Lisa Stiffler
Lisa Stiffler is a journalist who covers nonprofits, companies, and researchers applying technology to environmental, energy, health, transit, education and other societal challenges; she has worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, freelanced for The Seattle Times, and written for outlets including Seattle's Child, Sightline Institute, NPR, MSNBC, Smithsonian Magazine, GeekWire and CoMotion News.
Seattle Startup Edo Develops Virtual Power Plant Tech to Turn Commercial Buildings into Grid Assets Amid Rising Demand
Seattle startup Edo has developed technology over five years to transform commercial buildings into virtual power plants, helping utilities manage peak electricity demand amid rising pressures from data centers and extreme weather. Their solution enables buildings to reduce electricity use during high demand and adapt to dynamic pricing, attracting growing interest from utilities and building operators.
Katherine Sizov’s Strella Raises $22M to Reduce Food Waste with Produce Monitoring Technology
Katherine Sizov founded Strella, a Seattle-based ag tech startup that uses sensor technology and machine vision to monitor produce freshness across supply chains, helping reduce food waste. Since 2019, her company has raised $22 million, operates in 26 countries, and is nearing profitability while expanding its product range.
Seattle AI Startup Phaidra, Backed by Nvidia, Raises $120M to Combat Data Center Overheating with Partners CoreWeave and Applied Digital
Seattle startup Phaidra, backed by Nvidia, has developed AI technology to predict and prevent data center overheating, partnering with CoreWeave and Applied Digital to deploy its cooling solution. The company has raised $120 million and employs around 90 people.
Former CrowdStrike and Bloomberg Engineers Raise $2M for Seattle Fintech OpenCFO to Automate Mid-Sized Company Finance
Seattle fintech startup OpenCFO, led by former CrowdStrike and Bloomberg engineers, has raised $2 million to automate financial functions for mid-sized companies by unifying accounts payable, receivable, and treasury. The company launched in December, now employs 15 people, and integrates agentic AI with treasury infrastructure for enhanced financial operations visibility and control.
Seattle Startup Homeostasis Converts Carbon Emissions into Graphite for Batteries, Backed by Saudi Aramco Investment
Seattle-area startup Homeostasis is developing technology to convert captured carbon dioxide into graphite for batteries, aiming to compete with China's dominant supply amid shifting U.S. policies and global trade tensions. The company secured strategic funding from Saudi Aramco's investment arm to scale operations and support Saudi Arabia's domestic EV supply chain ambitions.
Five Contractors Sue Bill Gates-Backed Modern Hydrogen for $363,458 in Unpaid Invoices After Contract Terminations
Five contractors are suing Modern Hydrogen, a Seattle clean energy startup backed by Bill Gates, for unpaid final invoices totaling over $363,458. The lawsuits follow sudden contract terminations amid Gates' reduced focus on climate initiatives and the company's halted projects.
Amperity Names Bridget Perry CMO; Gong Promotes Simon Frey; Elizabeth Scallon Joins Nvidia Healthcare AI
Amperity appointed Bridget Perry as CMO, Gong promoted Simon Frey to chief customer officer, and Elizabeth Scallon joined Nvidia as director of healthcare AI startups. These leadership changes highlight significant executive movements in Pacific Northwest tech companies.
TerraPower Receives First U.S. Federal Permit for Next-Gen Nuclear Reactors, Plans Eight Reactors with Meta by 2035
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower became the first company to receive U.S. federal approval to build a next-generation nuclear power plant, with construction permits granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company recently signed an agreement with Meta to build up to eight advanced Natrium reactors in the U.S., aiming for the first two to be operational by 2032.
Elizabeth Scallon Departs HP, Chris Blandy Retires from AWS, Milkana Brace Joins SageOx
Elizabeth Scallon left HP after nearly four years as director, Chris Blandy retired from AWS after 4 years, and Milkana Brace joined Seattle startup SageOx as co-founder and CPO. Each executive shared reflections on their career changes and future plans.
Seattle Startup loanTERRA Launches Solar Financing Platform Partnering with Credit Unions Amid Shrinking Federal Incentives
Seattle startup loanTERRA offers a transparent financing platform connecting credit unions and community banks with vetted solar installers to simplify rooftop solar adoption amid fading federal incentives. Founder Bill Paulen leverages financial experience to create a loan service that supports sustainable solar growth despite reduced tax credits.
Bill Gates-Backed Breakthrough Energy Halts Fundraising for $1.5 Billion Catalyst Climate Initiative
Bill Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy is not seeking additional funding for its Catalyst initiative, which initially raised $1.5 billion to support first-of-a-kind climate technology projects. The umbrella organization has cut staff and programs since 2017, with Gates recently emphasizing philanthropy in global health over climate threats.
Seattle Startup Integrate Raises $17M Series A to Expand Defense and Space Project Management Software
Seattle startup Integrate secured $17 million in Series A funding to expand its super-secure project management tool used in defense, space, and other industries. The company, which has a $25 million Space Force contract and supports classified intelligence projects, is also attracting interest from automotive, renewable energy, and maritime sectors.
Avalanche Energy Secures $29M Led by RA Capital to Develop Desktop-Sized Fusion Power and Launch FusionWERX Facility
Seattle's Avalanche Energy raised $29 million led by RA Capital Management to advance fusion power and open FusionWERX, a commercial-scale test facility in Washington. The funding supports developing compact fusion devices for specialized applications, diverging from competitors focusing on large-scale fusion reactors.
Seattle Startup Electric Era Secures $5.05M in NEVI Funds to Install Six Fast Chargers in Washington
Seattle startup Electric Era secured $5.05 million in NEVI funding to install six DC fast-charging stations with large batteries along Washington highways, part of a $12.16 million state award to multiple recipients. The funding follows a federal ruling that overturned the Trump administration’s halt on NEVI infrastructure grants.
Amazon Leo VP Steve Rabuchin Retires; Madrona Partner Jon Turow Joins Anthropic; Meta's Hrvoje Benko Exits Amid Layoffs
Steve Rabuchin retired after over 20 years at Amazon, including leading Project Kuiper, while Jon Turow left Madrona to join Anthropic's technical team. Additionally, Hrvoje Benko departed Meta Reality Labs amid layoffs affecting 331 employees in Washington state.
Seattle’s Mast Reforestation Sells 80% of Carbon Credits From Biomass Burial of 4,500 Tons of Wildfire Trees in Montana
Seattle startup Mast Reforestation developed a biomass burial method to permanently store carbon by burying wildfire-destroyed trees, aiding forest recovery and generating carbon credits. Their first project in Montana successfully buried 4,500 metric tons of biomass, selling 80% of the resultant carbon credits to fund land remediation.
Seattle Startup AZX Raises $6M to Develop Custom AI Solutions for Energy Sector Amid 10x Revenue Growth
AZX, a Bellevue-based startup founded by Seattle tech veterans, raised $6 million in a pre-seed round as its Q1 revenue grew tenfold year-over-year. The company builds custom AI solutions for energy and utility clients using advanced AI technologies integrated into existing systems.
Seattle Startup Emerald Battery Labs Raises $1.1M to Scale Sodium-Ion Battery Technology Competing with Chinese Giants CATL and BYD
Seattle-based Emerald Battery Labs raised nearly $1.1 million in a pre-seed round to scale its sodium-ion battery technology, offering a cheaper and safer alternative to lithium-ion batteries. While China leads in sodium-ion battery production through companies like CATL and BYD, U.S. startups are entering the competition amid growing demand for energy storage solutions.
Seattle Fusion Startup Avalanche Energy Raises $14.9 Million to Advance Compact Fusion Devices
Seattle startup Avalanche Energy raised $14.9 million in a new funding round to develop compact fusion energy devices and pursue commercial applications. The company already secured $50 million from investors and contracts including a Pentagon deal and a $10 million state grant for a fusion testing facility.
Mitera Biosciences Secures $1.75M to Develop Pregnancy-Inspired Immunotherapies for Autoimmune and Transplant Patients
Mitera Biosciences has emerged from stealth with $1.75 million to develop therapeutics targeting autoimmune diseases and organ transplant rejection, inspired by the immune tolerance mechanisms of pregnancy. The company focuses on a placenta- and thymus-expressed protein to create novel immunotherapies that aim to reduce side effects of current immunosuppressants.
Seattle Startup Pauling.AI Uses AI to Cut Drug Discovery from Months to Weeks, Founded by Ex-Google Exec Javier Tordable in 2024
Seattle startup Pauling.AI uses AI to automate early drug discovery steps, reducing timelines from months to weeks and aiming to greatly increase new drug approvals. Founded in 2024 by former Google technical director Javier Tordable, the company offers a 'scientist-as-a-service' platform to assist researchers with computational chemistry and drug candidate modeling.
HandsRing Health Acquires Seattle’s Joon Care to Expand Digital Youth Mental Health Services
Seattle-based Joon Care, a mental health startup serving youth with evidence-based online therapy, was acquired by New York-based Handspring Health, which also offers virtual mental health services. The acquisition aims to build a leading digital platform for youth and family mental healthcare, though financial terms were not disclosed.
Bill Gates-Backed Modern Hydrogen Lays Off Most Employees Amid Funding Changes After $125M Investment
Clean energy startup Modern Hydrogen, backed by Bill Gates and having raised $125 million over a decade, has laid off most of its employees amid funding changes and restructuring. The company was preparing commercial deployments after successful pilot projects but has not publicly disclosed the extent of layoffs.
Seattle Biotech Startup Curi Bio Raises $10M Led by DreamCIS to Advance 3D Tissue Drug Discovery Platforms
Seattle biotech startup Curi Bio raised $10 million in Series B funding led by DreamCIS to expand its R&D platform using 3D tissue models for drug discovery. The company serves major pharmaceutical firms and aims to develop new platforms for various muscle and metabolic diseases.
Armoire Integrates AI Virtual Stylist into Clothing Rental Service After a Decade of Adaptations
Seattle-based Armoire, an online clothing rental startup focused on sustainability, has integrated AI through a virtual stylist to enhance customer experience after a decade of strategic pivots including shifts during the pandemic. The company aims to balance human touch with AI efficiency while navigating economic challenges and expanding customer demands.
Organizations
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CoMotion News Reporter · current
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GeekWire Reporter · current
