Dave Clark
Dave Clark is Founder and CEO at Auger and serves as Consumer Chief at Amazon. He previously held several senior leadership roles at Amazon, including CEO Worldwide Consumer and Director of The Amazon Customer Excellence System. Clark founded Auger, which is still running. His expertise includes scaling operations for large enterprises, robotics and AI implementations, commercial acumen, and corporate communications.
Temporal rises to No. 1 on GeekWire 200 after $550M raise at $12.55B valuation as AI and hardware firms climb
Temporal is now the No. 1 company on the GeekWire 200 after a $550 million raise valuing it at $12.55 billion and surpassing $250 million in annualized revenue; the Fall 2026 ranking highlights growth in AI software and advanced machinery for space, energy and defense across the Pacific Northwest.
Auger founder and ex-Amazon operations chief Dave Clark relocates startup HQ from Seattle to Dallas
Auger, a supply-chain software startup founded in 2024 by former Amazon operations chief Dave Clark, is moving its headquarters from Seattle to Dallas, citing family reasons and praise for Texas’s business management while criticizing Washington’s business climate. The firm, which counts Meta, Kimberly-Clark and Fanatics as customers, uses AI to connect supply-chain systems and has raised significant development capital.
Bezos and Liverpool FC, a Meta vet's AI startup, Auger's Dallas move, and the demise of Microsoft's AI blob
This week: What should Liverpool FC fans expect from Jeff Bezos as a member of the storied club's new minority ownership group? We consult the Amazon leadership principles for the answer. Plus, a tip and an SEC filing lead to a scoop on a former Meta AI director's new startup, the GeekWire Editorial Board convenes to decide whether Dave Clark's Auger stays on the GeekWire 200 after moving its HQ to Dallas, and Microsoft quietly semi-retires its AI blob. Bezos and Liverpool FC Group including Jeff Bezos buys minority stake in Liverpool FC, with option to become controlling owner —…
Auger Founder Dave Clark Moves HQ to Dallas, Cites Family Reasons and Calls Washington’s Business Climate ‘Unfriendly’
Dave Clark, co-founder and owner of supply-chain software startup Auger, is moving the company’s headquarters from the Seattle area to Dallas, citing family reasons but criticizing Washington state’s business climate as increasingly unfriendly. Auger, founded in 2024, will keep an engineering hub in Bellevue and counts Meta, Kimberly-Clark and Fanatics as customers.
KIRO hosts react as Auger — Bellevue startup founded by ex-Amazon chief Dave Clark — moves HQ to Dallas after $150M raise
KIRO hosts debated the significance of Bellevue-founded supply chain software company Auger moving its headquarters to Dallas, with hosts Ursula Reutin and Angela Poe Russell warning Seattle shouldn't shrug off the loss while producer Andrew Lanier downplayed a broader exodus. Auger, founded in 2024 by former Amazon operations chief Dave Clark, has raised $150 million and cited family, weather, and Dallas’s supply-chain talent as reasons for relocating, though Clark also warned of an anti-business climate in Seattle.
Auger — Dave and Leigh Anne Clark’s $150M AI supply-chain startup — moves HQ from Seattle area to Dallas
Auger, an AI supply-chain startup co-founded in 2024 by former Amazon executive Dave Clark and Leigh Anne Clark, is relocating its headquarters from the Seattle area to Dallas after raising $150 million; development work remains in Seattle and the Dallas office is expected to reach about 30 employees by year-end.
Auger founders Dave and Leigh Anne Clark relocate HQ to Dallas while retaining 115-person Bellevue engineering hub
Auger, a supply-chain technology startup founded in 2024 by former Amazon retail CEO Dave Clark and his wife Leigh Anne Clark, has moved its headquarters to Dallas while keeping a 115-person engineering hub in Bellevue and 15 staff at the Dallas HQ. The Clarks say the move was planned to access Dallas-area supply-chain talent and reflects personal ties to the region, not Washington tax policy.
Former Amazon Operations Chief Dave Clark Moves Auger HQ to North Dallas, Keeps 115-Person Bellevue Engineering Office
Auger, a supply-chain software startup co-founded by former Amazon operations chief Dave Clark, has relocated its headquarters from Bellevue to North Dallas while retaining a 115-person engineering office in Bellevue; the 2024-founded company has raised $150 million and counts Meta, Fanatics and Kimberly-Clark as customers. Clark says the move was driven by talent, family and proximity to customers rather than taxes, and he warned that Seattle’s dominance in tech hubs isn’t guaranteed.
Dave and Leigh Anne Clark Move Auger HQ to Dallas After Raising $150 Million, Serving Meta and Other Fortune 500 Clients
Former Amazon executive Dave Clark and his wife Leigh Anne moved Auger’s headquarters from Seattle to Dallas; their supply-chain AI startup has raised $150 million, counts Meta, Kimberly-Clark and Fanatics as customers, and aims to become a $100 billion company.
Auger, led by ex-Amazon exec Dave Clark, raises $50M Series B (part of $150M) to deploy AI agents that run supply chains
Dave Clark, founder of Auger and former Amazon operations lead, raised a $50 million Series B as part of $150 million total to build AI agents that execute routine supply-chain operations across existing ERP, WMS, TMS and demand-planning systems for customers including Meta Reality Labs, Fanatics and Kimberly-Clark.
Bellevue AI Startup Auger Secures $50M Series B, Total Funding Hits $150M
Bellevue AI startup Auger raised $50 million in Series B funding, increasing its total capital raised to $150 million.
Auger, led by ex‑Amazon operations chief Dave Clark, raises $50M Series B to reach $150M total and expand customers
Auger, a Bellevue supply-chain software startup led by ex‑Amazon operations chief Dave Clark, raised $50 million in a Series B led by Eclipse, bringing total funding to $150 million while growing to ~130 employees and signing customers including Meta, Fanatics, and Kimberly‑Clark. The company integrates existing ERP and logistics systems into a unified operating layer using AI agents and optimization models to make and execute supply‑chain decisions.
Unsealed Documents Reveal AWS as OpenAI's Original Partner Before Microsoft; Satya Nadella Debuts New AI Catchphrase
Newly unsealed court documents reveal that Amazon Web Services was OpenAI's original partner before Microsoft, as discussed on the GeekWire Podcast. The episode also covers Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's new AI catchphrase, Elon Musk's comments on aliens, and developments in Seattle-area physical AI startups.
Microsoft's private OpenAI emails and Satya Nadella’s new AI catchphrase
Newly unsealed court documents reveal the behind-the-scenes history of Microsoft and OpenAI · including a surprise: Amazon Web Services was the Silicon Valley AI lab's original partner. Plus, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella debuts a new AI catchphrase at Davos, startup CEO Dave Clark gets attention for his "wildly productive weekend," Elon Musk talks aliens, and the latest on physical AI startups in the Pacific Northwest, including Overland AI and AIM Intelligent Machines. With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop; edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ex-Amazon CEO Dave Clark Builds Custom CRM Using AI Vibe Coding Tools in 72 Hours for Startup Auger
Former Amazon CEO Dave Clark rapidly developed a custom CRM and customer prototype over a weekend using AI-powered vibe coding tools, highlighting their productivity benefits despite some skepticism. He chose a custom build over existing open source options to better meet his startup Auger's specific needs and scalability concerns.
Ex-Amazon and Expedia Executives Launch VQ Capital, AI and Cyber Intelligence Investment Firm Backed by Family Offices
Former Amazon and Expedia leaders Brian Lent and John Kim, along with partners Yotam Avrahami and Praveen Hirsave, have launched VQ Capital, an AI-native investment firm focused on AI and cyber intelligence. Headquartered in New York with plans for a Seattle hub, VQ Capital partners with family offices to invest on a deal-by-deal basis in transformative AI and cybersecurity technologies.
Auger Names Yuqing Sun Chief Data and AI Officer After $100M Series A; WTIA Hires Amy Harris for Public Policy Role
Auger appointed Yuqing Sun, a Johnson & Johnson supply chain and AI veteran, as chief data and AI enablement officer, and recently hired AI economist Justine Hastings after raising $100 million in Series A funding. The Washington Technology Industry Association also named Amy Harris as its new public policy and government relations director.
GeekWire Awards 2024 Startup of the Year Finalists Auger, CalmWave, Clearbrief, Oleria, and Yoodli Showcase AI-Driven Innovations
The five finalists for the GeekWire Awards’ Startup of the Year—Auger, CalmWave, Clearbrief, Oleria, and Yoodli—are all leveraging AI to enhance their products and internal processes, utilizing automation and AI-driven insights across diverse sectors such as supply chain, healthcare, legal, web3, and communications. Their CEOs shared how AI empowers their companies to innovate and improve customer experiences.
Flexport Sues Freightmate Founders for Trade Secret Theft to Launch Seattle Startup
Logistics company Flexport has filed a federal lawsuit against Freightmate and its founders, alleging theft of thousands of confidential files and trade secrets to launch a competing startup in Seattle. Flexport accuses Freightmate's CEO Bryan Lacaillade and CTO Jason Zhao of secretly conspiring while employed at Flexport, resulting in claims for monetary damages, injunctive relief, and destruction of stolen materials.
Pacific Northwest Tech Startups Raise $762M in Q4 2024 with Zap Energy and Auger Leading Funding Rounds
Venture capital funding for Pacific Northwest startups rose over 20% year-over-year in Q4 2024, totaling $762 million across 48 deals, driven by major rounds from Zap Energy and Auger. Despite being well below 2021 peaks, the region shows positive momentum amid a cautious but moderately optimistic U.S. VC market influenced by AI investment growth.
Former Amazon CEO Dave Clark's Supply Chain Startup Auger Names 11 Executives After $100M Series A
Dave Clark, former Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO, founded supply chain tech startup Auger, which named an 11-person executive team mostly composed of Amazon alumni after raising $100 million in Series A funding. The startup operates out of Bellevue, Washington, leveraging shared Amazon expertise to innovate in supply chain and data infrastructure.
Seattle Emerges as Leading Hub for Supply Chain Software Startups Backed by Amazon and Convoy Veterans
Seattle has become a leading hub for supply chain software innovation, driven by logistics giants like Amazon and startups such as Convoy and Shipium. The region's unique talent pool, supported by global companies and advances in technology, is fostering significant growth and investment in logistics startups.
Highspot Takes No. 1 Spot on GeekWire 200 Startup Ranking After Outreach’s Layoffs and CEO Departure
Seattle-based sales enablement company Highspot has claimed the No. 1 spot on GeekWire's 200 ranking of privately held startups in the Pacific Northwest, replacing Outreach which recently downsized and saw its CEO step down. The GeekWire 200 ranking reflects changes in the dynamic startup landscape based on factors like funding, employee growth, and layoffs.
Former Amazon Exec Dave Clark Launches $100M Startup Auger; UW’s David Baker Wins Nobel, Microsoft Rebrands 343 Industries to Halo Studios
The week of Oct. 6, 2024, featured top stories including former Amazon exec Dave Clark launching a $100M supply-chain startup Auger, AWS VP of AI Matt Wood departing after 15 years, and University of Washington’s David Baker winning a Nobel Prize for protein design. Microsoft also announced rebranding of 343 Industries to Halo Studios with a new direction for the Halo franchise.
Amazon puts AI in delivery vans; Ex-AMZN exec Dave Clark's new startup; AI vs. cancer
Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming the way companies get stuff to stores and doorsteps, changing the world of logistics, transportation and the supply chain, as demonstrated by a few Amazon-related stories we covered this week: Amazon's unveiling of a new "Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR) system for the cargo hold of its electric Rivian vans; The announcement of Amazon’s next-generation fulfillment center, with updated and expanded versions of its robotics systems in Shreveport, La. Former Amazon executive Dave Clark's launch of a new supply chain technology startup, based in the Seattle area, with $100 million in funding out of the…
Organizations
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Education
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Flexport 2022–2023
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Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee MBA · 1997–1999
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Auburn University Bachelor's degree · 1991–1996
