Kurt Schlosser
Kurt Schlosser is a photographer and reporter associated with GeekWire and Recompose, mentioned in multiple GeekWire articles.
Mystery raises $18.5M at $100M valuation after pivoting to B2B ‘morale as a service’ for companies including Amazon and Microsoft
Seattle-based Mystery pivoted from a consumer dating/event-planning service into a B2B ‘morale as a service’ provider during the pandemic and raised $18.5 million at a $100 million valuation to deliver virtual employee engagement experiences to companies like Amazon and Microsoft. The company uses software to handle logistics, encourages surprise events to boost attendance and bonding, and reports thousands of teams used its service in 2021.
Carbon Robotics unveils 2022 LaserWeeder with 30 CO2 lasers; sold out after orders, taking 2023 pre-orders
Seattle startup Carbon Robotics unveiled the 2022 LaserWeeder, a tractor-pulled AI and computer-vision system using 30 CO2 lasers to kill weeds, can cover ~2 acres/hour, has sold out and is taking 2023 pre-orders. Carbon, founded in 2018 by Paul Mikesell, has raised $36 million to date and employs 35 people; a Voyager Capital partner called it the fastest-growing company hes seen in 23 years.
Cloud Paper Raises $5M for Bamboo, Tree-Free Toilet Paper Backed by Bezos Expeditions, TIME Ventures and Celebrity Investors
Seattle startup Cloud Paper, which makes tree-free bamboo toilet paper and paper towels to reduce deforestation, raised $5 million from investors including Bezos Expeditions, TIME Ventures, Jeff Wilke, Ashton Kutcher and other high-profile backers.
Her First $100K’s Tori Dunlap partners with Treasury to launch app and live Investing 101 workshops
Tori Dunlap, founder of Seattle-based Her First $100K, is partnering with startup Treasury to launch an app and live workshops that teach Investing 101 and let women invest during sessions. The initiative aims to build a judgment-free community to help women overcome intimidation around investing and achieve financial independence.
Pebblebee names Sourcenext executive Doug Bieter CEO after $5M Sourcenext investment and partnership
Seattle-based tracking-device maker Pebblebee secured a $5 million investment and partnership from Japanese distributor Sourcenext and named Sourcenext partner-development head Doug Bieter as its new CEO to help scale the eight-year-old startup, while co-founder Daniel Daoura transitions to CTO.
Boom Learning founders Mary and Eric Oemig see surge in Boom Cards usage since 2020 amid pandemic
Husband-and-wife founders Mary and Eric Oemig started Kirkland-based ed‑tech startup Boom Learning in 2015, and the company has seen rapid growth in usage of its Boom Cards since 2020 as schools shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both founders have backgrounds in education and Microsoft, and Eric served as a Washington state senator focused on education policy.
Ethos acquires Seattle digital-wills startup Tomorrow; 600,000 users and 20 employees join insurer
Seattle startup Tomorrow, which offers iOS and web apps for creating legal wills, trusts, and other estate documents and has helped over 600,000 users, has been acquired by life insurer Ethos. Tomorrow’s 20 employees will join Ethos’s 250-person team, and the Tomorrow apps will continue operating under the Tomorrow brand for now.
Pure Watercraft unveils 24-foot electric pontoon at CES after GM buys 25% for $150M
Pure Watercraft unveiled a 24-foot all-electric pontoon boat at CES 2022 as the first product from its new partnership with General Motors, which bought a 25% stake for $150 million; the boat uses Pure outboard motors with a GM battery pack up to 66 kWh and starts at about $45,000–$60,000. The company is taking pre-orders and highlights a top speed of 23 mph, 10-person capacity, and a focus on efficiency and market opportunity in pontoon boating.
Chudi Iregbulem launches Beatmatch, a music-first dating app syncing Spotify/Apple Music for January Seattle beta
Beatmatch is a new music-centered dating app, founded by former AWS developer and DJ Chudi Iregbulem, that matches users by syncing with Spotify or Apple Music to connect people over shared songs, artists or concerts; a Seattle beta launches in January. The app aims to prioritize musical compatibility over appearance-driven swiping and fosters conversation by letting matches comment on tracks.
Uplevel to Trial Permanent Four-Day Workweek, Giving All Employees Fridays Off to Combat Burnout
Seattle startup Uplevel, a 27-person remote spinout of Madrona Venture Labs, will trial a permanent four-day workweek (Fridays off) starting after the holidays to boost productivity, mental health and culture, with the experiment running through the first quarter and including monthly check-ins.
Arrived Homes secures $100M credit line with Certain Lending to expand U.S. single-family rental purchases
Arrived Homes, a Seattle startup that lets people buy shares of single-family rental properties starting at $100, has secured $100 million in credit financing to expand U.S. home purchases and meet strong demand. The company partnered with fintech Certain Lending and previously raised $10 million equity and $27 million debt in June.
Citizen expands to Seattle after testing, bringing nearly 10M users and $133M in funding to 60+ US cities
Citizen, a public-safety app that monitors 911 and other emergency feeds and lets users share and view incident reports, is officially launching in Seattle after months of testing and about 30,000 local downloads. The startup operates in 60+ U.S. cities with nearly 10 million users, has raised $133 million, and offers a $19.99/month Protect subscription for 24/7 emergency assistance.
Scener names Hulu veteran David Baron CEO; J.J. Abrams, Sean Rad and Marc Geiger join as investors/advisors
Seattle social TV startup Scener appointed Hulu launch veteran David Baron as CEO and added a new investor-advisor group including filmmaker J.J. Abrams, Tinder founder Sean Rad, and music exec Marc Geiger. The company, spun out of RealNetworks in 2018 and backed by $2.1M seed funding, offers a Chrome extension and Watch Party Platform supporting up to 10 co-hosts and 1 million viewers across major streaming services.
Outreach opens Chelsea office in Manhattan as Seattle startup expands East Coast presence after $200M raise at $4.4B valuation
Seattle sales automation startup Outreach opened a Chelsea office in Manhattan to expand its East Coast presence; the company has about 1,000 employees, 35 in the New York region, and remains flexible on remote/hybrid work. Outreach raised $200 million in June at a $4.4 billion valuation and plans additional offices, including Atlanta in 2022.
Seattle NFT Museum to Open Jan. 14 in Belltown, Founded by Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton
The Seattle NFT Museum, founded by entrepreneurs Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton, opens Jan. 14 in Belltown as the Pacific Northwest's first museum devoted to NFTs, aiming to showcase digital artists and educate the public about the medium.
Lessen raises $170M Series B, valued at over $1B, opens Seattle office and plans major hiring
Lessen, a Scottsdale-based property services marketplace valued at over $1 billion, raised $170 million in a Series B and plans to open a Seattle office while aiming to double staff in 2022. The company operates a tech-enabled platform with 2,000+ service providers across 30+ markets and currently employs 450 people.
HaptX alleges Meta’s Reality Labs haptic glove is “substantively identical” to its patented microfluidic technology
Seattle startup HaptX says Meta’s new haptic glove prototype uses microfluidic feedback technology that is "substantively identical" to HaptX’s patented design, and HaptX’s CEO Jake Rubin says the company has not heard from Meta but seeks a fair, equitable arrangement. Meta announced microfluidic advances in its Reality Labs Research blog, and declined to respond to HaptX’s assertions when contacted by GeekWire.
Tred raises $25M Series B to expand online used-car marketplace, totaling $37M in funding
Tred, an online peer-to-peer used-car marketplace, raised $25 million in a Series B to expand its platform, products, locations and engineering team, bringing total funding to $37 million. The company offers end-to-end services—test drives, delivery, financing, protection and fraud checks—and has grown from a 2012 Techstars Seattle startup to operations in multiple U.S. markets.
Sarah Bird departs Moz after 14 years and seven-plus years as CEO following June acquisition by iContact (J2 Global)
Sarah Bird is leaving Moz after 14 years at the Seattle SEO software startup, including more than seven years as CEO; Moz was acquired by iContact (a J2 Global subsidiary) this past June and Bird transitioned to EVP and chief revenue officer of the Moz Group before announcing her departure. She plans to take the winter off to rest and has no firm next steps yet.
The Dyrt raises $11M Series B led by Realization Capital Partners, total funding $23M
Portland camping app The Dyrt raised $11 million in a Series B led by Realization Capital Partners, bringing total funding to $23 million as the app expands its community-driven listings across 44,000 U.S. camping spots.
Dance Church raises $4.7M seed to scale Dance Church Go subscription platform, led by MaC Ventures
Seattle-based Dance Church raised $4.7 million in seed funding to expand its Dance Church Go online subscription platform, which offers on-demand classes for $19/month or $199/year and a pay-as-you-go live option. The company, founded by Kate Wallich and recently hiring CEO Clara Siegel, plans to scale after growing to 144,000 online streamers with backing led by MaC Ventures and participation from several Pacific Northwest investors.
Dutchie raises $350M Series D, valuation doubles to $3.75B after seven months
Cannabis e-commerce and point-of-sale startup Dutchie raised $350 million in a Series D, doubling its valuation to $3.75 billion just seven months after a $200 million round and bringing total funding to $603 million.
Game Jolt co-founders Yaprak and David DeCarmine raise $2.6M seed round led by Acequia Capital
Seattle-based Game Jolt, founded by husband-and-wife Yaprak and David DeCarmine, raised a $2.6 million seed round led by Acequia Capital to grow its social platform for Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers. The platform hosts over 40,000 communities—some with more than 500,000 active members—where users share fan art, gameplay recordings, guides, and reviews.
Fiverr acquires Seattle online learning platform CreativeLive; Chase Jarvis to remain CEO and team intact
Seattle-based online learning company CreativeLive, founded in 2010, has been acquired by Israel-headquartered freelancer marketplace Fiverr; terms were not disclosed and CreativeLive will remain standalone under CEO Chase Jarvis with its 25 employees. Fiverr says the deal will help target freelancers seeking skills training and complements its mission to support the freelance lifecycle.
Ex-Amazon designers Herman Chan and Thomas Duester launch Juno and sell $148 cardboard pop-up bassinet
Two former Amazon industrial designers, Herman Chan and Thomas Duester, launched Juno, a Seattle startup selling a $148 sustainable, cardboard pop-up bassinet for newborns aimed at parents seeking affordable, eco-friendly sleep solutions.
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