Facts
- HQ
- EMERYVILLE, California
- Sectors
- Enterprise security, Systems management, Cybersecurity
GeekWire updates Seattle list as Highspot raises $248M at $3.5B; SeekOut and Icertis added to 16 local unicorns
GeekWire updated its list of Seattle-area 'unicorn' startups (privately held companies valued at $1B+) after additions and a valuation change for Icertis, noting recent entrants like SeekOut and Highspot, which raised $248 million at a $3.5 billion valuation. The article highlights that the Seattle cohort includes 16 unicorns, none led by a female or Black CEO, and that many CEOs have Microsoft backgrounds amid a global surge in unicorns and venture funding.
Deal mania reshuffles GeekWire 200: M&A, IPOs and SPACs push top firms out while Blue Origin stays No. 1
A surge of M&A, IPO and SPAC activity — labeled 'deal mania' — reshuffled the GeekWire 200 rankings, removing several top-10 companies that went public or were acquired and creating openings for new entrants; Blue Origin remains No. 1 while more deal-making and rule changes about private equity-owned companies promise further shake-ups.
Forbes Cloud 100 Names Seattle Unicorns Tanium, Outreach, Icertis and Highspot in Top 50
Forbes' sixth annual Cloud 100 list includes four Seattle-area unicorns — Tanium, Outreach, Icertis and Highspot — all ranking in the top 50 based on growth, sales, valuation, culture and reputation. The companies have valuations from $2.8B to $9.2B and recent funding rounds ranging from $80M to $200M.
Flyhomes raises $150 million to scale cash-offer homebuying and mortgage services nationwide
Seattle startup Flyhomes raised $150 million to expand its cash-offer homebuying model and integrated mortgage and selling services nationwide, positioning itself against iBuyers and Zillow. CEO Tushar Garg said the funding supports building an end-to-end home-buying experience that gives clients a competitive edge in a chaotic market.
Outreach raises $200M, valuation climbs to $4.4B as Seattle sales-software firm expands AI products
Sales software startup Outreach raised $200 million in venture capital, pushing its valuation to $4.4 billion as the 10-year-old Seattle company expands AI-driven sales products and serves over 4,600 customers. The company reported $100 million in annual recurring revenue in fall 2020 and has now raised a total of $489 million.
Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter Joins Tanium Board as Startup Eyes Growth After $150M Round; Other C-Suite Moves Reported
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has joined the board of cybersecurity startup Tanium, which recently raised $150 million and reported over $430 million revenue in 2019; the article also reports executive moves at SheerID, Boeing and Teal Communications.
Seattle-area startups raise record $1.64B in Q1 as U.S. VC funding jumps to $69B, PitchBook/NVCA say
PitchBook and NVCA report U.S. VC activity surged in Q1 2021 to $69 billion across 3,987 deals, while Seattle-area startups raised a Q1 record $1.64 billion across 88 deals, up from $616 million a year earlier. Mega-deals, fundraises, exits and SPAC activity all hit notable highs, and industry leaders say ample dry powder and economic recovery are driving larger investments.
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.
Icertis raises $80M Series F led by B Capital, valuation jumps to $2.8B; total funding $280M
Seattle-area contract-management software company Icertis raised an $80 million Series F, boosting its valuation to $2.8 billion and bringing total funding to $280 million as it reports revenue north of $100 million and 1,400 employees worldwide.
Tanium CEO Orion Hindawi Says Talk of Washington Tax Hikes Will Drive Businesses Away; Calls Seattle 'Freeze' 'Garbage'
Tanium CEO and co-founder Orion Hindawi, who moved his $9 billion company to Seattle, warned at a Washington tech event that talk of raising Washington state taxes—especially capital gains taxes—will deter businesses from relocating to the state and dismissed Seattle's 'freeze' reputation as 'complete garbage.'
Tanium raises $150 million from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan after HQ move to Kirkland, Wash.
Tanium, a cybersecurity firm that relocated its headquarters from Emeryville, Calif. to Kirkland, Wash., raised $150 million in common stock from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to fund growth and expand its Seattle-area engineering presence. The privately held company, co-founded by David and Orion Hindawi, reported over $430 million in revenue in 2019 and now employs about 1,500 people.
LinkedIn data: Seattle added 2.2 tech workers per one lost from March–October as Bay Area outflows rise
LinkedIn migration data shows Seattle gained 2.2 tech workers for every one who left from March to October, nearly matching last year’s 2.5 ratio, and attracted a 28% increase in movers from the Bay Area. While the Bay Area and New York saw notable declines in their inflow-outflow ratios, observers and local advocates say Seattle’s similar amenities and lower cost of living help explain the trend.
Stalking Seattle's unicorns
Seattle's tech community just reached a new milestone: 10 unicorns, privately held companies valued at more than $1 billion. Their characteristics say a lot about the direction and state of the tech industry in the region, both positive and negative. Read more: Seattle area boasts 10 fast-growing unicorns: Can you name the billion-dollar startups? Joining us as a guest commentator this week: Heather Redman, co-founder and managing partner of Flying Fish Partners, a Seattle-based venture capital firm that focuses its investments on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Also up for discussion: the challenges of running a big tech hub like…
Seattle Reaches 10 Unicorns Worth $1B+, Mostly Enterprise Software Firms with Microsoft Links
Seattle now has 10 unicorn startups valued at $1 billion or more, many concentrated in enterprise software/cloud computing and driven by rapid digital transformation and strong revenue run rates. Most have immigrant founders and Microsoft ties, but none have female co-founders or CEOs.
GeekWire Podcast: Salesforce to buy Slack for $27.7B; AWS surprises at re:Invent; Tanium (valued $9B, $430M revenue) moves HQ to Seattle
GeekWire Podcast discusses Salesforce’s $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack, surprising announcements from AWS at re:Invent, and cybersecurity firm Tanium relocating its headquarters to the Seattle region with $9 billion valuation and $430M revenue, with commentary from Madrona’s Matt McIlwain on regional and cloud/enterprise implications.
'Slackforce,' AWS re:Invent, and Seattle's new $9B tech company
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Salesforce strikes a deal to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion; Amazon Web Services makes some surprising news at its annual re:Invent cloud conference; and a new tech giant arrives in our backyard. Joining us on this episode is Matt McIlwain, managing director at Seattle-based venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group, offering his commentary on the implications of these developments in the world of cloud and enterprise technology. Special bonus: Listen to the end of the show for a new installment of our GeekWire Podcast trivia contest, with a chance to win a GeekWire mask…
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Orion Hindawi Founder, Co-founder and CEO, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
