Facts
- HQ
- 1301 Second Avenue, Floor 36
- Sectors
- Real Estate
- Founded
- 2006
- Employees
- 13647
- Stage
- Public
Mainstay acquires Truelist in $18M round; ex-Zillow VP Carey Armstrong named chief strategy officer
Seattle startup Truelist, founded by ex-Zillow VP Carey Armstrong in 2024, was acquired by San Francisco real estate tech firm Mainstay as part of an $18 million growth funding round to expand AI listing and transaction tools across the residential market. Armstrong will join Mainstay as chief strategy officer as the company broadens from serving institutional investors to brokerages, agents and smaller property owners.
Microsoft names Aneesh Raman chief economic opportunity officer and promotes Jenny Lay‑Flurrie; DAT CPO Brian Gill resigns
Microsoft promoted Jenny Lay‑Flurrie to corporate vice president of its Trusted Technology Group and named Aneesh Raman chief economic opportunity officer; Zillow appointed a new policy lead while departures occurred at Oracle, Hiya and DAT Freight & Analytics, including DAT’s CPO Brian Gill resigning.
ABC Fitness Acquires Seattle Gym AI Startup Replify, Co-Founded by Zillow Alum Spencer Rascoff
Seattle gym-AI startup Replify, co-founded in 2023 by Spencer Rascoff and Zillow veterans, was acquired by Sherwood, Arkansas–based ABC Fitness; financial terms were not disclosed.
ABC Fitness acquires Seattle agentic-AI startup Replify; founders and 12-person team to join company
Seattle startup Replify, which uses agentic AI to automate calls, emails, chats and texts for fitness and wellness businesses, is being acquired by Dallas-based ABC Fitness so its AI agents can reach ABC’s global customer base.
Former Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman Joins Greylock Partners as Executive in Residence
Glenn Kelman, former CEO of Redfin, has joined venture capital firm Greylock Partners as an Executive in Residence to support founders in leadership and scaling. Kelman led Redfin's growth for over 20 years, culminating in its $1.75 billion acquisition by Rocket Companies in June 2025.
Seattle Startup Devplan Raises $2.5M Seed to Launch Weaver, an AI Tool Automating Product Team Coordination
Devplan, a Seattle startup founded by industry veterans Chris Bee and Anton Safonov, raised $2.5 million in seed funding led by AI2 Incubator to launch Weaver, a software that automates coordination and status reporting for product and engineering teams. Weaver integrates with tools like GitHub and Slack to provide real-time project tracking and reduce meetings and manual updates.
Expedia and Zillow Co-Founder Rich Barton Relocates to Las Vegas Amid Washington State Wealth Tax Concerns
Rich Barton, the co-founder of Expedia and Zillow, has moved from Washington to Las Vegas, joining other tech magnates like Jeff Bezos who left due to Washington state's new wealth taxes. His departure is seen as a significant loss to the Seattle tech startup ecosystem amid growing debates over taxes on wealthy residents.
Seattle’s Talairis Law Group, Founded by Ex-Perkins Coie Attorneys, Launches AI-Driven Startup Law Firm for Broad Legal Support
Talairis Law Group, founded by former big law and in-house attorneys Sam Shaddox and Matt Souza, launches in Seattle using AI to perform much of the legal work associates traditionally do, aiming to offer startups lower-cost legal services. Unlike other AI-powered law firms focused on singular practice areas, Talairis seeks to provide broad, day-to-day legal support leveraging AI.
UW Students Pitch AI Startup Ideas to Seattle Venture Capitalists After 10-Week Program at Pioneer Square Labs
University of Washington students from seven teams pitched AI-driven startup ideas to influential Seattle investors at Pioneer Square Labs, concluding a 10-week entrepreneurship program led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman and UW professor Ed Lazowska. The event featured realistic pitch rounds, attracting prominent tech leaders as guests throughout the course.
Sana Biotechnology Appoints Brian Piper as CFO; Aptevo CEO Marvin White to Step Down in April; Violett Names Scott Kushino CEO
Brian Piper was appointed CFO and executive vice president at Sana Biotechnology, while Marvin White will step down as Aptevo CEO in April, succeeded by COO Jeff Lamothe. Additionally, Scott Kushino became CEO of Seattle startup Violett, and several other leadership changes occurred across Seattle and New York tech companies.
Seattle-Based RentSpree Grows Profitable Real Estate Platform Serving 4 Million Users, Hires Ex-Redfin CTO
RentSpree, a profitable Seattle-based startup founded in 2016, helps small landlords and real estate agents manage rentals online, processing hundreds of millions in payments yearly. The company recently hired former Redfin executive Alex Berezhnyy as CTO and is expanding its services, including banking features for landlords.
Armoire Integrates AI Virtual Stylist into Clothing Rental Service After a Decade of Adaptations
Seattle-based Armoire, an online clothing rental startup focused on sustainability, has integrated AI through a virtual stylist to enhance customer experience after a decade of strategic pivots including shifts during the pandemic. The company aims to balance human touch with AI efficiency while navigating economic challenges and expanding customer demands.
Seattle Startup Desk Raises $800,000 to Automate Real Estate Contract Work with AI
Seattle startup Desk has raised $800,000 to use AI for automating real estate contract administration, helping over 500 agents streamline paperwork with high accuracy. The company leverages recent AI advancements to offer 'better-than-human' contract processing, accelerating agent workflows without replacing them.
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.
Smartsheet Appoints Stephanie Berner as Chief Customer Officer; Gradial and Zeno Power Expand Senior Leadership
Smartsheet named Stephanie Berner as chief customer officer amid leadership changes, including a new acting CEO. Seattle startups Gradial and Zeno Power also expanded their senior leadership with new executives to drive growth and innovation.
Bala Vishwanath Named SeekOut CMO; Zillow’s Chad Cohen and Zulily’s Darrell Cavens Join Grindr and Match Group Boards
Bala Vishwanath joined SeekOut as chief marketing officer, while former Zillow CFO Chad Cohen and ex-Zulily CEO Darrell Cavens joined the boards of Grindr and Match Group, respectively. These appointments highlight leadership changes in prominent Seattle-area tech and dating companies.
Benjamin Dorr Named CEO of WellSaid Labs; Jennifer Weitzel Joins Microsoft as CVP; Jason Ing Becomes Typeface’s First CMO; Tina Walha Heads U.S. Digital Response
Benjamin Dorr became CEO of AI voice startup WellSaid Labs, replacing Brian Cook, while Jennifer Weitzel joined Microsoft as CVP of engineering and construction, Jason Ing became Typeface's first CMO, and Tina Walha was named CEO of U.S. Digital Response.
GeekWire Week in Review: Bill Gates Pledges $200B, Statsig Hits $1.1B Valuation, Seattle Startups Raise Millions in May 2025
This GeekWire Week in Review highlights top tech stories including Bill Gates' $200 billion philanthropy pledge, Seattle startups raising significant capital, and the emergence of new AI-driven unicorn Statsig valued at $1.1 billion. It also covers local news like a controversial Washington EV tax and cultural moments involving Seattle figures.
Chainguard, $3.5B Cybersecurity Startup with 350+ Employees, Operates Fully Remotely Without Offices
Chainguard, a $3.5 billion cybersecurity startup with over 350 employees, operates fully remotely without any physical offices, leveraging biannual retreats and regular virtual meetings to build team cohesion. CEO Dan Lorenc highlights that this remote model enables access to niche talent across various locations, supported by employee stipends for remote work expenses.
Stepchange Raises $7M for Climate-Focused Venture Fund Targeting Software Startups in Transportation, Energy, and Resilience
Seattle-based venture firm Stepchange raised $7 million for its inaugural fund to invest in climate-focused startups targeting sectors like transportation, energy, and resilience with asset-light, cost-competitive software solutions. Founded by Anay Shah and Ben Eidelson, the fund has already backed 13 startups and plans 30 investments, supported by over 100 investors including Bain Capital Ventures and tech leaders from major companies.
Seattle Startup Friday Harbor Raises $6M to Help Smaller Mortgage Lenders Compete Using AI
Seattle startup Friday Harbor raised $6 million in seed funding to provide AI-driven software that helps smaller mortgage lenders identify loan file issues earlier and compete with industry giants like Rocket and United Wholesale Mortgage. Its product, launched in October, is used by 16 enterprise customers to reduce loan processing time and cost by detecting risks such as undisclosed debts and employment discrepancies.
Washington’s Proposed 5% Payroll Tax on Large Employers Draws Tech Industry Backlash Amid $16B Budget Shortfall
Washington state Democrats propose a 5% statewide payroll tax on wages exceeding $176,100 for companies with payrolls over $7 million to address a $16 billion budget gap, drawing criticism from CEOs and tech leaders including Microsoft President Brad Smith who warn it could harm the tech sector and drive businesses away.
Seattle AI Startup heyLibby, Co-Founded by Spencer Rascoff, Raises $4.5M to Automate Customer Service for Gyms and Salons
Seattle-based AI startup heyLibby, now renamed Replify, raised $4.5 million in seed funding to help health and wellness businesses like gyms and tanning salons automate customer communications. Founded by Tony Small, Anna Rodriguez, and Spencer Rascoff, the company currently serves U.S. clients with plans for international expansion.
ATmosphere Conference Spotlights AT Protocol Enabling Decentralized Social Web with Bluesky and Obama Joins
The ATmosphere Conference in Seattle highlighted the emerging Authenticated Transfer (AT) Protocol, a decentralized social web system enabling users to own their identity and data, exemplified by the Bluesky social network. This protocol aims to disrupt current social apps by allowing interoperable, user-controlled data across multiple apps, with notable figures like Barack Obama joining Bluesky recently.
Rad Power Bikes Names Kathi Lentzsch, Former Bartell Drugs CEO, as New CEO Amid Strategic Retail Shift
Seattle-based e-bike company Rad Power Bikes appointed Kathi Lentzsch, former CEO of Bartell Drugs, as its new CEO amid a strategic shift to retail-focused operations and recent layoffs. Lentzsch replaces Phil Molyneux, who led the company for over two years during a period marked by lawsuits and recalls.
People
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Rich Barton Founder, Co-founder and Co-Executive Chair, Former CEO
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Glenn Kelman Executive, CEO
