SpaceX
Facts
- HQ
- United States
- Sectors
- Aerospace, Space Technology, Data Center / Infrastructure
- Founded
- 2002
- Employees
- 10000
- Stage
- Private
Seattle AI Marketing Startup Gradial Raises $13M Series A Led by Madrona to Scale Automation Platform
Seattle startup Gradial raised $13 million in a Series A round led by Madrona to expand its AI platform that automates marketing content operations. The company has experienced 30x revenue growth and plans to double its staff to accelerate product development and customer acquisition.
Starcloud Raises $10M More, Totaling $21M Seed to Launch Solar-Powered Orbital Data Centers
Starcloud, formerly Lumen Orbit, has raised a total of $21 million in seed funding to develop space-based data centers powered by large solar panel arrays. These orbital data centers aim to reduce terrestrial data center impacts and improve processing of satellite data by handling computations in space.
Blue Origin to Lay Off 1,400 Employees Amid Shift to Speed Up Manufacturing Post-New Glenn Launch
Blue Origin announced it will lay off about 10% of its nearly 14,000 employees to reduce bureaucracy and better align roles with company priorities following the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. CEO Dave Limp emphasized the need to focus on scaling manufacturing and launch cadence efficiently to compete with SpaceX.
Stargate, OpenAI and Microsoft; BlueSky in Seattle; and Madrona's big new funds
This week, we delve into the Project Stargate announcement by OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank, in conjunction with President Trump, and assess the implications for OpenAi's relationship with Microsoft. We explain what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella really meant with his CNBC zinger about the Stargate investment, and consider how Elon Musk's involvement in the new administration could play out in the tech industry. PLUS, we discuss Madrona's big new funds and the potential impact on startup activity in the Pacific NW, and find a revealing piece of Microsoft history on an old CD-ROM. Related stories: Microsoft and OpenAI tweak the terms…
Seattle Venture Firm Fuse Launches $1M Space Startup Program Backed by $250M Fund in 2023
Seattle-based venture capital firm Fuse has launched the Fuse Space Program to invest $1 million or more in promising early-stage space startups, focusing on the Seattle space ecosystem. Backed by a $250 million fund raised in 2023, Fuse plans to support around 10 companies, leveraging expertise from leaders of Lumen Orbit and Quindar.
Stoke Space Raises $260M to Advance Fully Reusable Nova Rocket and Build Florida Launch Site
Stoke Space has raised $260 million in a Series C funding round to advance the development of its fully reusable Nova rocket and build a launch complex in Florida, bringing total funding to $480 million. The company recently completed a key test firing of its Zenith rocket engine and aims for a first orbital test flight of the Nova rocket this year.
Stoke Space Hotfires 100,000-Pound Thrust Full-Flow Staged Combustion Rocket Engine on New Vertical Test Stand
Stoke Space successfully hotfired its first-stage full-flow staged combustion rocket engine on a new vertical test stand in Moses Lake, Washington, marking a significant milestone for the startup. The company, founded by former Blue Origin employees, aims to develop fully reusable rockets operating with aircraft-like frequency.
Seattle Startup Lumen Orbit Raises $11M Seed Round to Build Space-Based Data Centers for AI
Lumen Orbit, a Seattle-area startup founded in 2023, raised $11 million in seed funding to develop data centers in space for AI and technology services on Earth. The company, valued at $40 million, plans to launch a full-scale prototype in 2025 and is led by CEO Philip Johnston and co-founders with aerospace and space tech backgrounds.
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.
Phaidra Applies AI to Cut Data Center Power Consumption Amid Rising U.S. Electricity Demand for AI Infrastructure
Phaidra, a startup co-founded by former DeepMind execs, uses AI to enhance energy efficiency in data center cooling systems, addressing the growing electricity demand driven by AI infrastructure. With data centers projected to consume 8% of U.S. power by 2030, Phaidra aims to reduce their environmental and cost impacts through real-time management of facility power usage.
Starfish Space Wins $37.5M U.S. Space Force Contract After Successful Otter Pup Satellite Rendezvous Test
Starfish Space successfully completed a satellite rendezvous with its Otter Pup spacecraft despite thruster failure, leading to a $37.5 million contract from the U.S. Space Force for further rendezvous and docking technology development.
Former Amazon Prime Air Founders Raise $4.5M for Radical’s Solar-Powered Autonomous Aircraft Startup
Seattle-based startup Radical, founded by ex-Amazon Prime Air employees James Thomas and Cyriel Notteboom, raised $4.5 million to develop autonomous solar-powered aircraft for long-duration stratospheric flights to provide connectivity and imaging services. They recently demonstrated a prototype that flew nonstop for over 24 hours and plan to expand their team and capabilities.
GeekWire Highlights: Amazon Protests, Tesla Cybertruck Test Drive, Veeam's $1.5B Revenue, OpenPipe's $6.7M Funding, and Washington's Fusion Power Support
GeekWire's most popular technology stories for the week of March 24, 2024, covered topics including Amazon protesters opposing fossil fuel use, Tesla Cybertruck test drives in Seattle, Veeam's headquarters move and revenue milestone, OpenPipe's $6.7M funding round, and Washington state's support for fusion power development.
Bellevue Startup Lumen Orbit Raises $2.4M to Launch 300 Satellites for AI Data Processing in Space
Lumen Orbit, a Bellevue-based startup, raised $2.4 million in a pre-seed round to launch a constellation of about 300 satellites aimed at processing data in space using onboard AI before downlinking it to Earth. The company’s founders include ex-McKinsey associate Philip Johnston, Oxford Space Systems and Airbus engineer Ezra Feilden, and former SpaceX software engineer Adi Oltean.
Blue Origin Raises New Glenn Rocket on Florida Pad for First Time Ahead of Tests Led by Jeff Bezos
Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos and CEO Dave Limp, successfully raised its orbital-class New Glenn rocket on Florida's Launch Complex 36 for the first time, marking a key milestone before a series of upcoming tests. The rocket will undergo tanking tests without engines and is designed as a heavy-lift, reusable vehicle named in honor of astronaut John Glenn.
Nectar AI Founded by Ex-Meta Sisters Launches AI-Driven Messaging Tool to Boost Social Commerce Engagement
Nectar AI, founded by ex-Meta sisters Misbah and Farah Uraizee, provides brands with AI-powered personalized messaging tools to better engage consumers via social commerce. The startup leverages trends in private messaging on platforms like Instagram to help D2C and e-commerce companies connect and convert customers more effectively.
Seattle Startup Muir AI Raises $3.25M Seed Round to Enhance AI Carbon Emissions Tracking
Seattle startup Muir AI, founded by aerospace veterans Harris Chalat and Peter Williams, raised $3.25 million in a seed round led by Base10 Partners to advance its AI and satellite-based carbon accounting technology. The company helps businesses measure complex supply chain emissions to reduce their carbon footprints.
Amazon Exec Dave Limp Named New CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Space Venture
Dave Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of devices and services, will become CEO of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture starting December. The current CEO Bob Smith is retiring but will remain through January to support the transition.
Drones and the future of public safety, with Brinc CEO Blake Resnick
Blake Resnick built a fusion reactor in his garage at age 14, and interned at McLaren Automotive, Tesla, and DJI, before dropping out of Northwestern University in 2017 to launch drone startup Brinc. Now, at age 23, he oversees a team of nearly 100 people making drones and other technology for public safety agencies, serving more than 400 customers. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, recorded on-location at the company's headquarters in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, Resnick talks about Brinc’s origins, its move from Las Vegas to Seattle, the upcoming release of its Lemur 2 drone, his recent White House…
Starfish Space's Otter Pup Satellite Spins After June 12 Anomaly on Launcher Orbiter SN3 During Docking Test
Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite embarked on a June 12 rideshare mission but was spun uncontrollably following an anomaly with its mothership, Launcher’s Orbiter SN3. Emergency deployment allowed Otter Pup to remain operational and communicate, though its planned docking maneuvers were disrupted.
Bobby Wagner, NASA Astronaut Kayla Barron, and 'Love is Blind' Star Share Teamwork Wisdom at 2023 GeekWire Awards
At the 2023 GeekWire Awards in Seattle, Seattle Seahawks linebacker and Fuse venture partner Bobby Wagner, NASA astronaut Kayla Barron, and a 'Love is Blind' star shared insights emphasizing teamwork, culture, and empowerment with the Pacific Northwest tech community.
Amazon and SpaceX Veterans Launch Muir AI to Improve Corporate Carbon Footprint Measurement Using AI and Satellite Technology
Muir AI, founded by Amazon and SpaceX veterans, uses AI and satellite technology to help corporations accurately measure and reduce their scope 3 carbon emissions, particularly from supply chains. The startup aims to fill data gaps that currently hinder precise carbon accounting and enable companies to meet climate goals more effectively.
Seattle Teen Launches ClimateJets Tracking Private Jet Carbon Emissions of Ultra-Rich, Bill Gates Ranks 13th
Seattle teen Akash Shendure created ClimateJets, a website tracking carbon emissions from private jets flown by ultra-rich individuals, highlighting the environmental impact and disparity. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ranks 13th with over 3,000 tons of CO2 emissions from 393 flights, despite his climate philanthropy and investments in clean energy.
When Mark Zuckerberg met Seattle
The year was 2011, Facebook was serving a mere 600 million users, and Mark Zuckerberg was making his pitch to a crowd of prospective hires inside the company's office near Pike Place Market — explaining why the social network had chosen Seattle for its first remote engineering hub. "We were like, alright, at some point, we should probably think about opening up offices in other places," he said. "And we figured that Seattle would be a good starting place, because it's culturally pretty similar to the Bay Area, pretty close by. ... It's the same time zone. So it's easier…
Echodyne Secures $135M Funding Led by Bill Gates and Baillie Gifford to Expand Next-Gen Radar Production
Echodyne, a radar technology company backed by Bill Gates and Baillie Gifford, secured $135 million in funding to expand production of its advanced radar systems used in drones, law enforcement, and infrastructure monitoring. The funding boosts its total investment to $195 million as it prepares to launch its next-generation radar with triple the range of its current product.
