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.
Phia co-founded by Phoebe Gates, Sophia Kianni accused of seven-month cookie-stuffing scheme that may have cost merchants $10M; Impact.com suspends Phia
Shopping startup Phia, co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, is accused of using cookie stuffing in its browser extension to claim affiliate commissions for seven months, potentially costing merchants over $10 million and prompting Impact.com to suspend Phia. Internal messages suggest the founders knew of the practice earlier than publicly claimed, and Phia's revenue dropped sharply after removing the tracking feature amid debate over limited mainstream coverage and potential legal consequences.
Bloomberg: Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni’s Phia Accused of 'Cookie Stuffing,' Faces Legal Risk After $30M Startup’s Revenue Plummets
Bloomberg alleges Phoebe Gates and co‑founder Sophia Kianni engineered Phia’s browser extension to ‘cookie stuff’—taking credit for sales it didn’t drive—leading Phia to disable the features and suffer a sharp revenue drop after the July 2026 report, while the practice carries potential federal penalties up to 20 years. Phia made $30 million in 2025 and counted celebrities and retailers among its partners; Gates and Kianni say they will fix the issue.
Stoke Space Technologies Raises $1 Billion to Fund Fully Reusable Nova Rocket Competing With SpaceX
Stoke Space Technologies is raising $1 billion to accelerate development and production of its fully reusable Nova rocket aimed at competing with SpaceX.
Phoebe Gates’ Phia Accused of Cookie‑Stuffing That Made 51% of June Sales, Raising Potential Federal Wire‑Fraud Questions
Phoebe Gates and Phia co‑founder Sophia Kianni are accused of using a browser extension to secretly drop affiliate cookies that claimed commissions on purchases it didn’t drive, a practice called cookie stuffing that experts say could amount to federal wire fraud; internal messages and a revenue drop after the feature was disabled prompted Impact.com to suspend Phia and the startup to promise refunds and compliance changes.
Phoebe Gates, 23, Phia Co‑Founder Accused of 'Cookie Stuffing' That Could Carry Up to 20 Years in Prison
Phoebe Gates, 23, co‑founder of Phia, is accused of 'cookie stuffing'—allegedly overcounting sales commissions—an act Bloomberg reports the founders knew about months earlier and which an attorney says can carry up to 20 years in federal prison.
Fierce Biotech Tracker: InduPro raises $77M Series B; Vaderis nets $152M Series B to advance cancer and rare-disease candidates
Fierce Biotech's fundraising tracker lists biotech venture rounds of $50M+ for August, highlighting InduPro's $77M Series B to advance its bispecific ADC IDP-001 into a phase 1 trial and Vaderis Therapeutics' $152M Series B to fund a phase 3 study of AKT inhibitor engasertib for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
Vinod Khosla and family lead $9.6B bid to buy Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks
Vinod Khosla and his family are leading a pending $9.6 billion bid to buy the Super Bowl–champion Seattle Seahawks, a record-setting NFL franchise purchase that will test his venture-capital leadership style in sports ownership.
Seattle Seahawks to Be Sold for $9.612 Billion to Khosla Family Including Vinod, Neeru, and Neal
The Seattle Seahawks are set to be sold for $9.612 billion to the Khosla family, led by billionaire Vinod Khosla, his wife Neeru, and son Neal, making them the fourth owners in the team's history. Neeru Khosla will be the controlling owner, with Neal expected to have a significant leadership role.
Radar Company Echodyne Opens $40M Woodinville Plant to Produce 30,000 Drone-Detection Radars Annually
Echodyne, a radar platform company based near Seattle, opened a $40 million manufacturing plant in Woodinville to meet increasing demand for drone-detection radars. The facility, spanning over 86,000 square feet, will create up to 200 jobs and produce around 30,000 radars annually.
Echodyne Opens $40 Million, 86,350-Square-Foot Radar Manufacturing Plant in Woodinville
Radar company Echodyne opened an 86,350-square-foot manufacturing plant in Woodinville with a $40 million investment, aiming to employ 200 people within two years. The company plans to produce over 30,000 radars annually as it expands its position as a global leader in the industry.
Ex-OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil Joins Stoke Space Board to Advance Fully Reusable Rocket Technology
Kevin Weil, former Chief Product Officer at OpenAI and instrumental in ChatGPT's development, has joined the board of Stoke Space, a startup developing fully reusable rockets to significantly reduce launch costs. His appointment highlights a notable crossover between AI tech leadership and the advancing commercial space industry.
Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Tops Bill Gates with $110 Billion Forbes Valuation Despite $30 Billion Gap
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is listed by Forbes with a $110 billion fortune, surpassing Bill Gates, despite a $30 billion valuation gap. His ranking highlights significant implications for cryptocurrency investors estimating portfolio values.
Phoebe Gates' Startup Phia Promotes Series A Funding with Celebrity Billboard at NYC Bodega
Phoebe Gates' startup Phia advertised its celeb-filled Series A funding round on a billboard at a NYC bodega, featuring celebrity investors like Khloe Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Ice Spice. The ad, resembling a Coachella lineup, also highlights Kleiner Perkins as a key investor.
Fusion Startups Raise $7.1 Billion as Commonwealth Fusion and Helion Lead with Ambitious 2020s Power Plant Goals
Private fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion, led by Commonwealth Fusion Systems with $3 billion and Helion with $1.5 billion backed by major investors, aiming to bring fusion power online by the late 2020s. Advances in computing, AI, and superconducting magnets are driving progress toward commercial fusion power plants.
Fusion Startups Have Raised $7.1 Billion, Led by Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ $863M Round
Fusion startups have collectively raised $7.1 billion, with Commonwealth Fusion Systems accounting for about one-third of this private investment. Advances in computing, AI, and superconducting magnets, along with key scientific milestones, are driving rapid progress toward commercially viable fusion power.
Former Convoy CEO Dan Lewis Launches Stealth Startup Focused on AI Infrastructure and Supply Chain Intelligence
Dan Lewis, former CEO of Convoy, has launched a stealth startup aimed at developing AI infrastructure and enhancing supply chain intelligence.
SpaceX IPO Raises $75 Billion at $2.1 Trillion Valuation, Propelling Elon Musk's Net Worth to $1.3 Trillion
SpaceX's IPO priced at $135 per share raised $75 billion, valuing the company at $2.1 trillion and sparking a share price rally that boosted Elon Musk's net worth to about $1.3 trillion. The IPO was oversubscribed with $350 billion in investor demand, highlighting strong confidence in SpaceX's business, particularly Starlink.
Hydrogen Aviation Startup ZeroAvia Scales Back U.S. Operations, CEO and Several Executives Depart Amid Strategic Shift
ZeroAvia, a hydrogen aviation startup backed by Bill Gates and Amazon, has scaled back its ambitions by ceasing most operations in Washington and California, shifting product development to the UK, and experiencing executive departures, including CEO Val Miftakhov. Despite these setbacks, the company maintains its mission to advance hydrogen-electric powertrains for aviation and seeks to adjust its pace and focus according to market conditions.
Zap Energy Adds Nuclear Fission to Fusion Effort, Names Zabrina Johal CEO to Lead Dual-Track Power Strategy
Zap Energy is expanding its nuclear power efforts by adding traditional fission to its fusion technology, appointing Zabrina Johal as CEO to lead the combined approach. The company aims to integrate both nuclear methods to accelerate development and reduce risks amid growing demand for carbon-free energy.
Anoop Gupta Steps Down as SeekOut CEO, Sean Thompson Named Successor to Drive AI Recruiting Growth
Anoop Gupta is stepping down as CEO of SeekOut on May 4 to become executive chairman, passing leadership to Sean Thompson, who will focus on scaling SeekOut's AI recruiting service and pursuing acquisitions for growth. Thompson, an enterprise tech veteran, previously led NAVEX and has experience with SAP, Microsoft, and AI startups.
Ara Partners to acquire Sedron Technologies with up to $500M to scale sewage and dairy-waste treatment facilities
Washington wastewater startup Sedron Technologies is being acquired by Ara Partners, which will invest up to $500 million to scale deployment of its sewage and dairy-waste treatment facilities that produce fertilizer and clean energy.
GeekWire Names Helion, OCOChem, TerraPower, Ravel, and IUNU as 2026 Sustainable Innovation Award Finalists
The finalists for GeekWire's 2026 Sustainable Innovation Award are energy companies Helion, OCOChem, TerraPower; fashion recycler Ravel; and agtech startup IUNU, recognized for their work combating climate change and sustainability challenges. The award, sponsored by Amazon, highlights Pacific Northwest leaders and culminates in a May 7 celebration in Seattle, with public voting open until April 16.
Five Contractors Sue Bill Gates-Backed Modern Hydrogen for $363,458 in Unpaid Invoices After Contract Terminations
Five contractors are suing Modern Hydrogen, a Seattle clean energy startup backed by Bill Gates, for unpaid final invoices totaling over $363,458. The lawsuits follow sudden contract terminations amid Gates' reduced focus on climate initiatives and the company's halted projects.
TerraPower Receives First U.S. Federal Permit for Next-Gen Nuclear Reactors, Plans Eight Reactors with Meta by 2035
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower became the first company to receive U.S. federal approval to build a next-generation nuclear power plant, with construction permits granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company recently signed an agreement with Meta to build up to eight advanced Natrium reactors in the U.S., aiming for the first two to be operational by 2032.
Aetherflux, Founded by Robinhood's Baiju Bhatt, Expands to Seattle for Solar-Powered Orbital Data Center Satellite Development
Aetherflux, a space startup founded in 2024 by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, is expanding to Seattle to develop solar-powered orbital data center satellites aimed at supporting AI energy needs, with a commercial launch planned for 2027. The company joins a growing aerospace community in Seattle, focusing on leveraging space-based infrastructure to overcome limitations of ground-based AI computing resources.
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
