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.
Pipe17 Raises $17.5M Series A and Hires Kelly Goetsch as First COO to Boost E-commerce Logistics Platform
Seattle-based e-commerce logistics startup Pipe17 raised a $15.5 million Series A round, later increasing it to $17.5 million, and hired Kelly Goetsch as its first COO to support its AI-driven platform managing various e-commerce operations. Since launching in 2019, Pipe17 has raised $27 million and serves clients including Allbirds, UPS, and FedEx.
Seattle Tech Veterans Launch AZX Startup Offering Custom AI Solutions to Clean Energy and Real Estate Industries
Seattle entrepreneurs Aaron Goldfeder, Rich Evans, and Michael Albrecht launched AZX in October 2023, a profitable startup developing bespoke AI solutions for clean energy and real estate companies. The firm focuses on custom AI apps to optimize internal business processes and integrates them into clients' existing systems.
Providence Ventures Spins Out as Independent Allumia Ventures with $150 Million Healthcare Fund Backed by Providence
Providence Ventures has spun out to become the independent venture capital firm Allumia Ventures, raising a new $150 million fund backed by Providence. The firm focuses on mission-driven healthcare investments and plans to expand its investor base to enhance due diligence and support for healthcare startups.
Seattle Genomics Startup Variant Bio Secures Up to $50M Deal with Novo Nordisk to Study Metabolic Diseases Using Diverse Genomic Data
Seattle-based Variant Bio has partnered with Novo Nordisk in a multi-year deal worth up to $50 million to study metabolic diseases using genomic data from diverse populations. The collaboration aims to discover novel drug targets for diseases like obesity and diabetes by leveraging genetic data from globally diverse and underrepresented groups.
Seattle’s Soapbox Project Launches Weekly Climate Activism Meetups for Tech Workers Starting Jan. 7
Seattle nonprofit Soapbox Project, founded by Nivi Achanta, is hosting weekly meetups starting January 7 at Slip Gallery to engage tech workers and others in climate activism and community building. The organization also distributes a weekly 'changeletter' with actionable climate steps and offers resources to support collective climate action.
Washington State Sen. Joe Nguyễn, ex-Microsoft veteran, appointed head of Commerce; Remitly EVP Rene Yoakum retiring
Washington State Senator Joe Nguyễn, a former Microsoft employee and 2024 Public Policy Champion for Innovation, will become director of the Washington Department of Commerce, succeeding Mike Fong. Additionally, Remitly's EVP Rene Yoakum is retiring after over six years, transitioning to a consulting role through 2026.
Seattle Startup Singletto Gains FDA Approval for Virus-Killing Oxafence Surgical Masks
Seattle startup Singletto received FDA approval for its Oxafence technology, a methylene blue-treated surgical mask that kills 99.9% of certain viruses within five minutes. The masks are already in use in New Zealand and represent a significant advancement over traditional masks by actively inactivating pathogens.
Seattle Startup Tribute Shuts Down After Eight Years Despite Enterprise Interest and Funding Challenges
Seattle startup Tribute, founded by Sarah Haggard, is shutting down after eight years despite having enterprise interest and existing customers, due to unmaterialized deals and funding challenges. The platform evolved from a mentor-matching app to a workplace knowledge tool but ultimately could not sustain financially.
Expedia Appoints Scott Schenkel as CFO Amid C-Suite Changes; Ex-Microsoft AI VP Luis Vargas Launches AI Startup
Expedia Group appointed Scott Schenkel as its new CFO, succeeding Julie Whalen, amid broader executive changes including CEO Ariane Gorin's leadership. Meanwhile, former Microsoft AI VP Luis Vargas left to start a new AI startup as chief technologist.
Seattle’s Nimbus Aerospace Flies 10th-Scale Electric Jet Demonstrator in Tulsa, Targeting 2032 Production
Seattle-based startup Nimbus Aerospace successfully completed a 1-minute 23-second demonstrator flight of a 10th-scale model for its electric-powered business jet in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company aims to develop a six-to-eight seat electric jet with a range of 1,100 miles and plans FAA certification and production by 2032.
TerraPower Isotopes’ Chris Dunckley Leads Team Extracting Ultra-Rare Actinium-225 from Cold War Waste for Cancer Therapy
Chris Dunckley, director of chemistry and engineering at TerraPower Isotopes, leads a multidisciplinary team extracting the ultra-rare radioisotope actinium-225 from Cold War nuclear waste to develop promising cancer therapies. His leadership and scientific expertise help transform radioactive weapons waste into potentially life-saving medical treatments.
Ex-Google Director Manish Sainani Launches AI Investment Firm Hushh Technologies; Nathan Brown Named CFO of Treasury4
Manish “Manny” Sainani, former Google director, launched Hushh Technologies, an AI-driven investment management startup, while Nathan Brown became CFO of Treasury4, a fintech company serving corporate finance professionals.
Seattle Startup Ever.green Advances Clean Energy Financing Amid Trump’s Fossil Fuel Support and IRA Uncertainty
Ever.green, a Seattle-based clean energy startup, remains optimistic about advancing climate projects despite President-elect Trump's support for fossil fuels and criticism of clean energy policies. The startup leverages the Inflation Reduction Act's tax credits to connect corporations with clean energy developers, navigating political uncertainties while noting strong Wall Street investment in the sector.
Former Amazon Care Leader Liz Tarullo Raises $3.5M to Launch Magnolia, Virtual Support Startup for Dementia Caregivers
Former Amazon Care leader Liz Tarullo co-founded Magnolia, a Seattle startup offering virtual support for caregivers of dementia and Alzheimer's patients, raising $3.5 million in seed funding led by Village Global. Magnolia aims to transform caregiving by providing guidance and support based on Tarullo's personal caregiving experience and the gaps she identified in existing healthcare services.
Jay Choi Named CEO of Typeform; Charley Daitch CEO of Rowan Digital Infrastructure; Allison Arnold Joins VertueLab Board
Jay Choi, former Qualtrics executive, is now CEO of Typeform, while Charley Daitch, ex-AWS director, became CEO of Rowan Digital Infrastructure, and Allison Arnold joined VertueLab's board.
Aquagga Names Former Intellectual Ventures Executive Dhileep Sivam as CEO to Commercialize PFAS Destruction Technology
Aquagga, a startup developing technology to destroy 99% of PFAS in contaminated water, has appointed Dhileep Sivam, a former Intellectual Ventures executive, as its new CEO to lead commercialization efforts. The company, founded in 2019, has received over $10 million from grants and customers and raised $1.1 million from investors.
Seattle Startup Flyhomes Launches NeighborVote Tool Showing Neighborhoods' Political Leanings for Homebuyers
Seattle startup Flyhomes launched NeighborVote, a tool allowing homebuyers to see neighborhoods' political leanings based on voting data, aiming to aid informed housing decisions. The feature uses data from MIT Election Data & Science Lab and positions politics like Walk Scores or school ratings in home evaluations.
University of Washington Joins NSF-Funded $15M Northwest Innovation Hub Led by UC Berkeley for Technology Commercialization
The University of Washington has been selected as part of a new federally funded Northwest Region Hub by the National Science Foundation to support technology commercialization with up to $15 million distributed among eight universities over five years. UW’s CoMotion will administer funding and programming to enhance innovation training, mentorship, and customer discovery for entrepreneurs.
Microsoft Veteran Priyanka Kulkarni Launches Seattle AI Startup Casium to Simplify Work Visa Applications
Priyanka Kulkarni, a former Microsoft employee, launched the Seattle startup Casium in April to use AI for streamlining U.S. work visa applications, inspired by her own challenging visa process. By July, Casium had paying customers, aiming to transform how immigration paperwork is prepared and submitted with attorney collaboration.
Seattle-Based Electric Era Launches First EV Fast Charger at Costco, Plans 50 More Stations by 2025
Electric Era, an EV charging startup based in Seattle, has installed its first fast charger at a Costco in Ridgefield, Washington, and aims to deploy 50 more stations by the end of 2025. The company benefits from its new spacious headquarters, which has helped demonstrate its credibility to major clients like Costco.
Zap Energy Secures $130M Funding and Advances Century Fusion Power Plant Demo System
Zap Energy raised $130 million in funding and is progressing on its Century system, a demonstration of key technologies for fusion power plants aimed at producing 50 megawatts per module. The Century device integrates power-generation components while the core fusion reactor FuZE-Q continues development.
Ada Developers Academy Appoints Tina-Marie Gulley as CEO, Shifts to Virtual AI-Focused Programs Amid Tech Hiring Slowdown
Ada Developers Academy, a tuition-free tech boot camp for underrepresented groups, faced challenges due to the pandemic and tech hiring slowdowns, leading to staff reductions and paused admissions. Under new CEO Tina-Marie Gulley, the nonprofit shifted to virtual instruction, emphasized AI, and continued expanding its programming to serve more diverse students nationwide.
Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Isotopes Begins Commercial Production of Cancer-Treating Actinium-225 from Cold War Weapons Waste
TerraPower Isotopes, backed by Bill Gates, became the first commercial-scale producer of actinium-225, a rare radioactive isotope used for precise cancer therapy, sourced from Cold War weapons waste. The company operates its facility in Everett, Washington, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to recover thorium-229 for medical use.
Seattle Dementia Care Startup Rippl Raises $23M to Expand Virtual Services to California, Florida, and Arizona
Seattle-based dementia care startup Rippl raised $23 million to expand its virtual healthcare services into California, Florida, and Arizona, growing beyond its current states of Washington, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. Founded in 2021, Rippl has raised a total of $55 million and partners with the Alzheimer's Association to provide accessible, non-hospital dementia care.
Flexe Names Pirasenna Thiyagarajan CTO; Talus Bioscience Appoints Gaelle Mercenne Amid $11.2M Funding; Vouched Adds David McGrath as Sales VP
Flexe appointed Pirasenna Thiyagarajan as chief technology and product officer following CTO David Glick's departure. Talus Bioscience hired Gaelle Mercenne as head of biology after securing $11.2 million in funding, while Vouched named David McGrath as vice president of sales amid leadership changes.
Organizations
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CoMotion News Reporter · current
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GeekWire Reporter · current
