Facts
- HQ
- Seattle
- Sectors
- Software Development
- Founded
- 2015
- Employees
- 33
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.
Dance Church raises $4.7M seed to scale Dance Church Go subscription platform, led by MaC Ventures
Seattle-based Dance Church raised $4.7 million in seed funding to expand its Dance Church Go online subscription platform, which offers on-demand classes for $19/month or $199/year and a pay-as-you-go live option. The company, founded by Kate Wallich and recently hiring CEO Clara Siegel, plans to scale after growing to 144,000 online streamers with backing led by MaC Ventures and participation from several Pacific Northwest investors.
Yousuf Khan and Palvi Mehta Address Cloud Cost Overspending Challenges in Growing IT Environments
The article by Yousuf Khan and Palvi Mehta discusses the challenges CIOs face in predicting cloud resource costs as workloads move to the cloud, emphasizing the need for long-term cost prediction and management strategies. It highlights the growing complexity and unpredictability of cloud spending and the emergence of startups offering solutions to address these issues.
Read, founded by ex-Placed team members David Shim, Elliott Waldron and Rob Williams, raises $10M seed to analyze faces and voices on video calls
Seattle startup Read — founded by David Shim, Elliott Waldron, and Rob Williams — raised $10 million in seed funding for software that uses AI to analyze participants' facial expressions and voice during video calls to measure engagement and sentiment in real time.
Archera raises $7M Series A to automate AWS and Azure cost optimization, bringing total funding to $10.3M
Seattle startup Archera (formerly Reserved.ai) raised $7 million in a Series A to help AWS, Azure and other cloud customers automate resource management and purchasing; the company reports 150% revenue growth this year and counts customers like Fortive and Guardant Health.
Starfish Space Raises $7M to Develop Otter Space Tug for Satellite Servicing and Disposal
Starfish Space, founded by ex-Blue Origin veterans, raised $7 million in seed funding to develop the Otter space tug for moving and safely disposing of satellites in orbit. Their technology aims to extend satellite lifespans and address space debris challenges with novel hardware and software currently undergoing on-orbit tests.
Aseem Datar leaves Microsoft to join Madrona Venture Group as partner; Madrona promotes Chris Picardo and hires Birkan Uzun; Jaime Teevan promoted to Microsoft CVP
Microsoft Azure GM and COO Aseem Datar is leaving Microsoft to join Madrona Venture Group as a partner later this month, while Madrona also promoted Chris Picardo to partner and hired Birkan Uzun as an investor; separately, Microsoft promoted Chief Scientist Jaime Teevan to corporate vice president. The article notes Datar’s 17+ years at Microsoft and prior roles, Picardo’s and Uzun’s backgrounds, and Teevan’s reaction to her promotion.
Seattle startups raise record $3.1B in H1 2021, producing 12 local unicorns as Auth0 exits for $6.5B
Seattle-area startups raised a record $3.1 billion across 205 deals in H1 2021, driven by mega-rounds that produced at least 12 local unicorns and broader Pacific Northwest tech funding topping $5 billion. National VC activity and IPO/M&A dollar volumes are also surpassing prior records, with major exits like Auth0’s $6.5 billion acquisition by Okta highlighting regional maturation.
Pioneer Square Labs alum Boundless hires Ohio tech veteran Alan Gilbert as VP of Engineering after recommendation from PSL co-founder Ben Gilbert
Seattle VC Ben Gilbert helped his father Alan Gilbert land a remote VP of engineering role at Boundless, a Pioneer Square Labs spinoff, highlighting how COVID-19 has broadened companies' acceptance of remote hires and kept tech ties strong across distance.
Pioneer Square Labs spins out Dance Church Go with Dance Church; membership platform launches at $19/month or $199/year
Pioneer Square Labs is partnering with Seattle’s Dance Church to launch Dance Church Go, a dance-on-demand membership platform priced at $19/month or $199/year, after the company expanded into livestreaming during the pandemic and hired Clara Siegel as CEO.
Arrived Homes raises $10M equity and $27M debt as Bezos and Benioff VC arms back $100-share rental investing
Seattle startup Arrived Homes raised $10 million in equity and $27 million in debt to scale a platform that lets retail investors buy shares of single-family rental homes for as little as $100, with backers including Bezos Expeditions and Time Ventures. The company sources, manages and sells properties while charging commissions and management fees, has over 30 properties in three states and caps individual investments at $20,000 per house.
Super.AI raises $12M to expand AI-driven data process automation; total funding now $21.6M
Super.AI, a Berlin-based "data process automation" startup founded by MIT and Big Tech veterans, raised $12 million to expand its AI-driven platform that automates labeling and analysis of unstructured data for tasks like e-commerce quality control and video processing.
Shipium raises $8M to help retailers optimize fulfillment and compete with Amazon
Seattle startup Shipium raised $8 million to provide API-driven fulfillment software that helps online retailers optimize shipping decisions and compete with Amazon amid a pandemic-driven e-commerce surge.
GeekWire names winners at 2021 Awards; SeekOut wins Startup of the Year after $65M raise
The 2021 GeekWire Awards returned as a virtual event honoring over 60 finalists across 14 categories from the Pacific Northwest tech community, featuring celebrity cameos and performances. Winners included SeekOut as Startup of the Year, and among 16 winners eight were women and five were people of color and/or immigrant entrepreneurs.
Genba, a PSL–Fortive spinout, raises seed funding (amount undisclosed) for voice-first industrial maintenance app
Genba, a five-person spinout from Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive, emerged from stealth with a voice-first mobile app that helps industrial maintenance teams capture work and knowledge using company-trained voice recognition; Fortive invested in an undisclosed seed round and the startup already counts large customers like GE Power.
Recurrent wins $256,000 NSF Phase 1 SBIR grant to expand battery-data platform, eligible for $1.5M follow-on
Recurrent, a Seattle startup that provides third-party battery health and range reports for used electric vehicles, received a $256,000 NSF Phase 1 SBIR grant and could compete for an additional $1.5 million; the company launched in September, has 11 employees, raised a $3.5M seed round, and is building a large real-world EV range database.
People
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Ben Gilbert Founder, Co-founder and Managing Director, Venture Partner
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Geoff Entress Founder, Co-founder and Venture Partner
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Greg Gottesman Founder, Managing Director, Co-Founder
