University of Washington
Facts
- HQ
- University of Washington
- Sectors
- Higher Education, Research, Healthcare, Arts
- Founded
- 1861
- Registered name
- University of Washington Seattle business license
- Stage
- Public
TwinStrand Biosciences, led by Jesse Salk, raises $50M Series B from Section 32 to scale ultra-accurate gene-sequencing
TwinStrand Biosciences, co-founded and led by Jesse Salk, raised $50 million in a Series B led by Section 32 to expand its high-accuracy gene-sequencing technology for detecting rare mutations with applications in cancer detection, therapy monitoring, and safety testing.
Former Rover CTO Scott Porad named Dolly’s first CTO as Dolly plans headcount, sales expansion; Regi Vengalil to become Metromile CFO in May
Scott Porad, former Rover CTO, has joined Seattle peer-to-peer moving app Dolly as its first chief technology officer as the startup plans to double headcount and sales; Regi Vengalil will leave Egencia in May to become CFO of Metromile, a pay-per-mile insurer.
GeekWire opens voting for 2021 Startup CEO of the Year with five finalists including OctoML, Syndio and WhyLabs
GeekWire is running community voting for its 13th annual GeekWire Awards, featuring five finalists for Startup CEO of the Year: Luis Ceze (OctoML), Maria Colacurcio (Syndio), Mike McSherry (Xealth), Ray Meiring (Qorus Software) and Alessya Visnjic (WhyLabs); voting closes April 30 and winners are announced May 20 at a virtual event.
GeekWire opens community voting for UX Design of the Year finalists — Boundless, Joon, Qumulo Core, Tagboard Producer, Voodle — voting closes April 30
GeekWire’s UX Design of the Year recognizes startups for meaningful, usable product experiences; five finalists — Boundless, Joon, Qumulo Core, Tagboard Producer, and Voodle — are open for community voting through April 30 with winners announced May 20 at the virtual GeekWire Awards.
GeekWire Names Five Finalists for 2021 Innovation of the Year; Winners Announced May 20
GeekWire named five finalists for its 2021 Innovation of the Year award, highlighting Seattle-area breakthroughs from battery materials and vaccine tech to clean-energy purchasing, insect-tracking devices, and cloud-management tools. Community voting runs through April 30 and winners will be announced May 20 at the virtual GeekWire Awards presented by Wave Business.
Rad Power Bikes co-founder Ty Collins steps down to advisory role; WRF CEO Ron Howell to retire end of April
Rad Power Bikes co-founder and former CMO Ty Collins has stepped down and moved into an advisory role while remaining involved; the company is profitable and raised $150 million earlier this year. Washington Research Foundation CEO Ron Howell will retire at the end of April after 29 years, with CFO Jeff Eby serving as acting CEO.
Icosavax, UW IPD Spinout, Raises $100M Series B to Advance Computer-Designed Virus‑Like Particle Vaccines
Seattle biotech Icosavax, a University of Washington Institute for Protein Design spinout, raised $100 million in a Series B to develop computer-designed, virus-like particle vaccines including programs for COVID-19, RSV, and hMPV. The company, backed by investors led by RA Capital and supported by a $10 million Gates Foundation grant, has 17 employees and cites strong preclinical immune responses.
DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office launches $3M American-Made Perovskite Startup Prize with $700K cash for winners
The U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office launched the American-Made Challenges: Perovskite Startup Prize, a two-stage $3 million competition to help move perovskite solar cell research into U.S. companies with cash awards and technical vouchers, announced March 25, 2021. Advancing teams receive $200,000; the Liftoff winners receive $500,000 plus $100,000 in technical support, and applicants had to form for-profit U.S. companies incorporated on or after October 16, 2020.
Curi Bio raises $6M Series A led by Dynamk Capital to advance human stem cell drug-discovery platforms
Seattle stem-cell startup Curi Bio raised $6 million in a Series A led by Dynamk Capital to advance its human stem cell platforms for drug discovery, bringing total funding to $16.8 million.
OctoML raises $28M Series B to speed ML deployment across phones, cars and cloud; backed by Apache TVM creators
Seattle startup OctoML, a University of Washington spinout led by CEO Luis Ceze, raised $28 million in Series B funding to help companies deploy and optimize machine-learning models across diverse hardware. The team — creators of Apache TVM — counts partners like Qualcomm, Microsoft and AMD, has ~1,000 early Octomizer sign-ups, 45 employees and plans >50% headcount growth this year.
Founders’ Co-op closes $50M Fund V to back pre-seed and seed Pacific Northwest startups
Founders’ Co-op announced the close of its fifth fund, a $50M largest-to-date vehicle focused on pre-seed and seed investments in Pacific Northwest technical founding teams, highlighting the region's growth since 2008 and the firm's track record with over 200 portfolio companies.
Father-daughters team launches The Chances App to match Gen Z by mutual relationship intentions
Rob Lipschutz and his daughters Vanessa and Noelle launched The Chances App, a social-relationships app designed to help Gen Z connect by matching mutual intentions across nine categories (e.g., Friends, Let’s Study, FWB, Let’s Date) rather than using traditional social or dating app mechanics. Lipschutz, a tech veteran from Bothell, Washington, built the app after seeing his daughters struggle with existing social media while transitioning to college.
Port of Seattle and Washington Maritime Blue Launch Second Cohort of Maritime Accelerator, Moving Into New Maritime Innovation Center
The Port of Seattle and nonprofit Washington Maritime Blue launched a second-year maritime startup accelerator to connect regional maritime heritage with modern innovation, replacing WeWork Labs with Maritime Blue for mentorship and programming. The Port will provide space in a new Maritime Innovation Center at Fishermen’s Terminal, with construction expected to start this year.
Ensoma launches in Boston with $70M Series A to commercialize Engenious gene‑editing adenoviral vectors developed by Fred Hutch and UW researchers
Boston-based biotech spinout Ensoma launched, announcing a $70 million Series A to commercialize Engenious adenoviral vectors developed by Drs. Hans-Peter Kiem (Fred Hutch) and André Lieber (UW) that aim to deliver single‑injection gene therapies without stem cell harvest or chemotherapy.
UW Alum Janie Bube Launches Sensol Systems to Install Illuminated Ground-Level Crosswalks after 2018 Collision
After being struck by a bicyclist in a Seattle crosswalk, University of Washington alum Janie Bube founded Sensol Systems to improve pedestrian visibility with illuminated, ground-level crosswalk panels that light up beneath walkers; the startup launched in spring 2020 after university grants and accelerator support.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Footprint Coalition Ventures backs Seattle’s Cloud Paper as it launches two sustainability-focused funds
Actor Robert Downey Jr. launched two venture funds under Footprint Coalition Ventures focused on sustainable technology and is backing Seattle startup Cloud Paper, a tree-free toilet paper maker. The funds, led by Jonathan Schulhof and Steve Levin, will invest in early- and late-stage companies across sustainability, food and agtech, materials, energy, transportation, education, media and environmental solutions.
Madrona pauses Create33 co-working space, shifts to free virtual membership after COVID-19 forces closure
Madrona’s Create33, a Seattle founder center launched in July 2018, has closed its co-working space and is converting to a free virtual membership program after pandemic-related event cancellations and lost rental revenue; key staff including executive director Rebecca Lovell have departed.
Parse Biosciences raises $7M led by Bioeconomy Capital to scale single-cell RNA-seq tech; total funding $9M
Parse Biosciences (formerly Split Biosciences) raised $7 million to grow its single-cell RNA-seq 'Whole Transcriptome Kit' that profiles up to 100,000 cells across 48 samples; the 16-person startup spun out of UW in 2018 and has 40+ labs using its kit.
Hillrom to Buy Bardy Diagnostics for $375M, Deal to Close in Q2 with Possible Milestone Payments
Hillrom will acquire Seattle-based Bardy Diagnostics for $375 million, adding Bardy’s week-long CAM cardiac monitor and related cardiology products to its portfolio; the deal may include future milestone payments and is expected to close in Q2. Bardy, founded in 2013, has about $30 million in annualized revenue, over $20 million in net operating losses, roughly 230 employees, and has raised more than $71 million to date.
AltPep, UW spinout led by Valerie Daggett, raises $23.1M Series A to develop early-detection and therapeutics for Alzheimer’s
Seattle biotech AltPep, spun out of the University of Washington in 2019 and led by founder/CEO Valerie Daggett, raised $23.1 million in a Series A to develop detection tools and preclinical therapies for Alzheimer’s and other amyloid protein diseases. The company’s technology, based on UW-licensed research into alpha-sheet protein structures, will support early detection efforts and expansion into a new 7,500 sq ft Seattle lab.
Two Screens for Teachers raises support as founders seek $23M to supply 250,000 pandemic-strained educators; teen Avi Schiffmann built a widely used COVID-19 tracker
A roundup of positive tech, science, and education stories from 2020 highlights initiatives that helped during the pandemic, including Two Screens for Teachers providing monitors to school districts and a high school student, Avi Schiffmann, building a widely used COVID-19 tracker.
Madrona Venture Group Raises $345M for 8th Fund and $161M for 2nd Later-Stage Fund in Largest Ever $500M Capital Raise
Madrona Venture Group raised over $500 million for its largest fundraise ever, including $345 million for an eighth early-stage fund targeting 35-40 Pacific Northwest startups and $161 million for a second later-stage Acceleration Fund. The firm continues to focus on supporting the Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem while also backing later-stage companies across North America.
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.
Madrona leads $21.5M round for Ovation.io as Boston lab-software startup reports rapid revenue and patient growth
Boston startup Ovation.io, which builds cloud software for medical testing labs, raised $21.5 million in new funding led by Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group; the company says it more than doubled revenue and grew patient volume 75-fold in the past year.
University of Washington launches Husky FAST Start to standardize licensing for spinouts after 35-startup pilot
The University of Washington launched Husky FAST Start, a standardized licensing process with template term sheets and agreements to speed and cut costs for startup license negotiations, after piloting it with 35 startups. The move, timed with the Bayh-Dole Act’s 40th anniversary, aims to help UW founders commercialize innovations from a university that has spun out 73 startups in five years and signed over 5,000 commercial licenses.
People
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Oren Etzioni Executive, Former CEO, Founder and Emeritus Professor, Former Professor, Former Leader of TrueMedia
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Avi Geiger Lecturer, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
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Babak Parviz Professor
