Starbucks
Starbucks operates coffeehouses and offers a range of coffee drinks, food items, and merchandise for customers. It aims to deliver high-quality coffee and create welcoming environments that foster human connection, while supporting communities and promoting sustainability throughout its operations.
Facts
- HQ
- Washington
- Sectors
- Food & Beverage, Retail, Hospitality
- Founded
- 1971
- Type
- Corporation Seattle business license
- Registered name
- Starbucks Corporation Seattle business license
- Stage
- Public
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Seattle’s Oldest Angel Group Puget Sound Venture Club Merges with Alliance of Angels After Nearly 40 Years
Puget Sound Venture Club, Seattle's oldest angel group founded by Gary Ritner in 1985, is merging its membership with Alliance of Angels to create a larger impact on the Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem. The merger involves around 30 members, no financial transaction, and plans for Ritner to remain actively involved in the combined group.
Former Ada Developers Academy CEO Lauren Sato Joins Conduit Venture Labs to Focus on Female Athlete Health Tech
Lauren Sato, former CEO of Ada Developers Academy, has joined Seattle-based hardware startup studio Conduit Venture Labs as an entrepreneur-in-residence focusing on health and performance tech, particularly around female athlete knee injuries. Conduit, founded in 2023 by Amish Patel and Susan Paley, supports hardware startups with a strong production ecosystem.
Robbie Cape Launches Mt. Joy, a Sustainable Chicken Sandwich Startup with Food Truck Debut in Seattle
Tech entrepreneur Robbie Cape launched Mt. Joy, a fast-casual chicken sandwich startup in Seattle focusing on sustainable, locally sourced ingredients and regenerative agriculture. The debut included a food truck opening in Capitol Hill with plans for a nearby brick-and-mortar location.
Seattle Robotic Coffee Startup Artly Raises Over $518K on StartEngine at $100M Valuation
Seattle-based robotic coffee startup Artly raised over $518,000 through an equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine at a $100 million valuation, enabling non-accredited investors to buy shares. CEO Meng Wang highlighted crowdfunding's alignment with Artly's consumer-focused mission and noted investor support despite initial resistance to this fundraising route.
Seattle Startup Forum3 Launches Hive3, an AI Content Creation Contest with Cash Prizes and Sponsorships in 2024
Seattle startup Forum3 announced the production of Hive3, an esports-style AI content creation contest offering cash prizes and sponsorships, launching later this year. The contest aims to showcase generative AI's potential, educate viewers on AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney, and address ethical and legal concerns amid growing AI adoption and industry controversies.
Stephanie King Launches Kitchen & Market, Reviving Corner Stores with Fresh Foods and Local Brands in Seattle Area
Stephanie King, founder of Kitchen & Market, is revitalizing the corner store concept in Seattle neighborhoods with her small grocery chain emphasizing fresh foods, local brands, and convenience. Despite COVID-19 challenges, her stores now include online ordering and delivery for meal kits, aiming to make grocery shopping easier and less daunting.
Seattle Trucking Startup Convoy Lays Off Staff for Third Time and Closes Atlanta Office Amid Automation Shift
Seattle trucking startup Convoy conducted its third round of layoffs within a year and announced the closure of its Atlanta office as part of a shift to automate customer service and improve efficiency. Despite previously raising $260 million at a $3.8 billion valuation and employing over 1,000 people, the company is reducing staff to speed its path to profitability amid broader industry challenges.
Amperity Cuts 10% of Workforce in Second Layoff within Six Months Amid Restructuring
Seattle-based customer intelligence startup Amperity laid off 10% of its workforce in a second round of cuts within six months as part of restructuring amid a challenging economic environment. Despite layoffs, CEO Barry Padgett emphasized the company's strong fundamentals and ongoing efforts to grow and hire talent.
Seattle Startup Atomo Restructures and Cuts Workforce Six Months After $40M Funding
Seattle-based startup Atomo, which makes coffee from upcycled plant ingredients, is undergoing a strategic realignment and restructuring just six months after raising $40 million, including workforce reductions. CEO Andy Kleitsch said the company aims to scale its sustainable coffee offerings more quickly by adding new specialized staff.
Former Starbucks Exec Adam Brotman and Investor Andy Sack Raise $10M for Forum3 to Expand NFT Loyalty Tech
Seattle tech veterans Adam Brotman and Andy Sack raised $10 million to launch Forum3, a startup offering NFT-based customer engagement tech designed to simplify blockchain use for consumer brands. Forum3 aims to provide a white-labeled version of Starbucks' NFT loyalty program, Odyssey, removing cryptocurrency barriers for users.
Seattle NFT Startup Thred Raises $3.5M Led by Ex-Starbucks Exec Ben Straley for 2023 Platform Launch
Seattle startup Thred, led by former Starbucks and Amazon exec Ben Straley, raised $3.5 million to develop an NFT search and discovery platform aimed at providing trustworthy NFT information, with a planned launch in early 2023. The NFT market is experiencing a downturn, but major brands like NBA, Porsche, and Starbucks are increasing their NFT investments.
Amperity Hires Seema Kumar from F5 and Megan McDonagh from RealWear to Strengthen Leadership Amid Record Growth
Amperity, a Seattle-based customer data platform startup, has strengthened its executive team by hiring Seema Kumar as chief people officer and Megan McDonagh as chief marketing officer to support its growth. Despite a small August layoff, the company is experiencing record customer sign-ups and continues hiring amid economic uncertainty.
Seattle Startup Joylux Raises $5.5M in Series A to Expand Menopausal Health Device Line Globally
Seattle-based startup Joylux raised $5.5 million as part of a $13 million Series A round to expand its non-hormonal menopausal health products like vFit and vSculpt. The company aims to grow in Latin America and Europe through a partnership with Essity while addressing various menopause-related health needs.
Jane Park Launches Tokki Sustainable Gift-Wrap Startup, Raises Funds via StartEngine Equity Crowdfunding
Veteran entrepreneur Jane Park has chosen equity crowdfunding on StartEngine to raise capital for her sustainable gift-wrap startup Tokki, highlighting its lower barriers and broader investor participation compared to traditional venture capital. Park, who previously raised over $50 million for Julep Beauty from major investors, values crowdfunding for connecting with end users and offering an alternative fundraising method.
Algorithmia Founder Diego Oppenheimer Joins Venture Firm Factory to Open Seattle Office; Expedia Appoints Brad Bentley and Tript Singh Lamba to Executive Roles
Diego Oppenheimer, former CEO of Algorithmia, has joined venture capital firm Factory as partner and CEO-in-residence to open its new Seattle office, focusing on AI startups. Additionally, Expedia Group hired Brad Bentley as COO of Expedia Brands and Tript Singh Lamba as SVP of consumer product.
Seattle Startup Rippl Launches with $32M to Provide 24/7 Care for Seniors with Dementia, Backed by Arch Venture Partners
Seattle-based mental health startup Rippl launched with $32 million in seed funding to provide 24/7 virtual and in-person care for seniors with dementia and neurocognitive conditions. The company plans pilot programs starting in Seattle and aims to expand into additional markets in 2023, backed by investors including Arch Venture Partners and General Catalyst.
Seattle Startup Artly Raises $8.3M to Expand AI-Powered Robotic Coffee Baristas Led by Ex-AWS Engineer Meng Wang
Artly, a Seattle-based startup led by ex-AWS engineer Meng Wang, raised $8.3 million to expand its AI-powered robotic coffee baristas. The company, which operates five profitable stores and partners with MUJI, aims to scale specialty coffee service with robotics while creating elevated STEM and barista jobs.
Amperity cuts 13 roles (3% of staff) amid reorganization while planning continued hires and investments
Seattle customer-intelligence startup Amperity laid off 13 employees (about 3% of its 375-person workforce), primarily from its talent acquisition team, while saying it will continue hiring and invest in growth. CEO Barry Padgett attributed the cuts to organizational alignment with strategic growth plans; the company became a unicorn in July 2021 after a $100 million raise and values at $1 billion.
Inrix Raises $10M After Postponing IPO Amid Economic Uncertainty, Plans Growth in New Focus Area
Inrix, a profitable Kirkland-based transportation software company, raised $10 million less than a year after nearly going public. The company postponed its IPO due to economic uncertainty from the Ukraine invasion and plans to use the new capital to invest and add staff in a new focus area.
The pioneering spirit and joyful life of late 'Cranium' creator Richard Tait
Tributes and memories have been pouring in from longtime friends and colleagues of Cranium creator Richard Tait since the Seattle entrepreneur's death on July 25 the age of 58 from complications due to COVID-19. A passionate and visionary entrepreneur known for being tough, Tait had a generous spirit, effusive personality, and rare ability to connect with people he encountered. This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we're listening back to a conversation that Tait recorded with Fuel Talent CEO and founder Shauna Swerland in 2018 for her podcast, What Fuels You. It's inspiring, insightful, and bittersweet, and we're grateful to Shauna…
Seattle-based Fuse leads $12M Series A for Vancouver hospitality software startup Operto
Vancouver hospitality-software startup Operto raised a $12 million Series A led by Seattle-based Fuse to fund growth; the 50-person company, led by CEO Steve Davis, reported 400% revenue growth in 2021.
Former Amperity CEO Kabir Shahani Resigned From CEO Role and Board Last Week, Says He Left Voluntarily
Kabir Shahani unexpectedly resigned as CEO of Seattle marketing tech startup Amperity last week and has also left the company’s board; he told GeekWire he left voluntarily for personal reasons while Amperity executives have not publicly commented.
Mystery raises $18.5M at $100M valuation after pivoting to B2B ‘morale as a service’ for companies including Amazon and Microsoft
Seattle-based Mystery pivoted from a consumer dating/event-planning service into a B2B ‘morale as a service’ provider during the pandemic and raised $18.5 million at a $100 million valuation to deliver virtual employee engagement experiences to companies like Amazon and Microsoft. The company uses software to handle logistics, encourages surprise events to boost attendance and bonding, and reports thousands of teams used its service in 2021.
Amperity CEO and co-founder Kabir Shahani steps down; Barry Padgett named CEO as company scales after $100M round
Amperity CEO and co-founder Kabir Shahani has relinquished the CEO title seven months after the company raised $100 million and reached unicorn status; president and COO Barry Padgett becomes CEO and Monica Pool Knox is named chief people officer. The company called 2021 a record year, offered no explanation for Shahani's departure, and said it will focus on scaling its customer-data software business.
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.
People
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Brady Brewer Executive, Chief Executive Officer
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Cathy Smith Executive, Chief Financial Officer
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Mike Grams Executive, Chief Operating Officer