Yifan Zhang announces AI House Demo Day: 25 teams pitched in Seattle with 42 investors attending
AI House held its first AI House Demo Day in Seattle where 25 teams (half portfolio companies) presented to an audience that included 42 investors; founders, investors, and organizers connected through pitches, meetings, and events around the day.
Co-founder Steps Down After 11 Years Leading Dolly, Now Part of Taskrabbit
After 11 years co-founding and leading Dolly, the author is stepping away from the company now part of Taskrabbit, expressing deep gratitude to teammates, investors, mentors, customers, and helpers. They reflect on the meaningful journey and look forward to Dolly's bright future while personally taking time to recharge and explore new directions.
Seattle VCs Madrona, Maveron, Founders' Co-op Highlight Key Founder Red Flags at Graham & Walker’s Founder Day
Seattle venture capitalists from Madrona, Maveron, and Founders' Co-op advised early-stage startup founders to display growth mindset, customer obsession, and strong storytelling skills as key factors for securing investment. These insights were shared at Graham & Walker’s Founder Day event to guide founders on investor red flags.
University of Washington Students Pitch AI and Tech Startups After 10-Week Entrepreneurship Course Led by Greg Gottesman
The University of Washington offers a popular 10-week entrepreneurship class led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman, culminating in student pitches of tech startups at Pioneer Square Labs. The course attracted strong demand, featured high-profile guest speakers like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, and highlighted trends such as AI and computer vision.
Seattle VCs James Newell and Jason Stoffer Debate UW vs. Michigan as Football and Tech Rivalry Heats Up
Seattle-area venture capitalists James Newell (University of Washington) and Jason Stoffer (University of Michigan) engage in friendly tech investor football rivalry ahead of the College Football Playoff championship. Both praise their universities' engineering programs and entrepreneurial impact while playfully debating their teams' prospects.
Silicon Valley Bank Urges Customers to Return Deposits After Collapse, Backed by U.S. Government
Silicon Valley Bank, now backed by the U.S. government, is urging customers to return their deposits after its recent collapse, assuring them of full protections. The newly formed Silicon Valley Bridge Bank is operational, making new loans, honoring credit facilities, and seeing some customers already returning funds.
GeekWire: Pacific Northwest records 55 exits and 282 VC deals this year, including Rad Power Bikes’ $154M round
GeekWire reports a surge in deal activity across the Pacific Northwest this year, tracking 55 acquisitions, SPACs, IPOs and private equity buyouts and 282 venture financings (nearly one per day). Notable transactions include Nintendo’s Jan. 5 acquisition of Next Level Games, BitTitan’s sale to Idera, and Rad Power Bikes’ $154 million funding round.
Remitly prices IPO at $43, values company near $7B and raises $300M+ as shares debut on NASDAQ
Remitly, a 10-year-old mobile remittance company, priced its IPO at $43 per share valuing the firm near $7 billion and raised over $300 million in net proceeds as it began trading on NASDAQ; shares opened at $53 and closed at $48.45 on debut. CEO Matt Oppenheimer framed the IPO as a step in the company’s mission to simplify cross-border money transfers for immigrants and their families.
Former Maveron Investor Jason Stoffer Says He Was Wrong to Pass on Remitly as Company Nears $6.5B IPO
Maveron investor Jason Stoffer passed on investing in Seattle remittance startup Remitly in 2012 due to regulatory and market concerns but now says the company proved him wrong as it prepares a $6.5 billion IPO. Stoffer discusses his analysis of Remitly’s S-1, investing lessons, and related topics on the GeekWire Podcast.
Remitly files to raise up to $332.6M in IPO at roughly $6.5B valuation with $38–$42 price range
Remitly set IPO terms expecting to raise $284.6 million (up to $332.6 million with overallotment) at $38–$42 a share, valuing the Seattle fintech about $6.5 billion. The company reported $202M revenue and a $9.2M net loss in the first half of the year and competes with firms like Wise and Zepz.
Former Zulily Execs Jason LeeKeenan and Kevin Saliba Raise $150M to Buy and Scale E‑Commerce Brands
Two former Zulily executives, Jason LeeKeenan and Kevin Saliba, raised over $150 million to launch Cap Hill Brands, a firm that buys and operationally scales profitable e-commerce businesses and has acquired 10 companies since last summer.
TrueFacet Secures $6M Series A Funding Led by Maveron LLC for Pre-Owned Luxury Marketplace
TrueFacet, a marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned luxury items, raised $6 million in a Series A funding round led by Maveron LLC with participation from several other venture firms.
