Kurt Schlosser
Kurt Schlosser is a photographer and reporter associated with GeekWire and Recompose, mentioned in multiple GeekWire articles.
Seattle Trucking Startup Convoy Conducts New Layoffs Amid Economic Pressures Following $260M Funding
Seattle-based trucking startup Convoy has conducted another round of layoffs amid economic uncertainty and supply chain challenges, following a 7% workforce reduction earlier this year after raising $260 million at a $3.8 billion valuation.
Titan Casket's $1,199 Orion Series Featured in Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero' Video, Boosting Startup's Profile
Titan Casket, a direct-to-consumer casket company, gained viral attention after its $1,199 Orion Series casket was featured in Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero' music video from the 'Midnights' album. Founded in 2016, Titan recently raised $3.5 million in funding and benefits from visibility due to a lack of major casket brands.
REI Launches $30M Path Ahead Ventures Fund to Support Outdoor Industry Founders of Color
REI’s Path Ahead Ventures, led by Dan Kihanya, is a $30 million fund aimed at supporting founders of color and underrepresented groups in the outdoor industry through mentorship, funding, and accelerator programs. The initiative addresses the fact that only about 1% of outdoor retail brands are owned or led by people of color.
Seattle Startup Veeve Raises $6.7M to Expand Smart Shopping Cart Technology Across U.S. Grocery Stores
Seattle-based startup Veeve raised $6.7 million to expand its smart shopping cart technology, which helps shoppers scan and pay without checkout lines, to more grocery stores. Founded by former Amazon managers in 2018, Veeve currently deploys smart carts at four U.S. retail chains and plans to release a lighter, larger-capacity cart as well as a Plug & Play device for traditional carts.
Seattle Startup Xembly Raises $15M Series A to Enhance AI ‘Chief of Staff’ Automating Meeting and Workflow Tasks
Seattle startup Xembly raised $15 million in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered ‘chief of staff’ that automates meeting notes, scheduling, and to-do lists. The AI uses advanced natural language processing to reduce repetitive tasks and has customers like Twilio and Convoy.
Paresh Rajwat Appointed Meta's Pacific Northwest Office Head Amid Metaverse Expansion and Company-Wide Cutbacks
Paresh Rajwat has been named Meta's new head of office for the Pacific Northwest, overseeing more than 8,000 employees in the region as part of Meta's metaverse expansion. Despite company-wide layoffs and reduced growth projections amid economic challenges, Rajwat remains optimistic about the Pacific Northwest's critical role in Meta's future.
OfferUp Launches 'OfferUp Jobs' Feature in Mobile App, Allowing Over 1 Million Users to Search and Apply for Jobs
OfferUp has launched 'OfferUp Jobs' in its mobile app, enabling users to search and apply for jobs directly within its marketplace. The feature, now available to all users after testing in select U.S. regions, integrates job listings from third-party providers and has already engaged over 1 million users.
Seattle Startup ModusBox Spins Out PortX with $10M Series A Led by Fuse and BankTech Ventures
Seattle-based ModusBox is spinning out its financial services tech business into a new company called PortX, which raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Fuse and BankTech Ventures. PortX, focused on financial services integration software, employs 51 people while ModusBox has 19, both headquartered near Seattle.
DreamBox Learning Lays Off Undisclosed Number of Employees After Majority Stake Sale to Evergreen Coast Capital
DreamBox Learning laid off an undisclosed number of employees citing a strategic realignment following a majority stake sale to Evergreen Coast Capital, aiming to position the company for long-term growth. The layoffs occur amid broader challenges in the education sector, including teacher shortages and pandemic-related inequities.
MoxiWorks CEO York Baur Rappels 40 Stories in Seattle to Celebrate $32,000 Fundraising for Housing Charities
MoxiWorks CEO York Baur rappelled 40 stories down his Seattle office building to celebrate his company surpassing a $25,000 fundraising goal for housing charities and to personally overcome his fear. The stunt highlighted MoxiWorks' charitable efforts and Baur's belief that fear hinders growth.
Seattle Tech Veterans Dan Marx and Rob Einaudi Launch BikeList to Disrupt Online Bike and Parts Market
BikeList is a new peer-to-peer online marketplace for bicycles and parts launched by Seattle tech veterans Dan Marx and Rob Einaudi in May, aiming to compete with platforms like eBay and Craigslist. With extensive tech backgrounds including work at CarDomain, Amazon, and Expedia, the founders combine bike enthusiasm and engineering expertise to grow the platform.
Seattle Startup Welcome Home Launches Predictive Home Maintenance Service with Weekly Contractor Deals
Welcome Home, a Seattle startup founded by Ashley Michael and Patrick Opie, offers a predictive home maintenance service that schedules neighborhood deals and connects homeowners with contractors via text messaging. After a pilot in three Seattle neighborhoods, the company aims to simplify home upkeep by sending weekly alerts for deals and managing various home maintenance tasks.
Seattle Startup Likewise Launches 'The Likewise Arcade' with Bill Gates-Backed $15M to Gamify Movie and TV Streaming
Seattle-based startup Likewise launched 'The Likewise Arcade,' a game platform featuring movie and TV content games like Moviedle and Posterdle, partnering with 12:01 Games. Backed by Bill Gates with $15 million investment, Likewise aims to gamify streaming entertainment by leveraging the popularity of games like Wordle.
Loopie Laundry Raises Nearly $1 Million from Early Uber Investor Jason Calacanis to Expand Nationally
Loopie Laundry, a peer-to-peer laundry startup founded by John Vincent Lee in 2018, raised nearly $1 million from investor Jason Calacanis and the Launch Syndicate to expand its service across multiple U.S. cities. The company, which has already generated over $2 million in sales and employs 40 people, connects customers needing laundry service with home washers and drivers.
Titan Casket Raises $3.5M to Expand Direct-to-Consumer Casket Line and Speed Delivery
Titan Casket, a startup selling caskets directly to consumers online, raised $3.5 million to expand its product line and improve shipping speeds. Founded in 2016, the company experienced 400% growth in 2021 and aims to deliver caskets within one to two business days to most U.S. metro areas.
Seattle Startup JetClosing to Shut Down on June 15 After Six Years Digitizing Home Closing Process
JetClosing, a Seattle startup founded in 2016 to digitize the home closing process using technology, is shutting down on June 15, 2022. The company struggled amid a cooling housing market and strong competition despite offering faster, cheaper, and more transparent services.
Seattle Startup Veeve Partners with Albertsons to Launch Smart Shopping Carts in Dozens of Stores Nationwide in 2023
Seattle-based startup Veeve, founded by ex-Amazon engineers, is partnering with Albertsons to roll out its smart shopping carts in dozens of stores nationwide later this year, enabling checkout-free shopping. The carts feature touchscreens, integrated scales, and loyalty program integration, aligning with the growing trend toward contactless, cashierless retail experiences.
GeekWire returns in person for 2022 Awards at Showbox SoDo, honoring 60+ finalists across 15 categories with 16,000+ votes
GeekWire held its first in-person GeekWire Awards in three years at Showbox SoDo in Seattle, honoring 60+ finalists across 15 categories with over 16,000 community votes and appearances by local tech leaders and entertainers.
University of Washington’s Team Melodic Advances to Microsoft Imagine Cup Finals with $100K Prize in May Competition
University of Washington's Team Melodic advanced to the finals of Microsoft’s 2022 Imagine Cup, competing for a $100,000 grand prize with technology aiding prelingual deaf children’s speech therapy. The team leverages Azure cloud technology for real-time analysis and customized therapy solutions.
Jonathan Sposato launches JoySauce Network to spotlight American Asian talent with streaming shows and podcasts
Seattle entrepreneur Jonathan Sposato launched JoySauce Network, a digital entertainment platform focused on spotlighting and celebrating American Asian (AAPI) personalities and stories through scripted and unscripted shows, podcasts, films, and editorial content. Projects include a late-night talk show hosted by Sposato, a Korean-focused cooking show, and guides to AAPI arts and restaurants; the platform aims to counter under‑representation and reshape narratives about American Asians.
Real Estate Tech Firm Knock Expands to Seattle with $220M Funding, Offers Home Swap and Jumbo Loans Up to $3M
Knock, a real estate tech company founded by Trulia's creators, is expanding its home financing services to Seattle and Western Washington, offering products like Home Swap and Knock GO to help buyers compete with cash offers. The company recently secured $220 million in funding and added jumbo loans to its portfolio despite past challenges including workforce cuts and a halted SPAC.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Featured on 2022 Time 100 Most Influential Companies Cover Alongside Rec Room and Wyze
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is featured on the cover of Time's 2022 100 Most Influential Companies issue alongside Mindy Kaling and Bang Si-hyuk. Seattle-based VR company Rec Room and smart-home brand Wyze also appear on the list for their innovations and recent growth.
Seattle Tops as Most Desired City for College Grads Amid Growth of New U.S. Tech Hubs Like Miami and San Antonio
Seattle remains the most desired U.S. city for college graduates and a leading tech hub, despite the rise of new tech centers like Miami and San Antonio fueled by remote work trends. Data from Brookings and LinkedIn reveal that while some tech workers are migrating to smaller or sunnier cities, established cities like Seattle continue to attract the majority of tech jobs.
WTIA selects 30 Washington seed-stage startups for seventh six-month Founder Cohort Program
The Washington Technology Industry Association selected 30 Washington-headquartered, seed-stage tech startups for its seventh six-month virtual Founder Cohort Program, which provides fundraising, governance, legal, accounting, and go-to-market training for companies with under $1M annual revenue.
Showdigs raises $7.4M secondary seed led by MetaPop to expand agent network and hire as it scales U.S. rollout
Seattle real estate startup Showdigs raised $7.4 million in a secondary seed round led by MetaPop to expand its agent network and grow the team as it scales nationwide; the company works with 1,200+ agents, 80+ property managers, employs 16, and reported 2.5x revenue growth in 2021.
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