Bill Gates
Bill Gates is the Founder of Breakthrough Energy, Co-founder and Co-chair of the Gates Foundation, and Co-founder at Microsoft and TerraPower. He founded Breakthrough Energy, Gates Foundation, Microsoft (which went public), and TerraPower, and remains active in all. His expertise includes leadership in technology, philanthropy, and energy innovation.
Manny Vellon, Princeton‑trained engineer and Seattle startup CTO, dies at 60 after four-decade tech career
Manny Vellon, a Princeton-trained software engineer and longtime Seattle startup founder and CTO, was remembered for solving complex technical problems simply and for his calm, integrity-driven leadership. Colleagues praised his four-decade career from early Microsoft work to IoT, and his supportive, nonprescriptive mentorship at companies including Likewise Software and Level 11.
E8 launches Decarbon8-US philanthropic fund to back climate-tech startups, raised $120,000 so far
Seattle-based E8 launched Decarbon8-US, a tax-deductible philanthropic fund that lets anyone donate to support early-stage climate-tech startups; it has raised $120,000 so far and will award $50,000–$75,000 to three-to-six companies announced in July.
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…
Convoy leans on technology to navigate COVID-19 surge after $400M raise at $2.7B valuation
Seattle digital freight startup Convoy experienced record activity on its network as COVID-19 increased demand for essentials, and CEO Dan Lewis says the company’s efficiency-focused technology helps it navigate a volatile, recessionary period. Convoy remains a Seattle unicorn after raising $400 million at a $2.7 billion valuation in September and continues serving major shippers like Anheuser-Busch, Home Depot, and Procter & Gamble.
Special COVID-19 Episode: Ian Morris
Ian Morris is the Co-founder and CEO of Likewise, an innovative startup backed by Bill Gates that’s re-imagining the way that people find great recommendations. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every business in some way, Ian shares how the stay at home order and closure of recreational facilities has resulted in a tremendous jump in users on Likewise’s platform on this special episode of the What Fuels You podcast. He discusses how they’re up 400 percent on the number of recommendations and saves taking place on the application, the most popular lists and categories on Likewise and how they…
GeekWire Podcast: Bill Gates on COVID-19’s permanent work shift; Vicis assets sold for $2.85M; LEGO and Nintendo launch interactive Super Mario set
The GeekWire Podcast covers Bill Gates on how COVID-19 will permanently change work (while preserving in-person schooling), the resurrection of Seattle helmet maker Vicis through a $2.85M asset sale, and a collaboration bringing Super Mario into LEGO physical sets, plus tech and COVID-related business headlines.
Seattle confronts the coronavirus
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Seattle became ground zero in the U.S. coronavirus outbreak this week and tech firms were trying to adjust. Meetings and conferences were cancelled or moved online and many firms told employees to work from home for the rest of the month. GeekWire was no exception: Our annual awards event has been postponed. How will the virus impact Seattle’s tech scene in the short term and in the long run? Will it change the way many of us work? We discuss … Coronavirus Live Updates: The latest COVID-19 developments in…
Apple acquires Xnor.ai; Microsoft's bold climate plan; Seattle startup trivia
Apple doubled down on artificial intelligence and boosted its presence in Seattle with the acquisition of Xnor.ai, an Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence spinout with roots at the University of Washington, as first reported by GeekWire this week. It was a win for those institutions, and investors including Seattle's Madrona Venture Group, but it's also an example of an ambitious startup selling to a tech giant before it has the chance to become one itself. So how should we look at deals like this? Plus, Microsoft's ambitious plan to go "carbon negative" puts the tech company at the forefront of…
Ian Morris
Ian Morris, the CEO of Likewise, talks about the exciting things that he and his team are building at Likewise to help all of us get better recommendations about what to watch, read, and experience next. Before Likewise, Ian spent 7 years at Microsoft where he helped create and went on to lead Microsoft HomeAdvisor. He then served 10 years as the CEO of Market Leader, the real estate software leader that he took public and later sold to Trulia in 2013. Now, with Likewise, an innovative company which was originally imagined and is funded by Bill Gates’ private office…
Why Arivale failed
Founded in 2015, Seattle startup Arivale aspired to pioneer a new sector called scientific wellness, combining genetic testing with personal coaching to improve the health of its members. Its founder, genomics legend Lee Hood, said the company "really stands a chance of being the Google or Microsoft of this whole arena." But four years later, Arivale abruptly closed its doors this week. We explain what happened with special guest, GeekWire chief business officer Daniel Rossi, an Arivale member whose experience in the program was chronicled in our 2017 series. Plus, Microsoft breaks the trillion-dollar mark, Bill Gates serves as a…
Unicorns, IPOs and the next tech giants
Seattle has a new unicorn, Outreach, the sales and marketing automation company that raised a $114 million funding round this week, pushing its valuation to $1.1 billion. The news sends John and Todd on a startup odyssey, exploring the hidden connections among the new wave of public companies and tech behemoths in Silicon Valley and Seattle, including Uber, Lyft, Convoy and others. Plus, Amazon and Microsoft are preparing to challenge Apple's AirPods,. And on the Random Channel, Melinda Gates has a message for the tech industry, and John is determined to be a "Never Throner." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bill Gates-Backed Kymeta Demonstrates High-Speed Flat-Panel Satellite Antennas at Monaco Yacht Show, Secures Superyacht Commitments
Kymeta Corp., backed by Bill Gates, showcased its flat-panel satellite antennas at the Monaco Yacht Show, delivering high-speed broadband to yachts using Panasonic’s satellite network. The demonstration impressed superyacht owners, resulting in commitments for Kymeta’s mTenna technology from iconic yachts and promising significantly faster maritime broadband.
Organizations
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Breakthrough Energy Ventures Founder 2015–present · current
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Gates Foundation Co-founder and Co-chair 2000–present · current
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Microsoft Co-founder 1975–present, Former CEO · current
Education
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Harvard University 1973–1975
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Lakeside School
