Kevin Lisota
Kevin Lisota is currently Co-Founder at Akari Photo Tours and works as a photographer and videographer at Kevin Lisota Photography, as well as a photographer at GeekWire. He founded Akari Photo Tours, which is still running, and has expertise in photography, videography, guiding, and instruction.
Pandemic Accelerates Adoption of Enterprise Software in Seattle, Boosting Cloud and Cybersecurity Startups
The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating adoption of enterprise software in the Seattle and Pacific Northwest tech scene, highlighting startups in cloud computing and cybersecurity that dominate the GeekWire 200. Analysts say enterprise cloud firms appear relatively resilient to recessionary pressures compared with consumer-facing startups, though risks remain if businesses cut spending.
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board and co-founded Madrona to build Seattle’s tech scene
Tom Alberg invested in Amazon’s 1995 seed round, joined its board, and later co-founded Madrona Investment Group to back Pacific Northwest internet startups, helping shape Seattle’s tech ecosystem. His early bets and leadership influenced regional tech growth and left a legacy noted by Jeff Bezos and others.
2048 Ventures Hires Seattle Investor Minda Brusse to Lead Pre-Seed Sourcing in Seattle and Portland
NYC-based 2048 Ventures has hired Seattle investor Minda Brusse as a venture partner to source pre-seed investments in Seattle and Portland while she remains at First Row Partners; 2048 launched last year with a $27 million fund and has backed 29 companies.
Former Zillow Leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong Raise $40M Seed for Tomo Networks to Build Tech-Driven Mortgage Platform
Former Zillow leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong launched Tomo Networks, a fintech startup building a tech-driven mortgage and transaction platform, and raised a $40 million seed round led by prominent real estate investors. The company, founded a few months ago, is targeting agents and consumers while keeping specific business model details private.
98point6 Raises $118M Series E Led by L Catterton and Activant After 274% Membership Surge
Seattle telemedicine startup 98point6 raised $118 million in a Series E led by L Catterton and Activant Capital after membership grew 274% this year; the company offers AI-supported virtual primary care to over 3 million patients and serves employers and health plans. The round follows a $43 million Series D in April and comes amid a surge in digital health funding during the pandemic.
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.
Athira Pharma raises $204M in IPO at $17/share, values company at ~$670M to advance Alzheimer’s drug NDX-1017
Seattle biotech Athira Pharma raised $204 million by selling 12 million shares in a Nasdaq IPO at $17 per share, valuing the company at about $670 million as it advances its lead Alzheimer’s therapeutic NDX-1017 into late-stage development.
Survey of 70 Seattle Founders: Local Angels Are Risk-Averse, Hidden and Losing Deals to Seed Funds
A February survey of 70 Seattle-area tech founders found widespread frustration with local angel investors, who are described as risk-averse, conservative, hidden, and out of touch; founders say angels must be more visible, faster, and willing to take bigger risks to compete with active local and Bay Area seed funds.
Seattle tech CFO survey: 37 respondents say three-quarters expect full COVID-19 recovery; nearly half raise 2020 spending forecasts
A survey of 37 Seattle-based tech CFOs finds the local tech industry remains resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, with three-quarters expecting full recovery and nearly half raising 2020 spending forecasts versus early March. Many CFOs report higher Q2 bookings expectations and over 40% say their companies are increasing headcount despite widespread industry layoffs elsewhere.
OneTrust acquires Seattle AI-focused privacy startup Integris, folds tech into OneTrust DataDiscovery and keeps 20-person Seattle team
Atlanta-based privacy software firm OneTrust has acquired Seattle startup Integris Software and integrated its AI-based discovery technology into OneTrust DataDiscovery while retaining Integris’s 20-person Seattle team. Integris, founded in 2016 and a $16 million VC-backed company, will support tasks like compliance monitoring during cloud migrations and data governance.
Seattle rises three spots to crack Startup Genome’s global top 10, backed by $3.59B in 2019 VC funding
Seattle climbed three places into Startup Genome’s global top 10 startup ecosystems, driven by strengths in AI, big data, analytics, life sciences and a strong startup genealogy from Microsoft, Amazon and the University of Washington. Venture funding reached a Seattle-area record of $3.59 billion in 2019, and the city ranks highly on performance, funding, market reach, talent, connectedness, knowledge and infrastructure.
Athira Pharma raises $85M Series B to push NDX-1017 toward FDA approval for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS
Seattle biotech Athira Pharma raised $85 million in a Series B round to advance NDX-1017, a regenerative therapy aimed at halting or reversing nerve damage in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS, with preliminary trial results reported as positive and potential market availability in 2–3 years.
Constellation Software Acquires Seattle Marketing Startup Tune; Terms Undisclosed
Toronto-based Constellation Software announced it has acquired Seattle marketing-software startup Tune, which builds tools to manage marketing partnerships and will operate under Constellation’s Perseus unit. Terms were not disclosed; Tune CEO Peter Hamilton will move to a strategic role, some team restructuring is expected, and the company has more than 150 employees and $36.4 million raised to date.
Ex-Docker CFO Brian Camposano launches stealth Seattle fintech Stratify; Concur founder Steve Singh named chairman
Former Docker CFO Brian Camposano launched a stealth Seattle fintech called Stratify after spinning out from Madrona Venture Labs, with Concur co-founder Steve Singh serving as chairman. The early-stage company — currently one employee and no public website — aims to use machine learning and AI to modernize corporate finance and deliver real-time insights for CFOs and finance teams.
E8 launches Decarbon8-US philanthropic fund to back climate-tech startups, raised $120,000 so far
Seattle-based E8 launched Decarbon8-US, a tax-deductible philanthropic fund that lets anyone donate to support early-stage climate-tech startups; it has raised $120,000 so far and will award $50,000–$75,000 to three-to-six companies announced in July.
Usermind lays off 15 employees (25% of staff) amid COVID-19; CEO Michel Feaster calls it heartbreaking
Seattle marketing-software startup Usermind laid off 15 employees — about 25% of its staff — citing economic impact from the COVID-19 crisis, CEO and co-founder Michel Feaster said. The company, founded in 2013 and backed with over $45 million in funding, will help affected workers find new jobs while focusing on its customer-journey platform.
Seattle AI Startup Textio Lays Off 30 Employees Amid COVID-19, Shifts Focus to Aid Job Seekers
Seattle startup Textio laid off 30 employees, or 20% of its staff, due to COVID-19 uncertainty, leaving about 120 employees remaining. CEO Kieran Snyder emphasized shifting the company's AI writing technology focus to help job seekers better represent their skills amid a challenging labor market.
GeekWire Opens Voting for 2020 Geekiest Office Space: Create33, doxo, Highspot, Rover and Sonos Finalists
GeekWire opened community voting for the 2020 GeekWire Awards' Geekiest Office Space category, with five Seattle-area finalists — Create33, doxo, Highspot, Rover and Sonos — competing for the title judged alongside feedback from over 20 judges. Winners will be announced on May 19 at the GeekWire Awards event (now virtual on July 23), and the 2019 winner was Tableau.
Apptio CEO Sunny Gupta to receive $196 million as Vista Equity closes $1.94B take-private at $38 per share
Apptio CEO and co-founder Sunny Gupta stood to receive about $196 million after Vista Equity Partners completed a $1.94 billion buyout at $38 per share, a 53% premium over Apptio's market price.
StormSensor Raises $1.2 Million to Expand Digital Stormwater Monitoring for Pollution and Flood Prevention
Seattle startup StormSensor raised $1.2 million to expand its wireless stormwater monitoring system that helps municipalities and agencies track pollution and prevent flooding. Founded in 2015, the company uses predictive algorithms to digitize stormwater quality reporting and has piloted its system in locations including Jersey City and the Port of Seattle.
GeekWire and MOHAI Host January 22 Event Celebrating Five Years of Seattle 10 Startup Program
GeekWire and MOHAI are hosting a special event on January 22 at MOHAI to celebrate five years of The Seattle 10 program, featuring a panel of past startup CEOs sharing entrepreneurial lessons. The event highlights up-and-coming Seattle startups whose business concepts are showcased on cocktail napkins displayed permanently at MOHAI.
Organizations
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Akari Photo Tours Co-Founder 2023–present · current
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Kevin Lisota Photography Photographer / Videographer 2014–present · current
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GeekWire Photographer · current
Education
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Tokyo Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering · 1993–1994
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University of Wisconsin-Madison BS, Chemical Engineering/East Asian Studies
