Techstars Seattle
Facts
- HQ
- Seattle
- Sectors
- Accelerator, Startup Support
- Founded
- 2010
Amazon's drones finally take off, inside Anduril's Seattle-area buildup, and an AirTag leads to a secret Amazon facility
This week: Amazon's Prime Air drones are finally going national, nearly 13 years after Jeff Bezos unveiled the idea on 60 Minutes. GeekWire's John Cook goes inside Anduril's unmarked Bellevue office as the defense company builds toward 1,000 Seattle-area engineers. Plus: a reporter hides an AirTag in a rare book and tracks it to a secret Amazon book-scanning facility in Las Vegas. With John Cook and Todd Bishop; edited by Curt Milton. Related stories and links Mentioned at the top Want to know what Jeff Bezos brings to Liverpool FC? Study Amazon's Leadership Principles Amazon drone delivery Amazon drone delivery…
Bezos and Liverpool FC, a Meta vet's AI startup, Auger's Dallas move, and the demise of Microsoft's AI blob
This week: What should Liverpool FC fans expect from Jeff Bezos as a member of the storied club's new minority ownership group? We consult the Amazon leadership principles for the answer. Plus, a tip and an SEC filing lead to a scoop on a former Meta AI director's new startup, the GeekWire Editorial Board convenes to decide whether Dave Clark's Auger stays on the GeekWire 200 after moving its HQ to Dallas, and Microsoft quietly semi-retires its AI blob. Bezos and Liverpool FC Group including Jeff Bezos buys minority stake in Liverpool FC, with option to become controlling owner —…
Amazon's next big business, Satya Nadella's DIY app, and a VC's rallying cry for Seattle tech
This week: Microsoft and Amazon both reported quarterly numbers, and both stocks rose on cloud results that beat expectations. Is AI spending is paying off in real business? And in related news, Microsoft sees a rare annual headcount decline, hitting product R&D hardest. Plus: Satya Nadella builds a Power BI dashboard out of an analyst's research report, and touts it on the earnings call to make a bigger point. Jeff Bezos names Amazon's chips business as the long-awaited fourth pillar. And AI House managing director Jacob Colker delivers a much-needed pep talk for Seattle tech, calling on the region to…
Remitly launches Remitly Global Card — Visa debit account with preferred FX, USD/USDC balances, instant P2P and 0% APR line
Remitly launched the Remitly Global Card, a Visa debit card and linked account that lets cross-border customers get paid, spend, save, and send money across countries with direct deposits, fee-free local spending, and global ATM access. The card, issued via Lead Bank with a Stripe wallet and funds held at Fifth Third Bank, includes preferred FX rates, support for USD or USDC balances, instant P2P transfers between Remitly cards, and a US 0% APR open-end line of credit for eligible users.
Fusion energy: Wishing upon a star in a jar — Introducing 'Positive Charge' from GeekWire
This week on the show, we're sharing the debut of Positive Charge, a new GeekWire podcast from reporter Lisa Stiffler and producer Laura Scott about the innovations that could help save the planet. In this episode, they dig into the high-stakes race to harness the power of the sun and make fusion energy real, visiting two Seattle-area startups chasing this dream, and asking whether limitless clean power is finally within reach. Also out this week: their debut episode on the "forever chemicals" in our water and the companies figuring out how to destroy them. Follow Positive Charge wherever you get…
Following through in Cleveland: A GeekWire trip report, plus data center ‘theater’ and the SpaceX IPO
In February, Seattle angel investor Charles Fitzgerald warned the region not to become the next Cleveland, prompting Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb to join the podcast and make the case for his city's comeback. This week we close the loop: Fitzgerald and GeekWire co-founder John Cook call in from an abandoned Westinghouse factory in Cleveland, where days of meeting entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine left them struck by a city hustling and aligned around jobs in ways Seattle no longer is. Back home, we dig into Seattle's unanimous one-year moratorium on new large data centers, which Fitzgerald calls…
Remitly CEO Matt Oppenheimer Steps Down After 15 Years, Succeeded by Former Amazon Exec Sebastian Gunningham
Remitly CEO and co-founder Matt Oppenheimer is stepping down after nearly 15 years to become chairman, with former Amazon executive Sebastian Gunningham taking over as CEO on Feb. 19. The company, valued at nearly $3 billion, recently reported strong Q4 growth, including a 35% increase in send volume to $20.8 billion and adjusted EBITDA nearly doubling to $88.6 million.
Seattle Startup Accelerator Foundations Expands to San Francisco with New 5,000-Sq-Ft Location in Q2 2024
Seattle-based startup accelerator Foundations is opening a new 5,000-square-foot location in San Francisco to support founders who split time between the two tech hubs, responding to shifting market dynamics and growing startup momentum in the Bay Area. The expansion aims to bridge Seattle and San Francisco communities without abandoning Seattle, enabling members to access both spaces starting in Q2 2024.
Seattle Service Providers Launch Service Provider Capital's New Pacific Northwest Fund to Invest in Early-Stage Tech Startups
Seattle service providers Minh Le, Craig Sherman, and David Wickwire are leading a new Pacific Northwest fund for Service Provider Capital, which invests in early-stage tech startups by co-investing alongside venture firms. SPC's unique model pools professionals from startup support sectors to back a broad array of local companies across multiple U.S. regions.
Seattle's Founders' Co-op Raises $50M Sixth Fund to Back Early-Stage Pacific Northwest Tech Startups
Seattle venture firm Founders' Co-op has raised a $50 million sixth fund, focusing on early-stage Pacific Northwest tech startups with initial investments of $1 million to $1.5 million. Founded in 2008, the firm has backed billion-dollar companies like Remitly, Outreach, and Auth0 and aims to invest in about 30 new companies without targeting specific verticals.
Seattle Startup Community Foundations Doubles Capitol Hill Space, Plans Bellevue Expansion to Support Growing Members
Seattle startup community Foundations, founded by Aviel Ginzburg, is doubling its Capitol Hill office space and planning an expansion in Bellevue to support its 236 members, including 55 founders-in-residence. The community offers a no-equity, no-fee environment that helps startups grow together, with recent graduates choosing to remain engaged as the program evolves.
Seattle Opens AI House and Foundations Startup Hubs Amid Growing AI Ecosystem
Seattle launched two new startup hubs, AI House and Foundations, to support its growing AI ecosystem, hosting events with notable figures like venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and Mayor Bruce Harrell. These hubs aim to foster collaboration and growth within Seattle's burgeoning AI startup community.
Jessica Kamada’s Swizzle Ventures Raises $6.6M Fund to Invest in Women’s Health Startups in Seattle
Jessica Kamada, founder of Seattle-based Swizzle Ventures, raised $6.6 million for a new fund focused on investing in about 30 women’s health and wealth startups. Despite lacking a traditional VC background, she leveraged her experience in consumer tech growth and highlighted the significant economic potential in women’s health to attract investors.
Seattle's Foundations Launches Founder-in-Residence Program Without Equity Requirement for Early-Stage Startups
Seattle-based startup community Foundations has launched a new Founder-in-Residence program designed to support early-stage founders without requiring equity. The program offers mentorship, accepts companies at various development stages, and operates on a rolling basis with a typical six-month participation.
Aviel Ginzburg and Team Launch Foundations to Foster Seattle’s Startup Community with In-Person Support Network
Foundations, a new startup community group led by Aviel Ginzburg and others in Seattle, aims to create a supportive 'serendipity factory' for early-stage founders by fostering in-person connections among entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors. The group hosted a launch party in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood to build a vibrant local tech startup ecosystem.
Aviel Ginzburg Launches Seattle Foundations to Support Tech Startups with Non-Equity Accelerator in Capitol Hill
Aviel Ginzburg and a team of entrepreneurs are launching Seattle Foundations, a new invite-only entrepreneurial community and shared workspace in Seattle, aiming to support tech founders with mentorship and resources without taking equity. The initiative, set to open later this year in Capitol Hill, will offer co-working space, events, and six-month memberships focused on startup acceleration.
BONUS: Seattle after Techstars, with guest Chris DeVore
Entrepreneur and investor Chris DeVore had an inside view of Techstars Seattle as one of the original leaders of the local startup accelerator in 2010, serving as its managing director from 2014 to 2019. His Feb. 21 post "What went wrong at Techstars," looked closely at the organization's evolution — including its increased focus on corporate sponsorships and shift to centralized fundraising — as the backdrop for the news last week that Techstars is closing its Seattle accelerator as part of a broader reset. So where should Seattle's tech community go from here? And what role do startup accelerators serve…
Techstars Seattle's demise leaves a gap in startup market
Techstars Seattle helped launch more than 160 startups over the past decade, partnered with the likes of Microsoft and Amazon to spark even more startups, and led to the creation of three companies currently valued at more than $1 billion — making it one of the most successful programs in the Techstars network. Founded in 2006 in Boulder, Colo., Techstars provides fledgling startups with early capital, coaching, mentorship, a chance to pitch to investors, and an opportunity to work for three months in a shared space with other entrepreneurs. Techstars expanded to Seattle in 2010, and for more than a…
Techstars cuts executives and cancels flagship Seattle program as Y Combinator pulls ahead
Techstars, once a leading global accelerator, has been eclipsed by Y Combinator and is now facing executive departures, program closures, and the surprising termination of its flagship Seattle program; the article analyzes strategic choices that contributed to Techstars’ decline. The authors, familiar with Techstars through founding and running its Seattle program and corporate partnerships, offer an insiders’ view of decisions that strengthened YC while weakening Techstars.
Techstars Seattle Demo Day 2024 Unveils 24 Startups Poised to Rival 2011 Unicorn Trio Including Discoverist and TalkStack AI
The 2024 Techstars Seattle Demo Day showcased 24 startups, with experts optimistic that this cohort could rival the successful 2011 group that included three billion-dollar companies. Notable startups like Discoverist and TalkStack AI are leveraging AI for personalized retail recommendations and conversation analysis, respectively.
Yifan Zhang Joins AI2 Incubator as Managing Director; Dropbox, Marchex, and Seattle Startups Appoint New Tech Leaders
Yifan Zhang, former Loftium co-founder, is joining the AI2 Incubator as managing director starting February 2024, while several Seattle tech companies made key executive hires including Dropbox, Marchex, Simply Augmented, and Chainguard.
University of Washington’s CoMotion Innovation Arm Moving to Condon Hall Near Startup Hall in 2023
The University of Washington's innovation arm, CoMotion, will relocate from the Blume building to Condon Hall near Startup Hall later this year, expanding its space and event capabilities. Startup Hall is part of the Portage Bay Crossing neighborhood, which aims to foster research, education, and entrepreneurship.
Unpluq CEO Caroline Cadwell Introduces NFC Tag and App to Promote Mindful Smartphone Use
Caroline Cadwell, CEO of Unpluq, discusses how her startup helps users mindfully manage smartphone and app use by creating intentional barriers to curb addictive behaviors. The company offers an Android app, an NFC keychain tag, and a premium subscription to encourage conscious technology habits.
Reclaiming our lives through more mindful use of technology
Humans have become increasingly vulnerable to technology engineered to grab our attention, pulling us away from more meaningful and fulfilling moments and interactions in our lives. Can technology itself be part of the solution? Our guest this week on the GeekWire Podcast is Caroline Cadwell, co-founder and CEO of Unpluq, a recent graduate of the Techstars Seattle accelerator program. The startup offers an app, subscription service, and keychain tag designed to help people become more conscious and mindful about their use of smartphones, social media, and other addictive apps and services. Related links: Seattle Public Schools sues TikTok, YouTube, Instagram…
Seattle Startup Valid8 Financial Raises $1.25M Debt to Support Forensic Accounting in Major White-Collar Crime Cases
Seattle startup Valid8 Financial offers a forensic accounting platform used by lawyers, CPAs, and government agencies to analyze money flows in white-collar crime cases and financial disputes. Founded in 2017, Valid8 recently raised $1.25 million in debt financing and serves clients like law and CPA firms as well as six states for fraud investigations.
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Chris DeVore Managing Director
