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
Seattle’s Accipiter Bio Raises $12.7M, Partners with Pfizer and Kite Pharma to Advance AI-Designed Multi-Target Protein Therapies
Seattle biotech startup Accipiter Biosciences, founded by researchers from Nobel laureate David Baker's lab, secured $12.7 million and partnerships with Pfizer and Kite Pharma to develop AI-designed multi-target proteins aiming to improve disease treatment efficacy and reduce clinical trial costs.
Point72, AI2 Incubator, Amazon Alexa and SBI Invest $6M in Hearvana to Commercialize Sub-10ms ‘Sound Bubble’ Audio AI
Point72 and others invested $6 million in Hearvana, a startup building on-device ‘sound bubble’ technology that separates and amplifies selected voices with sub-10 ms latency to improve headphones, hearing aids, AR glasses, and voice assistants.
Seattle Startup Hearvana Raises $6M to Develop AI-Driven Sound Enhancement Technology
Seattle startup Hearvana, founded by University of Washington researchers including Shyam Gollakota, raised $6 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI-powered sound enhancement technology for devices like earbuds and hearing aids. Their AI platform enables real-time, on-device audio processing to improve listening in complex and noisy environments.
Founders’ Co-op announces $50M Fund VI to continue first-check investments in regional technical founders
Founders’ Co-op announced a new $50 million venture fund, Founders’ Co-op VI, managed by the same two partners, focused on early first-check investments in ambitious technical founders within their regional talent network rather than positioning as an AI-specific or larger fund.
Tim Chen Raises $41 Million for Fourth Fund at Essence VC, Emerging as a Leading Solo Investor Backing Infrastructure Startups
Tim Chen, initially rejected by Seattle venture capital firms for being 'too nerdy,' launched his own firm, Essence VC, which has grown to raise $41 million for its fourth fund and gained a strong reputation backing infrastructure startups. His technical background and experience as a software engineer have made him a sought-after solo investor, with notable portfolio successes including the $2.2 billion acquisition of Tabular by Databricks.
Susan Kaech Named Executive VP at Allen Institute; Arthur Valdez Joins Impinj Board; Jason Bennett Shifts to AWS VP Role
Susan Kaech joins the Allen Institute as executive VP of the Immunology Moonshot; Arthur Valdez Jr. joins Impinj's board; Jason Bennett transitions to VP of worldwide startups and venture capital at AWS. These leadership changes reflect strategic moves across bioscience, RFID technology, and cloud services sectors.
Seattle's Emerald Battery Labs Develops Safer, Lower-Cost Sodium-Ion Batteries to Compete with Lithium-Ion
Seattle startup Emerald Battery Labs is developing sodium-ion batteries as a cheaper, safer, and longer-lasting alternative to lithium-ion batteries, aiming to improve their lower energy density. They target grid-scale energy storage, data center backup power, and consumer products using existing lithium-ion manufacturing infrastructure.
Seattle Outpaces Toronto as Superior Tech Hub Despite Toronto's High-Valued AI Startups Amid ALCS Baseball Rivalry
Seattle and Toronto, both strong tech hubs, are compared on various metrics like talent rankings, corporate presence, and startups, with Seattle leading in corporate tech depth and number of unicorns, while Toronto boasts high-value AI startups like Cohere. Seattle ranks higher globally and has more engineering centers from major US tech firms, though Toronto shows strong growth in AI and security startups.
Seattle Startup Singletto Launches FDA-Approved Virus-Killing Masks on Amazon Following $10M Funding and DARPA Support
Seattle startup Singletto, with $10 million in funding and support from DARPA, has launched FDA-approved virus-neutralizing face masks on Amazon using its Oxafence Active Protection technology that kills 99.9% of certain viruses. The masks are the only FDA-cleared products in the U.S. that inactivate tested viruses and may have applications in healthcare and national security.
From Google and Amazon to NewDays: Why These Tech Vets Bet on AI for Dementia
In this episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Managing Director Tim Porter sits down with Babak Parviz and Daniel Kelly, co-founders of NewDays, a platform purpose-built for older Americans living with cognitive change to help them reclaim abilities, preserve independence, and keep being themselves. Babak and Daniel share how their experience at Amazon and Google led them to apply AI in the most human way: helping people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with scalable solutions. They dive into: Why we chose to build at the intersection of AI and cognitive health How to translate clinical science into accessible…
Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$ presented to UW CoMotion Labs on Oct 3, 2025
A presentation titled "Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$," prepared for University of Washington CoMotion Labs on October 3, 2025, outlines arguments against accepting venture capital and acknowledges input from several Seattle-area VCs and others.
Seattle’s Agtech Startups Like Carbon Robotics Garner $157M to Drive Sustainable Farming Amid Industry Growth
Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are becoming a major hub for agriculture technology, driven by local tech talent, innovative farming, and advances in robotics and AI. Despite a dip in agtech investments from 2021 to 2022, startups like Seattle-based Carbon Robotics are raising significant funding and developing sustainable farming technologies.
Seattle’s Alpyne Labs Introduces Juno, an AI Assistant to Automate Admin Tasks for Mental Health Clinicians
Seattle startup Alpyne Labs launched Juno, an AI-powered Chrome extension designed to handle administrative tasks like billing and scheduling for mental health clinicians, freeing them to focus on patient care. Co-founded by CEO Justin Ith and VP Michelle Arenas, Juno integrates with popular EHR platforms and enables natural conversational interaction.
Pacific Northwest Leads Fusion Energy Efforts with Helion Energy's $1B Project Starting and Zap Energy's Reactor Advances
The Pacific Northwest has become a fusion energy hub, highlighted by Seattle Fusion Week, with key companies like Helion Energy starting commercial fusion plant construction and Zap Energy advancing reactor milestones. Despite technical challenges, regional firms and research institutions continue efforts toward achieving cost-effective fusion power by the late 2020s.
Robotics Pioneer Siddhartha Srinivasa Joins Madrona Venture Group to Drive AI and Robotics Innovation
Robotics expert Siddhartha Srinivasa, known for his work at Berkshire Grey, Amazon, and Cruise, is joining Madrona Venture Group as a venture partner to foster AI and robotics innovation in the Pacific Northwest. He highlights recent advances in robotics hardware affordability and compute power, signaling growth opportunities in the field.
Panaxium Research Secures Exclusive IP Deal with University of Washington for Stroke Recovery Neurostimulation Therapy
Panaxium Research has signed an exclusive intellectual property agreement with the University of Washington to develop dynamic neurostimulation therapy aimed at improving stroke recovery.
Fred Hutch-Led Synthesize Bio Raises $10M to Accelerate Drug Discovery Using AI Gene Expression Model
Seattle-based Synthesize Bio, led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center researchers, raised $10 million from Madrona to accelerate drug discovery using their AI model GEM-1, which predicts gene expression outcomes with lab-level accuracy. The startup aims to reduce drug development time and costs by simulating hypothetical lab experiments with generative genomics.
FoundHer House, San Francisco’s All-Female AI Hacker House Founded by Seattle Natives, Eyes Expansion to Seattle Amid $1.2B Funding Surge for Female-led Startups
FoundHer House, an all-female AI entrepreneur co-living space launched in San Francisco by Seattle natives Miki Safronov-Yamamoto and Anantika Mannby, is gaining attention as a model to support female founders amid the AI boom. With Seattle’s growing female-led startup funding surpassing $1.2 billion in 2024, the city is being considered for expansion of this initiative to help close the tech industry’s gender gap.
Marketing Executive with 20 Years’ Experience Seeks Leadership Role in Series A/B Startups Focused on Energy Transition and Sustainability
An experienced marketing leader with 20 years in the field is seeking a leadership role at a startup focused on clean energy, corporate sustainability, regenerative agriculture, water management, or social impact. They bring expertise in scaling startups, energy markets, and corporate carbon accounting, and have held leadership roles at LevelTen Energy and Redfin.
Marketing Executive with 20 Years’ Experience Seeks Leadership Role in Energy and Sustainability Startups
An experienced marketing leader with 20 years of expertise in energy and sustainability is seeking to lead the marketing function at a startup focused on energy transition, corporate sustainability, regenerative agriculture, water management, or social impact. They bring a proven track record in scaling startups like LevelTen Energy and Redfin, hold an MBA from University of Washington, and are passionate about mission-driven work.
Nuance Labs, Founded by Ex-Apple PhDs, Raises $10M to Build Emotional AI Model, Chooses Seattle Over San Francisco
Nuance Labs, founded by ex-Apple PhDs Fangchang Ma and Edward Zhang, raised $10 million led by Accel to develop an AI model that understands and expresses emotion, choosing Seattle as their base over San Francisco. The startup aims to create more realistic AI and has attracted local talent enthusiastic about their mission.
Find Ventures Shuts Down After Six Years Due to Funding Challenges, Donates Remaining Funds to UW
Find Ventures, a nonprofit supporting early stage Washington startups and underrepresented entrepreneurs with non-dilutive funding, is shutting down due to funding challenges after six years. The organization raised $700,000 in 2022 but could not secure capital for a second cohort amid a challenging macro environment and declining donor interest.
Lila Biologics, Nobel Laureate’s Startup, Partners with Eli Lilly to Develop AI-Based Tumor Therapies
Lila Biologics, a startup from Nobel Laureate David Baker's University of Washington lab, is collaborating with Eli Lilly to develop AI-powered tumor-targeted therapies, aiming to deliver a candidate protein for clinical trials within six months. The startup utilizes AI and machine learning platforms to create therapeutic proteins for targeted radiotherapy and long-acting injectable drugs.
Paul Allen’s Estate Launches $3.1B Fund for Science and Technology, Highlighting His Legacy and Philanthropy
Paul Allen's estate has launched a new $3.1 billion Fund for Science and Technology, reviving interest in the late Microsoft co-founder's legacy, philanthropy, and vision. A 2011 interview reveals his motivations behind philanthropy, his relationship with Bill Gates, and his diverse passions.
Seattle Shield Initiative Proposes Raising B&O Tax Exemption to $2M, Increasing Rates for Large Tech Firms Starting November Vote
Seattle voters will decide in November on the Seattle Shield initiative, which raises the B&O tax exemption from $100,000 to $2 million, relieving small businesses but increasing taxes for larger ones. For tech startups, this means early-stage companies pay less in taxes, while those scaling past $2 million in revenue will face higher rates.
People
See all 25-
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
