Facts
- HQ
- None
- Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence, AI Research
- Founded
- 2015
- Stage
- private
Former a16z VP Reflects on Building Tech Products Without Responsibility During 2015 SXSW Talk
The author reflects on the tech industry's past tendency to build products without considering consequences, sharing a personal experience from 2015 during their time as a VP of product at an a16z portfolio company. They emphasize the need for responsibility and accountability in today's tech development, contrasting it with a dismissive attitude toward moral discernment exemplified by Marc Andreessen's deleted tweet about the Pope.
Amazon Lays Off 14,000 Amid Seattle AI Boom; GeekWire Podcast Debates Tech Bubble and Cascadia Rail Plan
Amazon announced layoffs of 14,000 employees amid an AI boom reshaping Seattle's tech scene, raising questions about whether the AI surge is a true revolution or a bubble. The GeekWire Podcast also discussed the vision and challenges of the proposed Cascadia high-speed rail connecting Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C.
SCOREalytics co-founders (Moiz Shirazi, Nicolas Jeangeorges) and CSO/GC Jennie Morawetz raise $3M+ seed to build AI legal risk tools after leaving Big Law
SCOREalytics co-founders Moiz Shirazi and Nicolas Jeangeorges — joined by CSO/GC Jennie Morawetz — left Big Law to build an AI-powered legal risk management startup that recently raised over $3 million in seed funding to develop data-driven risk analysis tools. The piece discusses their career transitions and how legal service delivery is changing.
Venture Capitalists Warned on AI Bubble Risks Amid Frenzied Investment Surge in 2025
The article discusses the current AI investment surge, comparing it to past bubbles like the Web3 frenzy, and warns venture capitalists to avoid reckless investments driven by hype and FOMO. It emphasizes the importance of due diligence despite the pressure to quickly invest in AI startups.
Stanford Dropout Carina Hong Raises $64 Million to Build AI That Solves and Creates Complex Math Problems
Carina Hong, a Stanford dropout, founded Axiom Math in 2025 to build an AI capable of solving and generating complex mathematical problems, raising $64 million in seed funding. The startup has recruited top AI talent from Meta and aims to create an 'AI mathematician' that can produce and verify detailed mathematical proofs and new conjectures.
Leaked Andreessen Horowitz LP Decks Reveal Significant Profits and Management Fees Amid Venture Capital Shifts
Leaked internal Andreessen Horowitz LP decks offer a rare glimpse into the firm's profitability, revealing significant earnings from both investor returns and management fees. Leslie Feinzaig reflects on her earlier headline about venture capital disruption and analyzes the firm's financial evolution.
University of Chicago Student Maddie Stoll Chronicles Seattle GeekWire Internship Featuring Microsoft Protest and Startup Interviews
Maddie Stoll, a University of Chicago student from London, shares her immersive GeekWire internship experience in Seattle, highlighting diverse stories from protests at Microsoft's campus to startup interviews and cultural contrasts with London and Chicago.
CoreWeave to Acquire AI Reinforcement Learning Startup OpenPipe to Enhance AI Cloud Capabilities
CoreWeave will acquire Bellevue-based OpenPipe, a startup specializing in reinforcement learning tools for building customized AI agents, bolstering CoreWeave’s AI cloud platform integration. OpenPipe, founded in 2023, raised $6.7 million in seed funding and participated in Y Combinator before this acquisition.
Seattle VC Yohei Nakajima Leverages Early AI Adoption and Public Building to Boost Untapped Capital’s Investments and Innovations
Yohei Nakajima, a Seattle-based venture capitalist at Untapped Capital, is an early adopter and active user of AI technology, employing it for sourcing deals, marketing, and building AI tools in public, which has enhanced Untapped's strategy and investments. His public AI projects like Baby AGI and custom GPTs have helped build community connections and led to investments such as the pre-seed funding of Seattle startup Wokelo in 2023.
Leslie Beinzeig Interviews Peter Walker on Venture Capital Data from 50,000 Companies and 3,000 Funds via Substack Live
Leslie Beinzeig hosts a Substack Live conversation with Peter Walker, Carta's head of insights, discussing granular venture capital data from over 50,000 companies and 3,000 funds. The dialogue explores the evolving nature of venture capital and the role of data in understanding the ecosystem.
Token Talk 29: Thomas Stahura Says GPT-5 Won’t Kill Enterprise SaaS — Moats Still Live in Data, Compliance, and Integrations
The author argues GPT-5, while technically strong and capable of rapid prototyping, won’t make enterprise SaaS obsolete because the real value and moat lie in data, reliability, compliance, integrations, and post-demo workflows. Open models are closing the gap with closed ones, OpenAI released two open-source gpt-oss models, and the market should expect SaaS vendors to survive by owning the ‘messy middle.’
Seattle VCs Greg Gottesman and Matt McIlwain Urge Startups to Rethink Defensibility Amid Rapid AI Advancements
Seattle venture capitalists Greg Gottesman and Matt McIlwain emphasized at Seattle Venture Day that startups must develop new defensibility strategies, like 'reasoning flywheels,' to survive rapid scaling and vulnerability in the AI era. They advise founders to move beyond traditional intellectual property moats and focus on unique data, engagement, and workflows.
Seattle’s ACME Brains Launches 'nexie' AI Assistant with Persistent Memory and Enhanced Privacy Controls
Seattle startup ACME Brains, led by CEO Mary Jesse and co-founders Alan Caplan and Bob Bergstrom, is developing nexie, a personal AI assistant with persistent memory and privacy controls. The tool aims to improve AI conversation continuity by remembering past interactions and safeguarding user data, currently progressing toward alpha and beta testing phases.
Seattle AI Startup Vercept Raises $16M Seed Round Led by Fifty Years to Automate Computer Tasks with AI
Seattle startup Vercept, backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and other tech veterans, raised $16 million in seed funding to develop AI-powered automation software called Vy, designed to automate repetitive computer tasks by understanding and mimicking user workflows. The company aims to create a new computer interaction paradigm that differs from traditional robotic process automation by eliminating the need for hardcoded interactions.
Yoodli Raises $13.7M to Expand AI Roleplay Software Helping Enterprises Enhance Employee Communication Skills
Yoodli, founded by CEO Varun Puri, has raised $13.7 million to grow its AI roleplay software that helps employees improve communication skills through interactive speech analysis and feedback. The startup, spun out of AI2 in 2021, is shifting focus to enterprise clients and has increased revenue fivefold in eight months.
Seattle Cybersecurity Startup Protect AI, Founded by Ian Swanson, Acquired by Palo Alto Networks
Seattle-based cybersecurity startup Protect AI, founded by Ian Swanson and co-founders, was acquired by Palo Alto Networks after addressing AI security gaps in enterprises. Swanson leveraged his experience with previous startups and AWS to pivot Protect AI towards securing large-scale machine learning deployments, coinciding with increased AI adoption following ChatGPT's popularity.
Seattle Startup Gumshoe Raises $2M to Help Marketers Navigate AI Search Tool Recommendations
Seattle startup Gumshoe, led by Todd Sawicki and Patrick O’Donnell, raised $2 million to help marketers understand AI search tools' product recommendations and brand visibility. Their platform analyzes AI-generated conversations to reveal brand mentions, sources cited, and evolving trends in AI search, addressing marketers' concerns about the impact of AI on e-commerce and SEO.
Aircall Opens Ninth Global Office in Bellevue to Expand AI Innovation, Plans 50 Employees by 2025
Aircall, a cloud-based business communications company led by CEO Scott Chancellor, has opened its ninth global office in Bellevue, Washington to expand AI innovation and plans to employ about 50 people there by the end of 2025. The profitable company serves over 20,000 customers, expects $200 million in annual recurring revenue this year, and recently launched an AI Voice Agent to automate customer service calls.
Seattle AI Startup heyLibby, Co-Founded by Spencer Rascoff, Raises $4.5M to Automate Customer Service for Gyms and Salons
Seattle-based AI startup heyLibby, now renamed Replify, raised $4.5 million in seed funding to help health and wellness businesses like gyms and tanning salons automate customer communications. Founded by Tony Small, Anna Rodriguez, and Spencer Rascoff, the company currently serves U.S. clients with plans for international expansion.
Madrona Raises $770M for Two New Funds to Back Early and Late-Stage Tech Startups Amid VC Slowdown
Madrona, the largest venture capital firm in the Pacific Northwest, raised $770 million for two new funds focusing on early-stage and more mature tech startups despite a challenging VC fundraising environment in 2024. The firm plans to invest in about 30 companies at early stages and 12 at later stages, maintaining its strong position amid a slowdown in the broader venture capital sector.
Anthony Bontrager: 2025 VC Reset Prioritizes Capital Efficiency, Unit Economics and Proprietary Data Amid Generative AI Boom
Anthony Bontrager argues that the 2025 venture capital reset—shaped by 2024’s pullback and the rise of generative AI—will prioritize capital efficiency, unit economics, and proprietary data over ‘growth at all costs,’ forcing founders and investors to focus on sustainable business models and lower-cost AI development.
Seattle VCs Forecast AI Dominance and Crypto Skepticism in 2025 Tech Landscape
Seattle venture capitalists predict AI will dominate tech trends in 2025, emphasizing its integration into consumer interactions and infrastructure. While AI is expected to advance, some also view crypto as the most overhyped technology.
Databricks Raises $10B at $62B Valuation and Expands Seattle Area Workforce to Nearly 400 Employees
Databricks is raising $10 billion at a $62 billion valuation to accelerate its AI efforts and plans to expand its Seattle-area offices, which have grown from 52 employees in 2021 to nearly 400 today. The company is actively hiring across engineering, product, and security roles to compete for AI talent alongside companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Microsoft GM Nikesh Parekh Advises SaaS VP on Evaluating Stock Value and Career Priorities at Slow-Growth Company
Nikesh Parekh, a Microsoft general manager and former startup founder, advises a VP of engineering at a slow-growing SaaS company to assess the value of their stock and company exit potential before making career moves. He suggests prioritizing career goals like skill growth, title, or compensation while considering the risks involved.
Jeff Bezos Optimistic About Trump’s Return, Predicts Blue Origin Will Surpass Amazon
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos expressed optimism about President-elect Donald Trump's return to office, highlighting Trump's calmer demeanor and regulatory reduction goals. Bezos also stated that his space venture Blue Origin will become a bigger business than Amazon.
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Vijaye Raji Executive, CTO of Applications
