Nate Bek
Nate Bek is Principal at Ascend, where he also serves as Senior Associate and Head of Research. He has expertise in deeptech and applied AI, and previously worked as a reporter at GeekWire.
Seattle Trucking Startup Convoy Hires Investment Bank to Explore M&A Amid Market Challenges
Seattle trucking startup Convoy has hired an investment bank to explore potential M&A options, including a sale, merger, or strategic investment, amid market challenges and multiple layoffs. Founded in 2015 and valued at $3.8 billion, Convoy aims to increase platform volume to reach profitability.
Seattle Startup Irreverent Labs Secures Samsung NEXT Funding After AI Video Generation Pivot
Seattle startup Irreverent Labs pivoted from an NFT-based video game to developing an AI video generation model, securing funding from Samsung NEXT. The company aims to offer API tools for creators and developers to generate video content using AI.
Boundless Immigration Acquires San Francisco's Bridge to Create Comprehensive U.S. Immigration Tech Platform
Boundless Immigration, a Seattle-based startup assisting with U.S. visas and citizenship, has acquired San Francisco immigration consulting company Bridge, expanding its team by over 40 employees. This acquisition aims to create a comprehensive tech-enabled platform combining consumer and enterprise immigration services without immediate changes to pricing or product offerings.
Fabric Names Former Salesforce Exec Mike Micucci as CEO Amid $140M Funding and $1.5B Valuation
Seattle e-commerce startup Fabric named Mike Micucci, former Salesforce Commerce Cloud CEO and Automation Anywhere COO, as its new CEO. The company recently raised $140 million in Series C funding at a $1.5 billion valuation and aims to innovate online commerce technology.
Talus Bioscience Secures $4.3M in Grants to Advance Gene Activity Drug Discovery Platform
Seattle-based biotech startup Talus Bioscience secured $4.3 million in non-dilutive grants from the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment and the SBIR program to advance its drug discovery platform targeting gene activity through transcription factors. The startup, led by CEO Alex Federation and CTO Lindsay Pino, has raised a total of $7 million in venture funding and $7.3 million in grants since its founding in 2020.
Seattle-Based Workflow Labs Raises $1.3M Seed Round to Automate Amazon Seller Backend Tasks
Seattle startup Workflow Labs, led by former Amazon product manager Justin Leigh, raised $1.3 million to automate Amazon sellers' backend tasks. The platform, launched in October with about 50 customers, has grown revenue 300% year-over-year and plans to expand to additional e-commerce platforms.
Seattle Robotic Coffee Startup Artly Raises Over $518K on StartEngine at $100M Valuation
Seattle-based robotic coffee startup Artly raised over $518,000 through an equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine at a $100 million valuation, enabling non-accredited investors to buy shares. CEO Meng Wang highlighted crowdfunding's alignment with Artly's consumer-focused mission and noted investor support despite initial resistance to this fundraising route.
Spectrum Effect Raises $1.9 Million to Expand AI-Powered Mobile Network Interference Software
Spectrum Effect, a Kirkland-based startup specializing in AI-driven mobile network interference mitigation, raised $1.9 million in new funding. The company, led by Charles Immendorf, serves 16 global customers, aims for $20 million in 2024 recurring revenue, and has grown its staff to 60 employees.
Seattle’s Aigen Unveils Solar-Powered Autonomous Weed-Zapping Robot Amid Data Challenges for Ag-Tech AI
Aigen, a Seattle startup led by Kenny Lee and Rich Wurden, has developed a solar-powered, self-driving robot for weed control and crop monitoring, aiming to be one of the first fully autonomous renewable-powered farming machines. Despite growth in ag-tech AI startups, challenges remain, particularly in acquiring sufficient ground truth data to train AI models effectively.
RealWear Appoints Co-founder Chris Parkinson as CEO Amid $20.5M 2022 Revenue and AI Focus
RealWear, a Vancouver-based industrial headset maker, appointed co-founder and former CTO Chris Parkinson as CEO, succeeding retiring CEO Andrew Chrostowski. The company, which reported $20.5 million in revenue in 2022, plans to focus on AI and sustainability despite a recent failed SPAC deal.
Madrona Leads Inaugural Seattle Tech Week July 31-August 4 Featuring AI-Focused Panels and Networking
Seattle venture firm Madrona, along with other local firms and tech leaders, is launching the inaugural Seattle Tech Week from July 31 to August 4 to connect the city's tech ecosystem through various events focused on AI and innovation.
Seattle Biotech Startup A-Alpha Bio Raises $22.4M to Advance AI Platform for Protein Interaction Analysis
Seattle biotech startup A-Alpha Bio raised $22.4 million to advance its AI-driven platform that measures protein interactions, partnering with major drug companies like Bristol Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences to accelerate therapeutic development. Its platform combines computational tools and yeast experiments to analyze nearly 500 million protein-protein interaction measurements for drug discovery.
Bite of Seattle Attendees Complain About Seattle Startup CHEQ's Mobile Ordering App Causing Delays and Errors
At the Bite of Seattle food festival, attendees criticized the Seattle startup CHEQ's mandatory mobile ordering app for its glitches, double charges, and longer wait times, despite the company promoting it as a tool for efficiency. While some users found the app convenient, many expressed frustration over user-unfriendliness and limited accessibility.
Blockchain Startup RISC Zero Raises $40M Series A to Expand Bonsai Zero-Knowledge Developer Platform
RISC Zero, a Seattle-based blockchain startup, raised $40 million to expand adoption of its Bonsai developer platform for building zero-knowledge proof applications. The Series A funding was led by Blockchain Capital and Bain Capital Crypto to support development in languages like Rust and C++.
Seattle Startup CHEQ Revives Bite of Seattle Food Festival July 21-23 with Mobile Ordering Technology After 3-Year Hiatus
The Bite of Seattle food festival returns July 21-23 after a 3-year hiatus, now owned by Seattle startup CHEQ, which integrates mobile ordering to enhance event efficiency. The festival features over 100 food vendors, 50 musical acts including Sir Mix-a-Lot, and expects around 500,000 attendees.
Seattle Startup Forum3 Launches Hive3, an AI Content Creation Contest with Cash Prizes and Sponsorships in 2024
Seattle startup Forum3 announced the production of Hive3, an esports-style AI content creation contest offering cash prizes and sponsorships, launching later this year. The contest aims to showcase generative AI's potential, educate viewers on AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney, and address ethical and legal concerns amid growing AI adoption and industry controversies.
Autonomous Vehicle Startup Waabi Hires Seattle Tech Veteran Joseph Sunga as Group Product Manager
Autonomous vehicle startup Waabi has hired Seattle tech veteran Joseph Sunga as group product manager to help launch new products. The Toronto-based company is steadily growing its remote Seattle team with experienced engineers from Aurora, Amazon, and Uber acquisitions.
Seattle Venture Capital Investment Falls to $1.11 Billion in H1 2023, Yet Investors Stay Bullish on AI and Talent
Despite a significant decline in venture capital investments in Seattle, local investors remain optimistic about the region's future, driven by its strong talent pool and growth in generative AI. Seattle startups raised $1.11 billion in the first half of this year, down from $4.02 billion last year, reflecting a cautious shift toward profitability amid a market downturn similar to the dot-com bubble.
Former SoundCommerce VP Diena Lee Mann Launches AI Startup Spectio; Microsoft Federal President Rick Wagner Departs
Diena Lee Mann, former SoundCommerce senior VP, launched Spectio, an AI tool to help business analysts work with BI platforms like Tableau and Power BI. Microsoft Federal president Rick Wagner stepped down, and Jessica Boulanger joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as SVP of communications.
Seattle Fintech Startup Jirav Raises $20M Series B to Expand Financial Analytics Platform
Jirav, a Seattle-based fintech startup providing financial planning and analytics platforms for small and medium-sized businesses, raised $20 million in a Series B round. The company has grown to over 4,000 customers and has partnerships with CPA.com, with total funding reaching $33 million since its 2015 founding.
SpecterOps Raises $8.25M More, Extending Series A to $33.25M to Expand Attack Path Management Platform
Seattle cybersecurity startup SpecterOps raised an additional $8.25 million, extending its Series A funding round to $33.25 million to expand adoption of its BloodHound Enterprise attack path management platform. The extension was led by Ballistic Ventures, bringing Mandiant CEO Kevin Mandia to the board.
Seattle Digital Memorial Startup Lalo Shuts Down After Two Years Amid Funding and Monetization Challenges
Seattle startup Lalo, which helped families create digital memorials, is shutting down after two years due to inability to convert users to paying customers and raise sufficient venture capital despite growing interest. Founder Juan Medina reflected on the challenges, emphasizing the importance of testing ideas and the harsh reality of market fit in the 'death tech' space.
Seattle Startups My Financial Therapist and Stakana Win BECU and CoMotion Fintech Incubator Competition
The BECU Fintech Incubator named three winners in its fifth annual competition, including two Seattle-based startups: My Financial Therapist and Stakana. These companies will receive a one-year membership to CoMotion’s Labs incubator, alongside access to training, events, and BECU’s network.
Seattle Venture Firm Essence VC Raises $27M to Fund Early-Stage Tech Infrastructure Startups
Seattle-based venture capital firm Essence VC, led by managing partner Timothy Chen, has raised $27 million for its third fund to invest in early-stage startups focused on software development tools, data infrastructure, and AI. The firm targets pre-product startups and has made seven investments since December, including in Jasper AI and MotherDuck.
Seattle Recruiting Startup Karat Lays Off 47 Employees Again in 2023 Amid Restructuring Efforts
Seattle-based technical recruiting startup Karat laid off 47 employees for the second time in 2023 to restructure and move towards profitability, reducing its workforce from 423 in January to around 393 employees. Despite the cuts across various departments, Karat continues to grow its customer base and support diversity initiatives in tech.
Organizations
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Ascend Principal 2026–present, Senior Associate / Head of Research 2025–present, Associate 2024–2025 · current
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GeekWire Photographer · current
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GeekWire Reporter 2022–2023 · past
Education
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University of Hawai‘i - Shidler College of Business Bachelor's degree, Finance · 2020–2022
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University of Hawaii Bachelor of Arts - BA, Journalism · 2019–2022
