Facts
- HQ
- Seattle, US
- Sectors
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
- Founded
- 2021
- Employees
- 15
Hearvana AI Raises $6M Oversubscribed Pre-seed Led by Point72 Ventures and SCB 10X
Hearvana AI, a Seattle startup building auditory intelligence to improve sound perception for humans and machines, raised $6 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Point72 Ventures and SCB 10X. The company will expand engineering and go-to-market teams and launch commercial pilots with consumer electronics and AI partners.
GeekWire reports: Seattle Tech Week 2026 — AI dominates 250+ events as investors and job-seekers flock to Seattle
GeekWire's Todd Bishop reports from Seattle Tech Week 2026, where AI dominated conversations across more than 250 events and drew significant Bay Area investor interest and job-seeking attendees. Panels and speakers from OpenAI, Mistral AI, Ascend, Oumi and others highlighted debates about foundation models, enterprise data access, and the rush to build on third-party AI.
Accipiter Bio raises $10.5M more to speed AI-designed multi-target protein drugs, expanding clinical pipeline
Seattle biotech Accipiter Bio raised an additional $10.5 million from existing investors to accelerate development of AI-designed multi-target protein therapeutics and expand its team and clinical pipeline. The company, now 22 people strong and partnered with Pfizer and Kite/Gilead, will use the funds to advance three to four programs—focusing mainly on immunology alongside oncology—after emerging from stealth last year with $12.7 million.
UW DubHacks Next Incubator Launches 20 Student Startups at May 7 Demo Day, Totaling 68 Since 2022
The University of Washington's DubHacks Next 16-week incubator produced 20 new student startups, addressing diverse challenges including manufacturing automation and AI applications. Since 2022, the program has launched 68 startups, with participants gaining mentorship and funding opportunities like the Pack Ventures portfolio.
Seattle’s Accipiter Bio Raises $12.7M, Partners with Pfizer and Kite Pharma to Advance AI-Designed Multi-Target Protein Therapies
Seattle biotech startup Accipiter Biosciences, founded by researchers from Nobel laureate David Baker's lab, secured $12.7 million and partnerships with Pfizer and Kite Pharma to develop AI-designed multi-target proteins aiming to improve disease treatment efficacy and reduce clinical trial costs.
Seattle Startup Hearvana Raises $6M to Develop AI-Driven Sound Enhancement Technology
Seattle startup Hearvana, founded by University of Washington researchers including Shyam Gollakota, raised $6 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI-powered sound enhancement technology for devices like earbuds and hearing aids. Their AI platform enables real-time, on-device audio processing to improve listening in complex and noisy environments.
Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$ presented to UW CoMotion Labs on Oct 3, 2025
A presentation titled "Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$," prepared for University of Washington CoMotion Labs on October 3, 2025, outlines arguments against accepting venture capital and acknowledges input from several Seattle-area VCs and others.
Lila Biologics, Nobel Laureate’s Startup, Partners with Eli Lilly to Develop AI-Based Tumor Therapies
Lila Biologics, a startup from Nobel Laureate David Baker's University of Washington lab, is collaborating with Eli Lilly to develop AI-powered tumor-targeted therapies, aiming to deliver a candidate protein for clinical trials within six months. The startup utilizes AI and machine learning platforms to create therapeutic proteins for targeted radiotherapy and long-acting injectable drugs.
Seattle Startup CueZen Raises $5M Led by Point72 Ventures for AI-Powered Personalized Health Coaching Software
Seattle startup CueZen raised $5 million led by Point72 Ventures to advance its AI-driven personalized health coaching software used by healthcare organizations and the Singapore government. Founded in 2021 by Ankur Teredesai and others, CueZen integrates wearable and clinical data to promote healthy habits and improve health outcomes.
Seattle Recruiting Startup Humanly Triples Revenue and Raises $7 Million Amid Hiring Slowdown
Seattle-based recruiting software startup Humanly is experiencing rapid growth with a 3X annual revenue increase and a recent $7 million funding raise, despite a broader hiring slowdown. The company uses automation to help companies manage increased applicant volumes and improve candidate experiences, positioning itself strongly for market rebounds.
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.
Archon Biosciences Raises $20M to Develop AI-Optimized Antibody Cages for Disease Treatment
Archon Biosciences has emerged from stealth with $20 million in seed funding led by Madrona Ventures to develop Antibody Cages, computationally designed protein structures optimized with AI for treating cancer and other diseases. The technology builds on protein design research linked to a recent Nobel Prize awarded to University of Washington biochemist David Baker.
Universities Explore Diverse Venture Fund Models as Only One-Third of US Research Schools Currently Have Funds
Universities are increasingly considering launching venture funds to boost spinout creation and meet government expectations for economic impact, though only about a third of US research universities currently have one. Models vary widely—from university-run funds to partnerships with other universities or external VC firms—so institutions can tailor structures like single dedicated funds or multiple coexisting vehicles.
The Hidden Truth of Venture and AI with GP of Pack Ventures Ken Horenstein
In this episode of The Shift AI Podcast, host Boaz Ashkenazy, founder and CEO of Augmented AI, sits down with Ken Horenstein, the founding partner of Pack Ventures, a venture firm that supports startups emerging from the University of Washington's vibrant tech ecosystem. Ken shares his journey from growing up in Vancouver, Washington, to becoming a key player in Seattle's venture capital scene, with previous roles at Microsoft's M12 and Venture Out. Ken and Boaz delve into the art of identifying what’s truly necessary for startup success. Drawing from his experience working with highly technical research scientists, Ken offers a…
Pack Ventures Seeks $30M for Second Fund to Invest in University of Washington-Linked Startups
Pack Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on University of Washington-linked startups, raised $5 million for its first fund and is now aiming to raise $30 million for a second fund to expand its investments. The firm has established a preferred partnership with UW and co-invests with other Seattle VCs in companies across life sciences, software, and healthcare sectors.
Seattle Venture Capitalists Say Founder Support, Not Local Money, Is Key Missing Piece in Startup Ecosystem
Seattle's startup ecosystem is often criticized for a lack of local venture capital firms, but experts highlight that the true opportunity lies in fostering greater founder-to-founder investment and community support to strengthen the scene. Panelists at the Seattle AI Investor Summit emphasized that being a net importer of investment capital is positive, and more connectivity among founders could boost the city's startup success.
Archive: How to Get Investors to Really Listen to Your Pitch (Fundamentals for Startups)
(https://comotion.uw.edu/) When it comes to getting a crucial callback from a potential funder, an effective presentation goes a long way. In this talk, Ken Horenstein, founder and general partner of Pack Ventures; Elizabeth Cross Nichol, program and grant manager at Life Science Washington; and Elisa La Cava, principal at Trilogy Equity Partners shared insights on what they listen for when taking a pitch from a startup. UW and Microsoft alumnus Ken Horenstein invests in UW-affiliated projects; Elizabeth Cross Nichol is a former clinician and hospital administrator; and Elisa La Cava, formerly of Madrona, focuses on early-stage tech companies.
Seattle Startup Wokelo Raises $1.5M Pre-Seed to Use AI for Rapid M&A Due Diligence Reports
Wokelo, a Seattle-based startup founded by two former management consultants, uses AI to generate detailed due-diligence reports in minutes, streamlining the M&A research process. Founded in 2022, it has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to further develop its product.
Outbound AI raises $16M seed to expand AI virtual agents for healthcare revenue-cycle administration
Seattle-based Outbound AI raised $16 million in seed funding to expand its AI-powered virtual agents that handle healthcare revenue-cycle administrative tasks like eligibility verification, claims status, and prior authorization.
Outbound AI Raises $16 Million to Expand GPT-Powered Healthcare Billing Automation Amid Rising Patient Demand
Outbound AI, a Seattle-based startup specializing in AI tools for healthcare billing automation, raised $16 million to advance its GPT-powered solutions that streamline insurance claims processes. The company aims to reduce administrative burdens on healthcare workers amid rising patient volumes by offering faster, cost-effective, and HIPAA-compliant AI services.
Abacus Bioscience Raises $4.4M for Novel Cancer Vaccine Technology Led by Ex-Seagen Executives
Abacus Bioscience, a University of Washington spinout led by former Seattle Genetics veterans, raised $4.4 million to develop a novel cancer vaccine approach targeting tumor antigens to stimulate a strong immune response. Despite historical skepticism about cancer vaccines, Abacus aims to advance a new technology that activates immune cells via antibody fragments linked to tumor antigens.
Seattle Startup Outbound AI Launches PayerVA Console to Automate Medical Insurance Claims Processing
Outbound AI, a Seattle startup spun out of Madrona Venture Labs with $7 million in seed funding, launched PayerVA Console, a software product that automates and expedites medical insurance claims processing by reducing time spent on payer communications. The tool transcribes calls, extracts key information, and assists human workers to alleviate burdensome tasks in the healthcare payment system.
Pack Ventures launches Seattle syndicate to back UW-linked startups, pledges 10% of future profits to University of Washington
Pack Ventures, a new early-stage Seattle VC, will invest $100K–$200K checks in startups tied to the University of Washington and has already backed five companies including Jeeva Wireless, Talus.bio and Monod Bio; the firm will return 10% of individual future profits to UW. The syndicate includes more than 35 founding investors from the Seattle VC and entrepreneur community and will target AI, robotics, computational biology, enterprise software and other high-growth areas.
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Ken Horenstein Founder, Founder & General Partner
