seattle-based startup Neuralwatt, founded by Microsoft veterans Chad Gibson and Scott Chamberlin, launched the first real-time carbon emissions tracker for individual AI requests to help reduce data center environmental impact. The tool provides exact carbon footprint metrics per AI task, aiming to improve energy efficiency and aid companies in meeting sustainability regulations.
Helion Becomes First U.S. Fusion Energy Firm to Secure All Regulatory Licenses for Reactor in Washington
Helion Energy has become the first U.S. fusion energy company to obtain all required regulatory licenses, enabling it to construct a fusion reactor in Washington state and supply power to Microsoft by 2028. The company emphasizes the environmental benefits of fusion energy and progresses toward commercial power generation despite some skepticism about fusion timelines.
Legora Expands in Europe with 1,500 Staff Target, $5.6B Valuation, Backed by Nvidia and Bain Capital
Legora, a Stockholm-based legal AI startup founded in 2023, is rapidly expanding across Europe with new offices and significant hiring plans to meet existing demand, aiming to rival US-based Harvey. Backed by Nvidia and Bain Capital, Legora has reached about $100 million in annual recurring revenue and holds a valuation around $5.6 billion.
Ex-Axon Leader Luke Larson Launches Vale, a Nationwide Automated Matcha Beverage Startup from Seattle
Luke Larson, former Axon president, is building Vale, a Seattle-based automated matcha beverage startup aiming to scale nationally like Starbucks. He leverages his tech and leadership experience to grow Vale from local cafes to thousands of automated dispensers across the U.S.
Todd Boehly, Vinod Khosla Lead Billionaire Bidders for Seattle Seahawks in $9 Billion Sale
The Seattle Seahawks are up for sale for an expected record $9 billion, attracting bids from high-profile billionaires and venture capitalists including Todd Boehly, Vinod Khosla, Aditya Mittal, and Wyc Grousbeck. The sale is being managed by the estate of the late Paul Allen, with proceeds designated for philanthropy.
Helion Energy Secures $465M at $15.5B Valuation to Advance Fusion Energy with Polaris Prototype
Helion Energy raised $465 million in a Series G funding round at a $15.5 billion valuation to advance its fusion energy technology, bringing total capital raised to $1.5 billion. The company uses a unique Field-Reversed Configuration and Magneto-Inertial Fusion approach, aiming to demonstrate electricity production from fusion with its Polaris prototype.
ArchAstro Raises $6.2M to Launch AI Network for Cross-Company Enterprise Software Integration
ArchAstro, founded by veterans from Microsoft, Stripe, Meta, and Statsig, has launched with $6.2 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI agents that automate complex, cross-company software integrations and deployments. Their privacy-aware Forward Deployed Agents aim to securely connect disparate enterprise systems, addressing the lengthy and difficult process of integrating B2B software across corporate boundaries.
Expedia and Zillow Co-Founder Rich Barton Relocates to Las Vegas Amid Washington State Wealth Tax Concerns
Rich Barton, the co-founder of Expedia and Zillow, has moved from Washington to Las Vegas, joining other tech magnates like Jeff Bezos who left due to Washington state's new wealth taxes. His departure is seen as a significant loss to the Seattle tech startup ecosystem amid growing debates over taxes on wealthy residents.
LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman to Leave Microsoft Board in 2026 to Focus on Cancer Drug Startup Manas AI
Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and Microsoft board member since 2017, will not seek re-election at the 2026 annual meeting to focus on his cancer drug-discovery startup, Manas AI. His departure is not due to any disagreement with Microsoft and follows repeated shareholder opposition related to his political activities.
Helion Energy Raises $465M, Valued at $15.5B, Targets Commercial Fusion Power by 2028
Helion Energy raised $465 million, increasing its valuation to $15.5 billion, as it aims to commercialize fusion power by 2028 with projects like the 50-megawatt Orion plant in Washington. Despite ambitious plans and partnerships like the one with Microsoft, the company faces skepticism due to technical challenges and limited scientific disclosures.
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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Dan Lewis Executive, Corporate Vice President
