Kurt Shintaffer
Kurt Shintaffer is currently a board member at BrainChild Bio, Precanto, and Seattle Children's, an advisory board member at the Center for Leadership and Strategic Thinking, and an operating partner at Generative Capital. He co-founded Apptio, which was acquired, and has served in executive and board roles in technology and finance companies.
Temporal rises to No. 1 on GeekWire 200 after $550M raise at $12.55B valuation as AI and hardware firms climb
Temporal is now the No. 1 company on the GeekWire 200 after a $550 million raise valuing it at $12.55 billion and surpassing $250 million in annualized revenue; the Fall 2026 ranking highlights growth in AI software and advanced machinery for space, energy and defense across the Pacific Northwest.
Thira Raises $21M Seed Round for AI Workflow Systems
Thira, a Bellevue, Washington developer of AI systems that improve complex workflows, raised $21 million in seed funding. The company’s funding will support its AI system solutions to enhance workflow efficiency.
Apptio Co-founders Sunny Gupta and Kurt Shintaffer Launch Thira, Raise $21M Seed Led by Madrona to Build Autonomous IT Support Agents
Apptio co-founders Sunny Gupta and Kurt Shintaffer launched Bellevue-based enterprise AI startup Thira to build autonomous agents for IT support and back-office work, and raised $21 million in seed funding led by Madrona. Thira will integrate with tools like ServiceNow, Jira Service Management and identity/device-management systems, with plans to expand into finance and HR amid competition from companies such as ServiceNow (Moveworks), Aisera, Rezolve.ai, and Serval.
Thira Secures $21 Million Seed Funding to Automate Enterprise Back-Office Workflows with AI
Thira, founded by Apptio co-founders in 2026, has raised $21 million in a seed round led by Madrona to develop an AI-native platform that automates complex enterprise back-office workflows while ensuring security and compliance.
Madrona Ventures Invests in Thira, Reuniting Founders Sunny Gupta and Kurt Shintaffer to Build AI-Native Systems for CIOs
Madrona announced a new investment in Thira, led by founders Sunny Gupta and Kurt Shintaffer, reuniting experienced enterprise builders to tackle CIO-focused AI-native systems. The firm argues Thira’s team and product strategy will help CIOs deploy AI-driven systems of execution and drive measurable returns on technology and AI investments.
Thira Secures $21M Seed Funding Led by Madrona to Develop AI-Driven Self-Running Enterprise Back-Office
Thira, founded by Apptio co-founders Sunny Gupta and Kurt Shintaffer, raised $21 million in a seed round led by Madrona to develop a secure, self-learning AI system aimed at automating enterprise back-office IT processes. The funding round also includes participation from FUSE and prominent advisors, with key industry veterans joining the founding team.
Apptio adds Amazon and Microsoft veterans, names ex‑Microsoft CFO Peter Klein to board as it eyes IPO
Apptio hired senior executives from Amazon and Microsoft — naming Sean Boyle as CFO, Ted Kummert as EVP of engineering and cloud operations, and appointing former Microsoft CFO Peter Klein to its board — moves that suggest the Bellevue company may be preparing for an IPO after raising $136 million and growing to about 400 employees.
Organizations
See all 11-
Thira Executive Officer, Director 2026–present, Co-Founder and Board Director 2026–present · current
-
BrainChild Bio Board Member 2026–present, Board Observer 2024–2026 · current
-
Generative Capital Operating Partner 2025–present · current
