Kurt Schlosser
Kurt Schlosser is a photographer and reporter associated with GeekWire and Recompose, mentioned in multiple GeekWire articles.
Seattle Fintech Startup Secure Names Suze Orman as Co-Founder After $3.5 Million Funding Round
Seattle-area fintech startup Secure revealed that TV personality and author Suze Orman is a co-founder. The company, which offers emergency savings accounts as a financial wellness benefit, raised $3.5 million in funding in January.
Father-daughters team launches The Chances App to match Gen Z by mutual relationship intentions
Rob Lipschutz and his daughters Vanessa and Noelle launched The Chances App, a social-relationships app designed to help Gen Z connect by matching mutual intentions across nine categories (e.g., Friends, Let’s Study, FWB, Let’s Date) rather than using traditional social or dating app mechanics. Lipschutz, a tech veteran from Bothell, Washington, built the app after seeing his daughters struggle with existing social media while transitioning to college.
ChefSteps Co-founder Chris Young Launches Combustion Inc., Debuts Eight-Sensor Smart Thermometer and Timer
ChefSteps co-founder Chris Young launched Combustion Inc. and unveiled a smart wireless thermometer/timer that uses eight sensors and algorithms to measure temperature gradients and estimate size and doneness without sous-vide or plastic bags. He returned to product invention after leaving ChefSteps (acquired by Breville in 2019) and developed the device during COVID-19 downtime.
98point6 launches virtual behavioral health service for commercial customers, adds therapy, coaching and digital programs
Seattle telemedicine startup 98point6 is launching a new virtual behavioral health service for employers, health plans and systems that combines board-certified physicians, behavioral health coaches and licensed therapists to provide therapy, coaching and digital self-paced programs.
Madison McIlwain, daughter of Madrona’s Matt McIlwain, becomes associate at Defy and pursues fashion, e-commerce investing
Madison McIlwain, daughter of Madrona Venture Group managing director Matt McIlwain, followed her father's path into venture capital and is now an associate at early-stage VC Defy, bringing interests in fashion, e-commerce and the consumer supply chain. The article profiles how growing up with dinner-table discussions about startups shaped her approach to investing and highlights Defy’s co-investments with Madrona in Seattle companies like Nautilus Biotechnology and WhyLabs.
UW Alum Janie Bube Launches Sensol Systems to Install Illuminated Ground-Level Crosswalks after 2018 Collision
After being struck by a bicyclist in a Seattle crosswalk, University of Washington alum Janie Bube founded Sensol Systems to improve pedestrian visibility with illuminated, ground-level crosswalk panels that light up beneath walkers; the startup launched in spring 2020 after university grants and accelerator support.
Russell Wilson and Spencer Rascoff back MOJO app to give parent coaches pro-grade youth-sports drills
MOJO is a new Los Angeles-based mobile app, backed by Russell Wilson and Spencer Rascoff, offering professionally produced coaching guidance for parent coaches and families in youth sports starting with soccer and expanding to basketball, baseball and softball. Founded by Ben Sherwood and Reed Shaffner, the app aims to simplify youth-sports instruction, make practices more fun, and reduce dropout rates among children ages roughly 4–13.
Porch airs surprise 30-second Super Bowl ad in Seattle area after 2020 SPAC IPO that raised $322M
Seattle-based home-services software company Porch aired a surprise 30-second Super Bowl ad in the extended Seattle area after going public via a SPAC in late 2020, having raised over $322 million and completed multiple acquisitions while reporting a 2020 net loss of $53–55 million.
Amperity Adds Ciara to Board to Lead Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Initiatives
Seattle-based customer data platform Amperity appointed Grammy-winning singer and entrepreneur Ciara to its board to lead corporate social responsibility efforts and advise on community initiatives.
Pandion, led by Amazon Air founder Scott Ruffin, raises $4.9M seed to build ML-driven e-commerce delivery platform
Seattle startup Pandion, founded by former Amazon Air head Scott Ruffin, emerged from stealth and raised $4.9 million in seed funding to build an end-to-end, ML-driven delivery platform aimed at improving e-commerce parcel capacity and performance.
Lockstep raises $10M Series A to expand cloud-based 'connected accounting' tools for cash-flow management
Seattle startup Lockstep raised $10 million in a Series A to expand its cloud-based "connected accounting" tools that automate receivables/payables communications and provide shared accounting inboxes to improve cash flow and remote collaboration.
Convoy’s 2020 Freight Insights Report: COVID-19 drove March panic buying, April–May collapse, then summer rebound in U.S. trucking
Convoy's 2020 Freight Insights Report shows the pandemic caused a March panic-buying spike, a sharp drop in April–May, then a summer rebound and year-end freight dynamics aligning with normal cycles, driven by shifts from services to goods and increased e-commerce.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Footprint Coalition Ventures backs Seattle’s Cloud Paper as it launches two sustainability-focused funds
Actor Robert Downey Jr. launched two venture funds under Footprint Coalition Ventures focused on sustainable technology and is backing Seattle startup Cloud Paper, a tree-free toilet paper maker. The funds, led by Jonathan Schulhof and Steve Levin, will invest in early- and late-stage companies across sustainability, food and agtech, materials, energy, transportation, education, media and environmental solutions.
WTIA selects 22 Washington seed-stage startups for six-month Founder Cohort to accelerate fundraising and growth
The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) selected 22 Washington-headquartered, seed-stage tech startups for its six-month virtual Founder Cohort Program to help founders with fundraising, governance and customer development. The cohort is led by experienced founders and investors including Dave Parker, Susan Preston and Leslie Feinzaig and requires companies to have under $1M revenue and at least one product in development.
WTIA launches eight-week Canadian XR Startup Market Accelerator to ready 10 AR/VR/voice startups for U.S. expansion
WTIA launched an eight-week Canadian XR Startup Market Accelerator to prepare 10 Canadian AR, VR and voice startups for U.S. market expansion with curriculum, mentorship and U.S. go-to-market support. The nonprofit is partnering with Global Affairs Canada and Trade and Invest British Columbia to provide workshops on sales, fundraising, localization and market validation.
3X4 Genetics CEOs Jason Haddock and Yael Joffe Put Seattle Move on Hold After COVID-19 and Trump Employment Visa Ban
3X4 Genetics, a South African at-home genetic testing startup led by CEO Jason Haddock and co‑founder Yael Joffe, planned to relocate to Seattle after securing investment and U.S. go‑to‑market plans, but COVID‑19 and a Trump administration visa ban on employment-based nonimmigrant visas left their move and business rollout in limbo. The company focuses on nutrigenomics tests prescribed through healthcare practitioners to guide nutrition-based interventions and physician-patient conversations.
Seattle’s Worksphere launches platform to manage COVID-era office returns, raises $550,000 pre-seed
Seattle startup Worksphere, launched in September by Aakhil Fardeen and co-founders, offers a software platform to help companies manage office returns during COVID-19 by automating scheduling, capacity limits, wellness surveys and contact tracing; the company raised $550,000 in pre-seed funding led by Ascend.vc.
Shotcall CTO Gordon Li — Techstars alum — helps fans play live with creators after $2.25M seed round
Gordon Li, co-founder and CTO of Shotcall, turned his passion for gaming into a company that connects content creators with fans for live, bookable play sessions; Shotcall joined Techstars in 2020 and raised a $2.25 million seed round last fall.
Syndio raises $17.1M led by Bessemer to expand PayEQ pay‑equity analytics after surge in 2020 demand
Seattle-based Syndio raised $17.1 million in a new funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners to accelerate development of its PayEQ pay‑equity analytics software amid rising demand in 2020. The company says PayEQ is used by more than 100 firms across 2.3 million employees and that ARR nearly tripled during 2020.
NextStep raises $2.5M to expand CNA training platform from Colorado to other states
Seattle startup NextStep, which retrains displaced workers as certified nursing assistants using an app-plus in-person platform, raised $2.5 million to expand beyond Colorado, improve its technology and learning content, and scale employer placements.
Pure Watercraft raises an extra $14M, Series A reaches $37.5M to scale electric outboard motors
Seattle-based Pure Watercraft raised an additional $14 million, bringing its Series A to $37.5 million to scale production of its electric outboard motor and lithium-ion battery system targeting general availability in early 2021.
FriendlyFace launches selfie-printed masks in Seattle, sells $29 custom masks and $49 gaiters, donates $1 per order to NRDC
Seattle design studio FriendlyFace prints photographic mouth-and-nose images on face masks so people’s expressions show during the pandemic, using computer-vision to scale and crop selfies and add decorative borders. Launched from prototypes in May, the company began taking orders in November, sells masks for $29 (gaiters $49), and donates $1 per order to the NRDC.
Madrona leads $21.5M round for Ovation.io as Boston lab-software startup reports rapid revenue and patient growth
Boston startup Ovation.io, which builds cloud software for medical testing labs, raised $21.5 million in new funding led by Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group; the company says it more than doubled revenue and grew patient volume 75-fold in the past year.
ZeroAvia raises $21.4M from Breakthrough Energy and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund to scale hydrogen-electric aircraft
ZeroAvia raised $21.4 million in a Series A round led by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund to accelerate development of hydrogen-electric powertrains for zero-emission propeller aircraft, with commercial flights of 10–20 seat planes up to 500 miles targeted by 2023. The company also secured a £16.3 million UK government grant and partnerships including British Airways, and plans larger hydrogen jets by 2030.
Beta Hatch raises $9.3M to complete 42,000 sq ft mealworm facility in Cashmere, Wash., aiming to be North America’s largest
Beta Hatch, an insect-farming startup led by founder and CEO Virginia Emery, raised $9.3 million to finish a 42,000-square-foot mealworm production and hatchery facility in Cashmere, Washington, which the company says will be the largest in North America and supply protein for animal feed.
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