Facts
- HQ
- Seattle
- Sectors
- Software Development
- Founded
- 2015
- Employees
- 33
A Conversation with Julie Sandler | Managing Director @ Pioneer Square Labs | Partner @ PSL Ventures | Madrona Venture Group | Seattle Entrepreneurial Women’s Network | Amazon | Stanford U. | Harvard Business School
In this episode, we talk to Julie Sandler about her psychology background and how that has translated to her work today, especially her relationships with founders. Talking about PSL, she touches on the growth of the fund and the Northwestern region and the venture studio model. She also dives into diversity both within the fund and their investments, serving as a testament to advancements in the industry. She concludes with her observation that the support system among women prominent in VC provides guidelines to help navigate the space.
Neal Stephenson and Peter Vessenes Launch Lamina1 to Build Open-Source Blockchain Metaverse Aligned with 'Snow Crash' Vision
Neal Stephenson, creator of the metaverse concept in his 1992 novel 'Snow Crash,' is co-founding Lamina1, an open-source blockchain platform to build a creator-friendly metaverse. This initiative aims to offer an alternative to corporate metaverse visions by focusing on planetary-scale virtual worlds and transparent creator compensation.
WestRiver Group
This week on Finding PROOF, our hosts Jennifer Schretter and Thanasis Delistathis sit down with Anthony Bontrager, Managing Director at WestRiver Group, a firm that invests in seed and early-stage companies in the US Pacific Northwest.
Boltive Leaders Dan Frechtling and Scott Moore Drive Online Privacy Tech Motivated by Personal Cancer Losses
Boltive CEO Dan Frechtling and CFO Scott Moore share a deep personal connection through their experiences with their wives' cancer treatments, motivating their work in online privacy compliance technology. Boltive, formerly Ad Lightning, is expanding its automated solutions to help brands comply with privacy laws and honor user choices.
Portland Travel Startup TrovaTrip Raises $15M Series A Led by Madrona After 10X Booking Growth
TrovaTrip, a Portland-based group travel marketplace founded by Nick Poggi and Lauren Schneider, raised $15 million in a Series A led by Madrona Venture Group after reporting 10X booking growth last year. The platform, which partners with social media travel hosts and tour operators, has over 15,000 travelers booked across 500 itineraries in 49 countries.
Madrona Venture Group Raises $690M Across Two Funds to Support Startups in Seattle and Nationwide
Madrona Venture Group has raised $690 million across two funds, marking its largest ever, to back startups primarily in the Pacific Northwest and nationwide. The firm plans about 40 venture investments with increased capital per company amid a strong U.S. venture market.
Madrona Venture Group Opens Silicon Valley Office to Expand Investments Beyond Pacific Northwest
Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group is expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest by opening its first Silicon Valley office to increase investments outside its home region. Since 2019, the firm has raised over $261 million for an acceleration fund targeting more mature companies across North America, with about 15% of its portfolio now outside the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle VC Firm Fuse, Led by Three Under-40 Partners, Raised $170M and Seeks $250M for Second Fund
Seattle venture capital firm Fuse, led by three general partners all aged 35 or younger, raised $170 million for its first fund and is currently raising $250 million for its second. The firm focuses on early-stage Pacific Northwest software startups and is notable for both its youthful leadership and sizable funds.
Seattle Lumber Marketplace Startup Yesler Raises $5M to Disrupt Volatile Lumber Industry
Seattle-based startup Yesler, which offers a software platform to simplify lumber market transactions and analytics, has raised $5 million despite initial adoption challenges due to market volatility. Founded in 2019 and spun out of Pioneer Square Labs, Yesler's marketplace transactions grew tenfold this year amid a fragmented lumber industry ripe for disruption.
Seattle Accounting Software Startup Lockstep Acquired by British Enterprise Software Giant The Sage Group
Seattle-based startup Lockstep, which automates B2B accounting processes and has over 300 customers, will be acquired by British enterprise software company The Sage Group. The 130 Lockstep employees will join Sage while retaining the Lockstep brand, though financial terms were not disclosed.
Tom Alberg, Amazon Early Investor and Madrona Co-Founder, Dies at 82 After Shaping Seattle Tech
Tom Alberg, co-founder of Madrona Venture Group and early investor in Amazon, is remembered for his significant yet understated contributions to Seattle's tech industry, including his mentorship and 23 years on Amazon's board. He died at 82, leaving a lasting legacy both publicly and through his personal impact on colleagues and entrepreneurs.
Tom Alberg Remembered as Influential Mentor and Venture Capitalist Who Empowered Seattle Entrepreneurs
Tom Alberg was a deeply curious, humble, generous, and kind mentor who profoundly influenced the Seattle tech community and venture capital world. He empowered young entrepreneurs with trust and wisdom, helping build Madrona and Perkins Coie LLP into industry leaders while delighting in others' successes.
Seattle Startup JetClosing to Shut Down on June 15 After Six Years Digitizing Home Closing Process
JetClosing, a Seattle startup founded in 2016 to digitize the home closing process using technology, is shutting down on June 15, 2022. The company struggled amid a cooling housing market and strong competition despite offering faster, cheaper, and more transparent services.
Seattle Startup Lockstep, Backed by American Express, Launches Free Shared Accounting Inbox Amid Rapid Growth
Seattle startup Lockstep, backed by American Express and led by CEO Peter Horadan, is growing rapidly with 20,000 customers and a rising demand for its accounting automation software. The company just launched Lockstep Inbox, a free shared accounting inbox, aiming to become the 'LinkedIn of accounting' by automating manual financial workflows.
Fintech Startup Formations Raises $8M to Simplify Taxes for Freelancers with Focus on Realtors
Bellevue-based fintech startup Formations raised $8 million to simplify tax and paperwork processes for self-employed individuals, initially targeting realtors. The company has served about 700 customers with average savings of $8,000 each and recently partnered with Gusto to expand its services.
Kevala raises $12.1M to help long-term care providers fill shifts and manage compliance
Seattle-based Kevala raised $12.1 million to expand its software platform that helps long-term care and senior living facilities schedule staff, manage compliance, and access temporary nurses and caregivers across five states. The company has grown from five to 20 corporate employees since January 2021 and serves hundreds of healthcare facilities, offering a pool of more than 1,000 registered and licensed caregivers.
Unlock Venture Partners raises $60M second fund to back Seattle and L.A. startups, bringing total raised to $85M
Unlock Venture Partners, a seed-stage firm focused on Seattle and Los Angeles startups, raised a $60 million second fund and has now raised more than $85 million total to back early-stage companies including gaming, Web3 and metaverse plays.
Vulcan Capital renamed Cercano Management and spun off as independent firm managing Allen-era assets
Vulcan Capital, the investment arm created to manage late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s holdings, has been spun off and renamed Cercano Management, a privately held firm working with multiple investors and family foundations. Cercano, based in Bellevue, will remain connected to Allen’s estate, continues Vulcan’s low-profile approach, and was recently disclosed as an investor in a $5.9 million round for Seattle startup Pendulum.
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.
Seattle VC Fuse announces $170 million inaugural fund, backing 17 Pacific Northwest B2B startups
Seattle-based early-stage VC firm Fuse disclosed its inaugural fund is $170 million, which has backed 17 Pacific Northwest B2B software startups and plans 25–30 total investments.
Ciara and Russell Wilson’s House of LR&C to raise up to $15M in Series A after revenue hits eight figures
The House of LR&C, a Seattle fashion house co-founded by Ciara and Russell Wilson, plans to raise up to $15 million in a Series A this year after reaching eight-figure revenue and roughly 70% growth; the company previously raised a $7 million convertible note led by Harlem Capital.
Pioneer Square Labs’ Greg Gottesman Discusses Building Marketplaces, Rover, and 'Killing Great Ideas' on Podcast Episode #75
This podcast episode features Greg Gottesman, co-founder and managing director of Pioneer Square Labs and co-founder of Rover, discussing his entrepreneurial journey, marketplace-building strategies, and lessons like obsessing over marketplace dynamics and 'killing great ideas.' The conversation targets digital marketplace founders, COOs, and CEOs and covers topics such as Pioneer Square Labs’ genesis, marketing funnels, and the concept of 'starting with 1.'
Gympass acquires Seattle online personal-training startup Trainiac; terms undisclosed
Gympass has acquired Seattle-based Trainiac, a startup that provides software for 1-on-1 online personal training, and will integrate Trainiac’s services into its corporate fitness offerings. Gympass, which raised $220 million in June and values at $2.2 billion, will keep a Seattle product team; financial terms were not disclosed.
Kirby Winfield, ex-founder and exec, raises $15M for Ascend.vc to back Pacific Northwest early-stage startups
Kirby Winfield, a longtime Seattle startup leader who experienced burnout after multiple exits, founded Ascend.vc to invest in early-stage Pacific Northwest tech companies and raised a $15 million first fund after recovering his health and shifting from founder roles to venture investing.
Ignite's Meet the Investor with Greg Gottesman of Pioneer Square Labs
Catch the replay of the October 2021 edition of Ignite's Meet the Investor program featuring Greg Gottesman, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Pioneer Square Labs and Co-Founder of Rover.com. Meet the Investor is sponsored by Witherspoon Kelley.
People
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Geoff Entress Founder, Co-founder and Venture Partner
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Greg Gottesman Founder, Managing Director, Co-Founder
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Julie Sandler Founder, Co-founder & General Partner, PSL Ventures, Former Managing Director , Venture Partner (upcoming), Venture Partner, Managing Director, PSL
