Facts
- HQ
- 1301 Second Avenue, Floor 36
- Sectors
- Real Estate
- Founded
- 2006
- Employees
- 13647
- Stage
- Public
Arrived Homes launches $100-share crowdfunding platform for rental-property investing, founded by ex-Simply Measured and Sprout Social executives
Arrived Homes, a Seattle startup founded by tech veterans Ryan Frazier, Kenny Cason and Alejandro Chouza with CFO Joel Mezistrano, launched a crowdfunding platform that lets people buy $100 shares in rental properties and earn passive income while the company handles acquisition, renovation and management. The team uses tech and big data to select properties and has posted its first homes for investment after over a year of development and regulatory work.
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.
GeekWire Podcast: Seattle startup CEOs optimistic for 18 months; Amazon launches Amazon Explore; Spencer Rascoff launches Pacaso
GeekWire Podcast reports Seattle startup CEOs are optimistic about the economy for the next 18 months, Amazon launched a virtual tourism service called Amazon Explore, ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff introduced Pacaso for shared second-home ownership, and the GeekWire Summit will be held virtually Oct. 13–29.
Startup CEOs optimistic despite pandemic; Amazon moves into virtual travel
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: The results are in from the first-ever GeekWire 200 CEO Insights survey and they may surprise you. Startup CEOs in Seattle are generally optimistic about the state of the economy for the next 18 months. And they have some thoughts on who should be president. Amazon's latest offering is virtual tourism through its new Amazon Explore service. GeekWire's Todd Bishop went for a walk around Quebec City with a local guide and took a cooking lesson in Buenos Aires, all without leaving the office. Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff jumps…
Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and dotloop Founder Austin Allison Launch Pacaso, Raise $17M Seed and $250M Debt to Fractionalize Second-Home Ownership
Former Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and dotloop founder Austin Allison launched Pacaso, a startup that fractionalizes second-home ownership and manages co-owned properties. The company announced a $17 million seed round led by Maveron plus $250 million in debt to buy homes and partners with agents to form LLCs for shared ownership.
Seattle startup Nexme raises $500,000 seed round after toll-free call leads to angel investment
Seattle startup Nexme raised a $500,000 seed round after an unexpected toll-free call from real estate investor Mark Montgomery led to meetings and him becoming their first angel backer. Nexme, founded by Arian Abdulkader and Vanessa Alvarez, offers a lower-cost real estate marketplace charging sellers a 1.5% commission and connecting users with experienced licensed agents.
Microsoft (maybe) rescues TikTok; downtown Seattle struggles; micro-schools
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week. Who would have thought that Microsoft could be the likely white knight to save social video app TikTok from threats by President Trump to ban it in the U.S.? Trump set a hard deadline this week for Microsoft or another entity to buy the company before he'll block all transactions with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. We discuss what might be behind Microsoft's interest in entering the social media sphere. In latest TikTok twist, Microsoft reportedly looking at buying entire social media giant Trump issues executive order banning transactions…
OwnTrail, founded by ex-Zillow exec Rebekah Bastian, raises $250K and operates from converted garage office
Seattle startup OwnTrail, founded by Rebekah Bastian, helps women map and share career and life paths and has grown to 1,000 registered users with 350+ profiles. The company raised $250,000, is crowdfunding an additional $20,000 (70% funded), and operates from a converted garage office with three full-time employees.
Zipwhip extends work-from-home through July 2021 after moving into 75,000 sq ft Seattle office in Oct 2019
Seattle startup Zipwhip, which moved into a 75,000-square-foot office in October 2019, is extending its coronavirus-induced work-from-home policy through July 2021 while nearly all of its 250+ employees work remotely. The company provided $500 per employee for home-office setups, keeps the office open for up to 25 people with special needs, and found 80% of employees prefer hybrid schedules.
JetClosing raises $8.5M Series B led by T. Rowe Price amid pandemic-driven surge in digital home closings
Seattle-based JetClosing raised $8.5 million in a Series B led by funds advised by T. Rowe Price as demand for its digital title and escrow closing service surges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company reported order activity up 124% from April to July, says digital notary adoption has accelerated, and total funding is now $35 million.
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launch TeamSense, a COVID-19 symptom‑tracking SaaS that reached paying customers in six weeks
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launched their first spinout, TeamSense, a SaaS platform that lets employers screen and communicate with hourly workers about COVID-19 symptoms via quick daily texts or emails. TeamSense moved from initial funding to paying customers in six weeks and provides dashboards, rosters, and 1-on-1 chat to support workplace health, planning and compliance.
Seattle Tech Firms Shift Perks to Remote Support: Accolade Hosts Virtual Commencement; OfferUp Adds Summer Fridays
With employees working from home during the pandemic and amid racial justice protests, Seattle-area tech companies are replacing traditional office perks with remote-focused benefits—virtual events, expanded leave and care packages—to support staff wellbeing and culture. Examples include Accolade's virtual commencement for employees' children and OfferUp's 'Summer Fridays' schedule.
Tribute CEO Sarah Haggard ties for $140,000 top prize at Seattle Angel Conference XVII and wins Audience Choice
Sarah Haggard, founder and CEO of mentorship startup Tribute, advises taking bold steps toward big goals and recently tied for the top prize at Seattle Angel Conference XVII, winning $140,000 and the Audience Choice award. Tribute, launched in January 2018, aims to provide a real-time digital mentorship platform for remote workers to find on-demand help and better-aligned advice.
Leg Up and Seattle tech HR leaders publish employer guide to support working parents during COVID-19
Seattle startup Leg Up and local tech HR leaders released a new guide to help small and medium-sized employers support working parents and caregivers during COVID-19, offering resources, policy suggestions and executive insights. The guide compiles parent experiences, discounts and HR program changes and complements other toolkits like Madrona Venture Group’s Back to Work Toolkit.
Uber, Grubhub and Seattle; Amazon's virus-killing robot; Surface Earbuds first take
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Word leaked out this week that Uber is considering buying food-delivery service Grubhub, and it turns out there are many Seattle connections behind the possible deal, including links to Expedia and several other companies. Food delivery is a tough market to make a buck in, for companies and their drivers, so what's in the deal for Uber? Uber Eats is #2 and Grubhub is #3 in food delivery services, behind leader DoorDash. DoorDash grew its market share 42% in March while Grubhub stayed flat. Uber Eats grew 20% (it…
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launch joint innovation studio to build spinout companies, starting with a COVID-19 workplace-safety concept
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) has partnered with publicly traded industrial company Fortive to form a joint innovation studio that will build and spin out new companies and products, starting with a confidential workplace-safety concept prompted by COVID-19. PSL will apply its in-house startup studio model to create standalone venture-backed businesses or concepts Fortive may acquire, while Fortive aims to accelerate innovation and cultural change.
Docugami doubles to 20 after $10M funding and keeps hiring amid widespread tech layoffs
Docugami, a Kirkland, Washington document-engineering startup, doubled its staff to 20 after a $10 million funding round in early February and continues hiring despite widespread tech layoffs. CEO Jean Paoli and new head of operations Hartley Riedner have onboarded remotely, reflecting a flipped labor market where some startups can recruit while larger firms cut jobs.
Knock raises $12M Series B led by Madrona as COVID-19 drives surge in remote apartment-management tool usage
Seattle rental-software startup Knock raised $12 million in a Series B led by Madrona Venture Group as demand for its apartment management tools and remote leasing features surged during the COVID-19 crisis.
Expedia's lifeline; Bill Gates on life after lockdown; Redfin and Tokki CEOs on pivoting in a pandemic
Here's what we're talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. “Picture restaurants that only seat people at every other table, and airplanes where every middle seat is empty.” That is what the “semi-normal” next phase of the pandemic will look like, Bill Gates says, offering a starkly pragmatic take that contrasts with predictions from President Trump that the economy will come “roaring back.” But Gates also points to the potential for a new wave of innovation the likes of which hasn’t been seen since World War II. “If there’s life, there’s travel,” says Expedia chairman Barry Diller, expressing optimism…
Glenn Kelman on humility & leadership in Redfin's 14-year journey
Redfin brought real-estate online, had an IPO, and built a role model culture in Seattle. It's been a 14-year journey -- an overnight success! Hear the story and go behind the scenes with CEO Glenn Kelman on leadership, humility, and the opportunity he sees ahead.
An extraordinary year in Seattle tech
From Amazon to Zillow, big successes to surprising failures, it was an extraordinary year for technology and innovation emerging from and impacting Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. That's the consensus from GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop, who independently compiled their own lists of the biggest stories of the year, then compared notes in this year-end GeekWire Podcast discussion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Seattle Startup Flyhomes Expands to Boston, Portland, and L.A., Raises $141M to Aid Homebuyers in Competitive Markets
Seattle-based Flyhomes is expanding its real estate home-buying services to Portland, Boston, and Los Angeles/Orange County, focusing on competitive, high-priced markets by purchasing homes with cash for clients. The startup recently raised $141 million to support growth and has helped over 1,000 clients close on more than $1 billion in homes since 2015.
'This is crazy!' Interview: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman
Glenn Kelman has led Redfin from a small, bold real estate startup to one of the global leaders in real estate technology. He's also an outspoken leader inside the company and beyond, not afraid to criticize his community and his industry when he knows they can do better. On this epsiode, we share the full interview between Kelman and GeekWire Co-founder John Cook, taped live at the 2018 GeekWire Summit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
LIVE: Community + the future of work
Coworking! Accelerators! Virtual offices! The nature of work -- and of workplaces -- is changing in the startup world and beyond, and so are the communities built around those workplaces. Join GeekWire Co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop for a conversation with The Riveter Founder and CEO Amy Nelson and ImpactHub Seattle leader Sarah Studer about the future of work and the communities around it. We'll also run down some of the biggest news stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Week in Geek with Chairman Mom's Sarah Lacy
Sarah Lacy is the founder and CEO of Chairman Mom, a subscription-based online community for working moms. She joins us to talk about the venture and sticks around to discuss the news of the week on this special Week in Geek episode. Other stories on the show: Lime's $335 million funding round and new scooter deal with Uber and the parallels between San Francisco and Seattle are becoming even more pronounced. Plus, on the Random Channel, the topic you've all been waiting for: The Incredibles 2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People
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Rich Barton Founder, Co-founder and Co-Executive Chair, Former CEO
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Glenn Kelman Executive, CEO
