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Former GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke’s Entire launches distributed Git network preview after $60M seed
Former GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke’s startup Entire launched a preview of a distributed Git network that mirrors repositories across active regions in the U.S., Europe, and Australia to reduce latency, rate limits, and outages from AI coding agents. Entire raised a $60 million seed round in February and lets developers mirror GitHub repos in one step while keeping code on the original platform.
Former GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke Raises $60M Seed for Entire, a $300M-Valued AI Developer Platform
Thomas Dohmke, former GitHub CEO, launched Entire, a developer platform aimed at AI coding agents, backed by a historic $60 million seed round valuing the company at $300 million. Entire’s first open-source tool, Checkpoints, helps teams audit AI-generated code, supporting AI agents like Anthropic's Claude Code and Google's Gemini CLI.
Lumen Bioscience adds Jeff Raikes to board, promotes executives and secures $30M Series C extension led by WestRiver Group
Lumen Bioscience announced board and leadership changes—including Jeff Raikes joining as an independent director, promotions of Nhi Khuong and Kole Krieger, and appointment of David Saunders—and elected Erik Anderson as Vice Chairman. The company also closed an oversubscribed $30 million Series C extension led by WestRiver Group with participation from the Gates Foundation and several new investors to support its orally delivered biologics clinical pipeline.
Qbeast Raises $7.6M Seed Round Led by Peak XV's Surge to Optimize Analytics on Open Data Platforms
Qbeast, a Bellevue-based data optimization startup led by former AWS and Azure veteran Srikanth Satya, raised $7.6 million in a seed round led by Peak XV's Surge. The company offers an indexing layer for open data platforms, promising faster queries and reduced compute costs.
Gennev Founder Jill Angelo Steps Down After Acquisition; Aurion Biotech CEO Replaced Following Alcon Majority Stake; Temporal Adds New Leadership
Jill Angelo, founder and CEO of menopause startup Gennev, stepped down following its acquisition by Unified Women’s Healthcare, while Aurion Biotech replaced CEO Greg Kunst with Arnaud Lacoste after Alcon acquired a majority stake. Temporal also announced leadership additions with Jim Cyb as president and Sahir Azam as an independent board member.
Seattle Startup Rhodium Raises $2 Million to Revolutionize Marketing for Medical Spas and Beauty Brands with AI
Seattle startup Rhodium, founded by former Petabyte executives, has raised $2 million to provide AI-driven marketing software for medical spas and beauty brands. The company combines machine learning with merged direct-to-consumer brands to enhance customer engagement and revenue.
Digital Youth Safety Startup k-ID Raises $45M Series A to Help Game Developers Comply with Global Age Regulations
k-ID, a Singapore and Seattle-based startup, raised $45 million in Series A funding to provide tools helping game developers comply with age-related regulations and enable parental control over children's online experiences. Their platform addresses international regulatory efforts on youth safety, such as restrictions on loot boxes and age assurance in various countries.
Ziad Ismail Named COO of Seattle AI Startup Xembly; Jennifer Sullo Joins Earth Finance; Aaron Bird Becomes Inflection.io CEO
Ziad Ismail has joined Seattle AI startup Xembly as COO, bringing extensive experience from Convoy and Microsoft. Additionally, Jennifer Sullo joined Earth Finance as managing director, and Aaron Bird became CEO of Seattle marketing startup Inflection.io.
Armoire Hires Ex-Microsoft CTO Laura Butler; Chewy Acquires Petabyte for $43.4M, Elevates Founder Michael Hyman to VP
Clothing rental startup Armoire appointed former Microsoft technical fellow Laura Butler as CTO, while pet e-commerce company Chewy promoted Michael Hyman to VP following its $43.4 million acquisition of his veterinary startup Petabyte.
Paresh Rajwat Appointed Meta's Pacific Northwest Office Head Amid Metaverse Expansion and Company-Wide Cutbacks
Paresh Rajwat has been named Meta's new head of office for the Pacific Northwest, overseeing more than 8,000 employees in the region as part of Meta's metaverse expansion. Despite company-wide layoffs and reduced growth projections amid economic challenges, Rajwat remains optimistic about the Pacific Northwest's critical role in Meta's future.
Boltive Leaders Dan Frechtling and Scott Moore Drive Online Privacy Tech Motivated by Personal Cancer Losses
Boltive CEO Dan Frechtling and CFO Scott Moore share a deep personal connection through their experiences with their wives' cancer treatments, motivating their work in online privacy compliance technology. Boltive, formerly Ad Lightning, is expanding its automated solutions to help brands comply with privacy laws and honor user choices.
Seattle Startup Pattern Computer Develops Rapid COVID-19 Test Using Light Patterns from Saliva with Proprietary AI System
Seattle startup Pattern Computer is developing a rapid COVID-19 test using light pattern analysis from saliva with a proprietary computer system, attracting top biotech and tech experts. The company, founded by notable figures including CEO Mark Anderson, has kept details secret but has garnered significant industry interest.
Brian Goldfarb named Tenable CMO; Elizabeth Hamren becomes Discord COO; Kurt DelBene confirmed as VA CIO; Madrona adds three strategic directors
Several tech industry hires and appointments: Brian Goldfarb is CMO at Tenable; Elizabeth Hamren is COO at Discord; Kurt DelBene confirmed as VA CIO; Madrona Venture Group added three strategic directors; Christina Mautz joined Panopto.
Intelus, led by ex-Microsoft engineer Patrice Simard, launches Duet open beta — a no-code 'machine teaching' platform
Seattle startup Intelus, founded in November 2020 by former Microsoft engineer Patrice Simard and colleagues, launched an open beta of Duet, a no-code 'machine teaching' platform that lets users build AI models from unstructured text via a graphical interface. Intelus aims to expand beyond text to images and signals, is initially targeting developers, has about 15 people (seven full-time), and is currently self-funded by Simard.
Opendoor acquires Seattle’s Pro.com and San Francisco’s Skylight, will shut both platforms
Opendoor acquired Seattle-based Pro.com and San Francisco-based Skylight, will discontinue both companies' consumer platforms and integrate their teams and technology into Opendoor’s roadmap; deal terms were not disclosed. The moves give Opendoor a Seattle presence and add home-improvement talent as the iBuyer expands amid increased digital homebuying adoption.
Shirish Nadkarni explains how to judge startup ideas and why incumbents are hard to beat
Veteran entrepreneur Shirish Nadkarni excerpts lessons on evaluating startup ideas, arguing founders must assess ideas against incumbents, market dynamics and strategic perspectives rather than early positive feedback. He emphasizes incumbents’ advantages and the difficulty of displacing established players without exploiting major industry transformations.
iContact (J2 Global subsidiary) acquires Seattle SEO firm Moz; terms undisclosed
Seattle SEO software startup Moz, founded in 2004 by Rand Fishkin and Gillian Muessig, was acquired by iContact (a J2 Global subsidiary); terms were not disclosed and Moz will keep its brand while joining J2’s email marketing portfolio. Moz, which employs 177 people, is profitable, serves clients like Alaska Airlines and Zillow, and will pair resources with iContact for combined search and email marketing solutions.
Ad Lightning CEO Scott Moore says he pulled company from downtown Seattle over safety, homelessness and transit, won’t return
Ad Lightning CEO Scott Moore says he pulled his company out of downtown Seattle because employees don’t feel safe amid crime and homelessness and poor transit, and he doesn’t plan to return until durable solutions are in place; he warns Seattle is losing competitiveness to Eastside cities like Bellevue and Redmond.
Pioneer Square Labs spins out 25 startups in five years; six launched during pandemic surge
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) spun out 25 startups in five years — six during a six-month pandemic stretch — by rapidly testing ideas, though it has yet to produce a breakout unicorn and faces criticism over founder dilution.
Former Zillow Leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong Raise $40M Seed for Tomo Networks to Build Tech-Driven Mortgage Platform
Former Zillow leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong launched Tomo Networks, a fintech startup building a tech-driven mortgage and transaction platform, and raised a $40 million seed round led by prominent real estate investors. The company, founded a few months ago, is targeting agents and consumers while keeping specific business model details private.
Amazon names Anne Toth director of Alexa Trust; Zillow adds Claire Cormier Thielke to board; Lockstep exits stealth
Amazon hired Anne Toth as director of Alexa Trust to lead privacy, security, accessibility and ethics efforts for Alexa; Zillow added Claire Cormier Thielke to its board and Lockstep, a Seattle accounting-software startup founded in 2019, emerged from stealth with a founding team drawn from Avalara, Globys, e2b Teknologies and Winshuttle.
Jeff Ma named GM of Microsoft for Startups to connect founders with Microsoft’s co-sell and marketplace programs
Jeff Ma, a serial entrepreneur and former Twitter data science leader, is the new general manager for Microsoft for Startups, helping startups access Microsoft resources like co-sell and marketplace programs. He says Microsoft for Startups could have been a game changer for his prior companies and is focused on recruiting new talent and reconnecting with the startup community.
The Riveter places 24 employees (34% of staff) on temporary layoff under Washington’s COVID-19 ‘standby’ rule
Seattle tech startups like The Riveter and Armoire are using Washington’s temporary layoff (“standby”) policy so employees can collect unemployment benefits while expected to return within eight weeks, as revenue falls and social distancing forces closures amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The Riveter put 24 employees (34% of staff) on standby, cut hours and pay, and is covering health insurance while aiming to bring staff back after the crisis.
