Julie Sandler
Julie Sandler is a board director at HouseWhisper and Outgo, and serves as co-founder and general partner of PSL Ventures as well as managing director and venture partner at Pioneer Square Labs. She founded PSL Ventures, a fund established in 2019 that is still running, and has expertise in venture investing, board leadership, and technologies including vertical AI, productivity, logistics, fintech, and the future of work.
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.
Pioneer Square Labs’ Julie Sandler to become venture partner next year, stepping down as managing director
Julie Sandler will move from managing director to venture partner at Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs next year, continuing to help founders, seek investments and serve on boards. The change will occur before PSL Ventures raises its next fund, and Sandler will also chair the Washington Roundtable in the coming year.
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.
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.
Ben Eidelson Launches Stepchange, a $3M Seattle Venture Fund to Accelerate Carbon-Cutting Tech Adoption
Ben Eidelson, former tech entrepreneur, launched Stepchange, a Seattle-based climate-focused venture fund investing $100,000-$200,000 in early-stage carbon-reducing startups, aiming to deploy $3 million within 18 months. Eidelson also hosts the Climate Papa podcast and engages the community to accelerate climate technology adoption.
Seattle Startups Report 12% Down Rounds in 2023, Lower Than Bay Area's 17% and NYC's 24%, Reflecting Revenue Focus
Seattle startups experienced fewer down rounds in funding during the first nine months of 2023 compared to Bay Area and New York City, with 12% versus 17% and 24% respectively. This is attributed to Seattle founders' focus on revenue and profitability, which aligns better with current investor preferences amid broader tech market challenges.
Seattle’s Pioneer Square Labs Raises $20M Third Fund to Accelerate Generative AI Startup Studio
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs raised $20 million for its third fund to invest in generative AI, building multiple AI-driven apps in finance and healthcare. Founded in 2015, PSL has 33 startups with most securing follow-on investments but no unicorn exits yet.
Tom Alberg, Amazon Early Investor and Madrona Co-Founder, Dies at 82 After Shaping Seattle Tech
Tom Alberg, co-founder of Madrona Venture Group and early investor in Amazon, is remembered for his significant yet understated contributions to Seattle's tech industry, including his mentorship and 23 years on Amazon's board. He died at 82, leaving a lasting legacy both publicly and through his personal impact on colleagues and entrepreneurs.
Tom Alberg Remembered as Influential Mentor and Venture Capitalist Who Empowered Seattle Entrepreneurs
Tom Alberg was a deeply curious, humble, generous, and kind mentor who profoundly influenced the Seattle tech community and venture capital world. He empowered young entrepreneurs with trust and wisdom, helping build Madrona and Perkins Coie LLP into industry leaders while delighting in others' successes.
Seahawks Linebacker Bobby Wagner Joins Fuse Venture Partners as Venture Partner, Investing in Early-Stage Seattle Startups
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner is a venture partner at Fuse Venture Partners, investing in early-stage Seattle startups while applying negotiation and leadership lessons from his NFL career; he discussed these topics and his angel investments on GeekWire Studios' podcast 2025: Tomorrow, Today.
Seattle VCs Report 28% Women in Senior Roles, Nearly Double U.S. Average of 14.2%
Seattle-area venture capital firms have nearly double the national share of women in senior roles (28% vs. 14.2%), with 25 women among 88 partners across 21 Washington firms, though overall parity remains distant and 61% of U.S. VC firms still have no women in key decision-making roles.
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.
Madrona’s Dan Li: Niche, Creator-Driven Communities Like Roblox ($30B) and Clubhouse (~$1B) Are Rising
Madrona partner Dan Li says niche, user-populated online communities — exemplified by Roblox (valued at $30B) and Clubhouse (about $1B) — are growing more important as creators produce sticky, original content, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. He discussed these themes on GeekWire Studios’ podcast 2025: Tomorrow, Today, hosted by John Cook and Jordon Voss.
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.
Seattle 10 Names Top Startups to Showcase at GeekWire Gala Dec. 7 at MOHAI
The Seattle 10 highlights the region’s most promising startups across diverse industries such as education, enterprise software, virtual reality, and robotics. These selected startups will creatively showcase their business ideas on large cocktail napkins at the GeekWire Gala on December 7th at MOHAI.
Organizations
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Pioneer Square Labs Venture Partner 2025–present, Co-founder & General Partner, PSL Ventures 2018–present, Managing Director, PSL 2017–present, Former Managing Director , Venture Partner (upcoming) · current
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HouseWhisper Board Director 2024–present · current
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Outgo Board of Directors, Board Observer 2021–present · current
Education
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Harvard Business School MBA with Honors
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Stanford University Phi Beta Kappa, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, with Honors and Distinction
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Stanford University Master of Arts, Psychology
