Geoff Entress
Geoff Entress is an Executive Committee Member at Alliance of Angels, Board Member at Bonanza, Copper Banking, and Enzzo, and Manager at Goat Peak Ventures. He co-founded Pioneer Square Labs, a startup studio and venture firm, where he is still active, and has expertise in angel investing and information technologies.
Author Departs Pioneer Square Labs After 7+ Years and 40+ Companies, Reflects on Career Highlights and Team Bonds
The author marks their last day at Pioneer Square Labs after over seven years and involvement with more than 40 companies, reflecting on memorable experiences and expressing gratitude for colleagues and mentors. They highlighted unique moments like pitching their AI-powered dating app 'Jail Date' and emphasized the lasting relationships formed during their tenure.
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.
The Agentic Entrepreneur: How the next wave of AI is changing the startup playbook
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: How artificial intelligence is changing the way companies are created, built, and operated. We're on location at Pioneer Square Labs in Seattle with investor and entrepreneur T.A. McCann, a managing director at the startup studio and venture capital firm. He explains how AI agents are automating complex functions, letting small teams do the work that once required large groups of people. As AI makes product development easier, he says, the key strategic moat for many startups is now shifting to distribution and data. Other topics include: The wearable AI recorder that captures everything he…
Seattle Startup Potato Raises $4.5M to Develop AI and Robotics for Fully Automated Scientific Experiments
Seattle startup Potato raised $4.5 million to develop AI-driven automation for scientific research, aiming for fully autonomous experiments using AI assistants and robotics. They currently offer a platform assisting hypothesis generation and protocol creation, planning to expand into robotic lab work in partnership with Ginkgo Automation.
Julie Sandler to Shift from Managing Director to Venture Partner at Pioneer Square Labs in Late 2024
Julie Sandler, managing director at Pioneer Square Labs since 2017, will transition to a venture partner role in late 2024 while continuing to engage with the firm and its portfolio. She will also chair the Washington Roundtable next year, reflecting her ongoing influence in the Pacific Northwest tech and business communities.
Seattle Startup Ambassador Recruits Former Zipwhip Leaders, Closes $4.5M Convertible Note to Expand Conversational Commerce
Ambassador, a Seattle-based conversational commerce startup with over 200 clients and $3 million in annual recurring revenue, recently added former Zipwhip leaders to its team to drive growth. The company is closing a $4.5 million convertible note round and aims to leverage AI and messaging technology to enhance customer referral and rewards programs.
Seattle Tech Week 2024 Draws ~75 Events, Organizers Thank JP Morgan, Ascend, Google Cloud and Sarah Studer
Seattle Tech Week 2024 featured about 75 events that brought together founders, investors, and startups, showcasing Seattle as a vibrant tech hub. Organizers thanked hosts, sponsors (including JP Morgan, Ascend, Google Cloud), community builder Sarah Studer, and noted the program expanded from last year with spillover weekend activities and large community turnout.
Vivek Ladsariya Joins Pioneer Square Labs as Managing Director, Moves from Bay Area to Seattle
Vivek Ladsariya, a veteran Bay Area investor with experience in enterprise technology startups, has moved to Seattle to become managing director at Pioneer Square Labs, playing a key role in their Ventures arm and Studio. He aims to focus on technically driven enterprise software infrastructure startups, especially those delivering real automation, enhancing Seattle's venture capital ecosystem.
Seattle’s Felix&Fido Raises $4M Pre-Seed Led by PSL Ventures and Rover to Launch Subscription Veterinary Care
Seattle startup Felix&Fido announced a $4 million pre-seed funding round led by PSL Ventures and Rover to launch subscription-based veterinary care combining telemedicine, in-clinic, and at-home services. Founded by former Army captain and Expedia executive Gavin Woody, the company aims to tackle the veterinary shortage with an innovative membership model.
Tempo Software Acquires Seattle's LiquidPlanner to Expand Project Management Tools and Workforce
Boston-based Tempo Software is acquiring Seattle-based LiquidPlanner, a 17-year-old project management startup with 27 employees, to integrate its predictive scheduling software into the Atlassian Marketplace. The acquisition enhances Tempo's workforce to over 350 employees and expands its product offerings amid a decline in startup M&A activity.
Neal Stephenson and Peter Vessenes Launch Lamina1 to Build Open-Source Blockchain Metaverse Aligned with 'Snow Crash' Vision
Neal Stephenson, creator of the metaverse concept in his 1992 novel 'Snow Crash,' is co-founding Lamina1, an open-source blockchain platform to build a creator-friendly metaverse. This initiative aims to offer an alternative to corporate metaverse visions by focusing on planetary-scale virtual worlds and transparent creator compensation.
Seattle Accounting Software Startup Lockstep Acquired by British Enterprise Software Giant The Sage Group
Seattle-based startup Lockstep, which automates B2B accounting processes and has over 300 customers, will be acquired by British enterprise software company The Sage Group. The 130 Lockstep employees will join Sage while retaining the Lockstep brand, though financial terms were not disclosed.
Seattle Startup Lockstep, Backed by American Express, Launches Free Shared Accounting Inbox Amid Rapid Growth
Seattle startup Lockstep, backed by American Express and led by CEO Peter Horadan, is growing rapidly with 20,000 customers and a rising demand for its accounting automation software. The company just launched Lockstep Inbox, a free shared accounting inbox, aiming to become the 'LinkedIn of accounting' by automating manual financial workflows.
Pack Ventures launches Seattle syndicate to back UW-linked startups, pledges 10% of future profits to University of Washington
Pack Ventures, a new early-stage Seattle VC, will invest $100K–$200K checks in startups tied to the University of Washington and has already backed five companies including Jeeva Wireless, Talus.bio and Monod Bio; the firm will return 10% of individual future profits to UW. The syndicate includes more than 35 founding investors from the Seattle VC and entrepreneur community and will target AI, robotics, computational biology, enterprise software and other high-growth areas.
Gympass acquires Seattle online personal-training startup Trainiac; terms undisclosed
Gympass has acquired Seattle-based Trainiac, a startup that provides software for 1-on-1 online personal training, and will integrate Trainiac’s services into its corporate fitness offerings. Gympass, which raised $220 million in June and values at $2.2 billion, will keep a Seattle product team; financial terms were not disclosed.
NetBase Quid acquires Seattle social analytics startup Rival IQ; Rival IQ to remain independent
Santa Clara-based NetBase Quid has acquired Seattle social media analytics startup Rival IQ, which serves nearly 700 customers and will continue operating independently.
Pioneer Square Labs raises $100M Fund II to back 30+ Pacific Northwest startups with $1–3M initial checks
Seattle-based Pioneer Square Labs raised $100 million for its second venture fund, exceeding its $80 million target due to strong institutional demand, and will invest across more than 30 early-stage Pacific Northwest companies with initial checks of $1–3 million. The firm operates a startup studio (raised $29 million) and a venture fund model that splits capital roughly half to studio spinouts and half to external startups.
Lockstep raises $10M Series A to expand cloud-based 'connected accounting' tools for cash-flow management
Seattle startup Lockstep raised $10 million in a Series A to expand its cloud-based "connected accounting" tools that automate receivables/payables communications and provide shared accounting inboxes to improve cash flow and remote collaboration.
Pioneer Square Labs spins out 25 startups in five years; six launched during pandemic surge
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) spun out 25 startups in five years — six during a six-month pandemic stretch — by rapidly testing ideas, though it has yet to produce a breakout unicorn and faces criticism over founder dilution.
PNW Startups Raised $1.1B in Q3 2020 Across 65 Deals as Investors Keep Funding Amid Pandemic
Pacific Northwest startups raised $1.1 billion across 65 deals in Q3 2020, with funding in July and August exceeding last year’s levels as investors continue backing tech despite the pandemic.
Pioneer Square Labs Raises $12.5M from Foundry Group, Bezos Expeditions and 50 Angels to Build Start-Ups
Pioneer Square Labs, a Seattle "start-up studio," raised $12.5 million from over a dozen VC firms and 50 angel investors to build companies from in-house ideas. Backers include Bezos Expeditions, Rich Barton, and lead investor Foundry Group among others.
Terry Drayton’s Storrage Rebrands as Livible, Raises Funding and Plans National Rollout Starting in Portland
Terry Drayton’s Seattle startup Storrage, now renamed Livible, raised new funding, added notable investors, and is launching a national rollout beginning in Portland with plans to expand to 40 metro areas. The company evolved from per-box valet storage into a broader belongings-management service that can store, sell, loan, or donate items on behalf of customers.
GeekWire reveals winners of fourth annual Seattle 2.0 Startup Awards, naming 14 category champions including Investor Chris DeVore
GeekWire announced winners of the fourth annual Seattle 2.0 Startup Awards at the EMP in Seattle, naming champions across 14 categories who received custom framed records. Notable winners highlighted include Chris DeVore (Investor of the Year) and Shauna Causey (Schmoozer of the Year).
Seattle 2.0 Names Finalists From Nearly 7,000 Nominations; Public Voting Open Through May 11 — Winners Revealed May 19
Seattle 2.0 announced finalists for its annual Seattle tech startup awards after nearly 7,000 nominations across 11 categories, opening public voting through May 11 and scheduling the awards event for May 19 with keynote Jonathan Sposato.
Organizations
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Pioneer Square Labs Co-founder and Venture Partner 2026–present, Managing Director 2015–2026 · current
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Zucca Board Member 2025–present · current
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Enzzo Board Member 2023–present · current
Education
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University of Michigan Law School JD, Law · 1995–1998
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Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business MSIA, Business Administration · 1986–1988
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University of Notre Dame BA, English · 1982–1986
