Rover
Facts
- HQ
- United States
- Sectors
- Marketplace, Pet care, Platform
- Stage
- Public
GeekWire Names Common Room, Ozette, SeekOut, Shelf Engine and Strike Graph as 2024 Startup of the Year Finalists; Voting Open
GeekWire has announced five finalists for Startup of the Year — Common Room, Ozette, SeekOut, Shelf Engine, and Strike Graph — highlighting Seattle and Pacific Northwest entrepreneurship; community voting runs through April 30 and winners will be revealed May 20 at the virtual GeekWire Awards.
GeekWire Opens Voting for 13th Annual Awards; Deal of the Year Finalists Include $6.5B Auth0 Acquisition and Multi‑Hundred‑Million Funding Rounds
GeekWire has opened community voting for its 13th annual GeekWire Awards, highlighting Deal of the Year finalists across Fundings and IPOs/Acquisitions from Pacific Northwest tech companies. Voting runs through April 30, winners announced May 20 at the virtual awards presented by Wave Business.
GeekWire 200: Auth0, Rover Among Top 10 but Set to ‘Graduate’ as Tanium and Outreach Climb
GeekWire’s monthly GeekWire 200 ranking shows established Pacific Northwest startups like Auth0 and Rover among the top 10 but poised to “graduate” after Okta’s acquisition and Rover’s SPAC IPO, while companies such as OfferUp, Moz, PayScale, Puppet and Clio are positioned to move up. The list highlights movers like Tanium and Outreach and notes recent major funding and leadership news across the region’s startups.
SeekOut raises $65M Series B led by Tiger Global at nearly $500M valuation after 10x ARR growth
Seattle recruiting startup SeekOut raised $65 million in a Series B led by Tiger Global at a near-$500M valuation to expand its Talent 360 recruiting software, after growing ARR 10x in 21 months and remaining profitable.
SPACs Let Founders Reach Public Markets Faster and Keep Larger Equity Stakes, Say Startup Observers
The article explains how SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) let founders and early employees reach liquidity faster and often retain larger ownership stakes than through later-stage VC or private equity rounds. Using examples like Sana Biotechnology and Seattle entrepreneur Sujal Patel, it argues SPACs can preserve founders' equity by bypassing dilutive funding rounds.
TiE Seattle VC Panel: 2020 Ended with Record Startup Funding and SPAC Surge, Investors Expect Strong 2021
A TiE Seattle panel of four Seattle-area VCs said despite early pandemic layoffs and valuation fears, 2020 ended with record startup funding, VC capital raises, and strong exits, and they expect continued momentum in 2021 driven by SPAC activity and pandemic-driven innovation. Panelists highlighted increased founding activity, higher valuations, and pandemic-forced business improvements creating investor opportunities.
Mailchimp acquires Chatitive; CEO Andy Hollenbeck to lead conversational SMS at Mailchimp
Mailchimp has acquired Seattle SMS-marketing startup Chatitive, a Madrona Venture Labs spinout, integrating its team (fewer than 10 employees) and naming CEO Andy Hollenbeck head of conversational SMS; terms were not disclosed.
Pioneer Square Labs spins out 25 startups in five years; six launched during pandemic surge
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) spun out 25 startups in five years — six during a six-month pandemic stretch — by rapidly testing ideas, though it has yet to produce a breakout unicorn and faces criticism over founder dilution.
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board and co-founded Madrona to build Seattle’s tech scene
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board, and later co-founded Madrona Investment Group to back Pacific Northwest internet startups, helping shape Seattle’s tech ecosystem. His early bets and leadership influenced regional tech growth and left a legacy noted by Jeff Bezos and others.
Rover partners with Walmart as Seattle pet-care startup recovers from COVID layoffs, eyes profitability
Seattle pet-care startup Rover, which laid off about 41% of staff in March as pandemic demand collapsed, has regained momentum with rising pet ownership and a new partnership with Walmart that promotes Rover services on Walmart.com. The company expects roughly $250M in gross bookings this year after trimming expenses, received over $5M in PPP loans, and says it may reach profitability sooner than pre-COVID plans.
Convoy VP Kristen Forecki — former Amazon and Rover executive — helped scale Convoy from employee No. 11 to a company valued at $2.7 billion
Kristen Forecki, vice president of supply at Convoy, attributes her career success to a mix of preparation, networking and passion, moving from Amazon to early roles at Rover and joining Convoy as employee No. 11; Convoy has grown to about 1,000 employees and was valued at $2.7 billion in November.
Accolade exits GeekWire 200 after $220M IPO at $1.2B valuation; PNW health techs climb as VC funding hits $2.3B in H1 2020
GeekWire’s latest GeekWire 200 update shows health tech startups rising in the Pacific Northwest rankings during the pandemic, highlighted by Accolade’s $220M IPO at a $1.2B valuation and a surge in VC activity ($2.3B across 135 deals in H1 2020).
SBA data: Seattle startups Rover, ExtraHop, Porch, Promethean and Logic20/20 each received $5–$10M in PPP loans
The SBA released Paycheck Protection Program data showing several Seattle-area tech startups received $5–$10 million PPP loans to help during COVID-19; recipients include Rover, ExtraHop, Porch, Promethean and Logic20/20. The program has seen controversy over eligibility and forgiveness guidance, and some venture-backed startups declined loans on ethical grounds.
Pro.com lays off 52 employees as COVID-19 halts construction; CEO Matt Williams confirms WARN filing
Seattle-based Pro.com laid off 52 employees after COVID-19 halted its construction work, and the company is resuming jobs with new safety and contact-tracing measures. CEO Matt Williams said the cuts were disclosed in a Washington WARN filing and affect a company that employs about 150 people on LinkedIn.
Leg Up and Seattle tech HR leaders publish employer guide to support working parents during COVID-19
Seattle startup Leg Up and local tech HR leaders released a new guide to help small and medium-sized employers support working parents and caregivers during COVID-19, offering resources, policy suggestions and executive insights. The guide compiles parent experiences, discounts and HR program changes and complements other toolkits like Madrona Venture Group’s Back to Work Toolkit.
Smartsheet CFO Jennifer Ceran joins Auth0 board; Auth0 hires three execs; Outreach opens NYC office led by David Rubinstein
Smartsheet CFO Jennifer Ceran joined the board of Bellevue identity provider Auth0 as she prepares to retire, and Auth0 added three senior hires: Holly Files (SVP customer success), Cassio Sampaio (VP product) and Ken Oestreich (VP product marketing). Separately, Seattle sales-engagement firm Outreach is opening a New York City office led by David Rubinstein as part of its U.S. and international expansion.
U.S. VC Funding Falls 46% in April to $7.3B; Washington State Raises $190M in 21 Deals Led by Health and Biotech
U.S. venture capital investment plunged in April — down 46% from March to $7.3 billion and 43% year-over-year — while Washington state fared better with $190 million across 21 deals, helped by health and life-sciences financings.
NVCA warns COVID-19 will slash venture capital and trigger widespread startup layoffs, after 30,000 cuts reported
The National Venture Capital Association warns that COVID-19 will cause a significant drop in venture capital investment, triggering more startup layoffs and a tougher fundraising environment; reports estimate 30,000 layoffs already and predict widespread workforce cuts over the next year. Impact varies by industry, with travel-related startups cutting large shares of staff while some well-funded companies fare better.
Usermind lays off 15 employees (25% of staff) amid COVID-19; CEO Michel Feaster calls it heartbreaking
Seattle marketing-software startup Usermind laid off 15 employees — about 25% of its staff — citing economic impact from the COVID-19 crisis, CEO and co-founder Michel Feaster said. The company, founded in 2013 and backed with over $45 million in funding, will help affected workers find new jobs while focusing on its customer-journey platform.
Rover lays off 41% of staff (194 people) amid COVID-19, extends health benefits for six months
Seattle-based pet care startup Rover laid off 41% of its workforce (194 employees impacted) and put an additional 9% on standby due to revenue declines from COVID-19; about 275 employees remain and affected staff receive six months of extended health benefits and extended stock option exercise windows.
GeekWire Awards Winners Revealed
The strength and success of the people and companies across the Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem was on full display Thursday night at the GeekWire Awards. GeekWire's Jonathan Sposato, John Cook and Todd Bishop share highlights and clips from the night on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast. More highlights here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ambika Singh
Ambika Singh is the Founder and CEO of Armoire, a high-end clothing rental service that’s evolving the way women shop and dress. The idea was born during her time getting an MBA at MIT and the company launched in 2016 after she spent time at impressive companies like Microsoft, The Boston Consulting Group and Rover. Ambika shares her thoughts on mentors, molding your definition of success as you progress in your career and the importance of family. She’s been recognized on the 40 Under 40 List and is extraordinarily humble and relatable. Listen to her discuss what it’s like to…
Epic week for startup funding
Seattle startups raked in hundreds of millions of dollars this week. What's behind the flurry of big-dollar deals? Plus, a new service that lets you rent your car out, Airbnb-style, and Seattle's iconic Space Needle gets a makeover See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Week in Geek: Bezos, Rover, and Pokemon
It was a busy news week in Seattle. Rover announced it is acquiring its biggest competition; the Bezos family made a record-breaking donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and the University of Washington released a heartwarming study on the effects of Pokemon Go on family bonding. Catch it all on this episode of the Week in Geek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Mike Fridgen Executive, Chief Operating Officer
