Rich Barton
Rich Barton is currently Co-founder and Co-Executive Chair at Zillow, Board Director at Netflix, and Partner at Sea 2 Sky Partners. He founded Expedia, which went public, Glassdoor, and Zillow, which also went public and where he remains involved. His expertise includes entrepreneurship and leadership in technology-driven companies.
What's going on with Seattle startup funding, a Kalshi setback, Impinj's long game, and a smartphone detox
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Seattle startup funding drops 40% in the first half of the year while AI money floods everywhere else. We dig into the numbers and the implications for the region. Plus: a Seattle judge deals Kalshi a setback, Impinj marks a decade on the Nasdaq after a 26-year climb, and nearly 40 Seattleites trade their smartphones for flip phones for five weeks. Related Stories Venture funding drops in Seattle area as AI boom reshapes startup world Helion raises $465M at $15.5B valuation as it aims to commercialize fusion UK data center startup Nscale bets big…
Expedia and Zillow Co-Founder Rich Barton Relocates to Las Vegas Amid Washington State Wealth Tax Concerns
Rich Barton, the co-founder of Expedia and Zillow, has moved from Washington to Las Vegas, joining other tech magnates like Jeff Bezos who left due to Washington state's new wealth taxes. His departure is seen as a significant loss to the Seattle tech startup ecosystem amid growing debates over taxes on wealthy residents.
Zillow and Expedia Co-founder Rich Barton Officially Moves to Las Vegas Amid Seattle Tech Exodus
Rich Barton, co-founder of Zillow and Expedia, has officially moved from Seattle to Las Vegas, marking a new chapter in his life after his children left home. His departure is notable amid other high-profile Seattle tech leaders relocating and ongoing debates about Washington's tax policies on wealthy residents.
UW Students Pitch AI Startup Ideas to Seattle Venture Capitalists After 10-Week Program at Pioneer Square Labs
University of Washington students from seven teams pitched AI-driven startup ideas to influential Seattle investors at Pioneer Square Labs, concluding a 10-week entrepreneurship program led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman and UW professor Ed Lazowska. The event featured realistic pitch rounds, attracting prominent tech leaders as guests throughout the course.
GeekWire Podcast, Live from Fremont: Seahawks, AI, and Seattle's Future
We're live this week in the "Center of the Universe" in Seattle for a special recording of the GeekWire Podcast, presented by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce at Fremont Brewing Co. Fresh off the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory, we debate some potential ownership groups for the Seahawks and Sonics — from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to Costco's Jim Sinegal. (Who wouldn't want $1.50 hot dogs and sodas at Lumen Field or Climate Pledge Arena?) Then we dig into the debate over Seattle's tech future, sparked by angel investor Charles Fitzgerald's GeekWire column, "A warning to Seattle: Don't become the…
Zillow Group Cuts 200 Employees in Performance-Related Layoffs Amid Revenue Growth in Q3 2026
Zillow Group laid off about 200 employees, roughly 2% of its workforce, due to performance-related reasons as part of its annual review process, unrelated to market conditions. The Seattle-based real estate company continues to grow, reporting a 16% revenue increase and increased user traffic in Q3 2026.
Seattle Outpaces Toronto as Superior Tech Hub Despite Toronto's High-Valued AI Startups Amid ALCS Baseball Rivalry
Seattle and Toronto, both strong tech hubs, are compared on various metrics like talent rankings, corporate presence, and startups, with Seattle leading in corporate tech depth and number of unicorns, while Toronto boasts high-value AI startups like Cohere. Seattle ranks higher globally and has more engineering centers from major US tech firms, though Toronto shows strong growth in AI and security startups.
Rich Barton (Co-Founder of Expedia & Zillow) on how to name your company
Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vPr7HMjGW8 About the Startup Archive We curate the top 1% of startup advice from the world’s best founders and investors. Join 10,000+ founders who read the free newsletter here: https://startuparchive.org Follow us on... Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StartupArchive_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparchive_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-archive
University of Washington Students Pitch AI and Tech Startups After 10-Week Entrepreneurship Course Led by Greg Gottesman
The University of Washington offers a popular 10-week entrepreneurship class led by venture capitalist Greg Gottesman, culminating in student pitches of tech startups at Pioneer Square Labs. The course attracted strong demand, featured high-profile guest speakers like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, and highlighted trends such as AI and computer vision.
Uber + Expedia? Ballmer on 60 Minutes; 1980s Silicon Valley revisited; What's next for AI
This week, we imagine the possibility of Uber buying Expedia Group, based on a report by the Financial Times this week that the ride-hailing company has considered a bid for the online travel giant. It would be notable in part because Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was Expedia Group’s CEO from 2005 to 2017 and remains on the company’s board. In the second segment, we enjoy highlights from the "60 Minutes" profile of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, and a separate appearance by University of Washington historian and author Margaret O'Mara on an episode of the podcast "60 Minutes: A Second…
Gaurav Oberoi’s Lexion Acquired by DocuSign for $165 Million, Marking Third Successful Exit for the Entrepreneur
Serial entrepreneur Gaurav Oberoi, co-founder of AI-based legal tech startup Lexion, will exit successfully as Lexion is acquired by DocuSign for $165 million. Oberoi, known for his customer-centric approach and expertise, has now had three startups acquired, earning strong respect in Seattle’s tech community.
Rich Barton | Co-Founder of Zillow, Expedia, and Glassdoor
Rich Barton is the CEO and co-founder of Zillow Group, where he leads the company’s work to transform how people buy, sell, rent, and finance homes. Zillow is a real estate marketplace company that was founded in 2006 and has literally become a household name. Prior to Zillow, Rich also founded the online travel company and Microsoft spinoff, Expedia, as well as job search engine and career community, Glassdoor. Barton was also a venture partner at Benchmark and is on the Board of Directors of Netflix, Nextdoor, Artsy, and more. * Brought to you by Outer. Outer makes the world’s…
SVB aftermath; remote work 'affliction'; and Microsoft puts AI to work
This week on the GeekWire Podcast ... We catch up on the latest on the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and consider the long-term implications of the meltdown on the startup ecosystem and the U.S. financial system. Then, a point-counterpoint on the issue of the return to office, as Downtown Seattle Association President Jon Scholes laments the "affliction" of remote work, and Zillow Group CEO Rich Barton says the ways we work (and the places we work) have changed forever. And finally, we catch up on the latest in the world of generative artificial intelligence, listening to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's…
Flyhomes raises $150 million to scale cash-offer homebuying and mortgage services nationwide
Seattle startup Flyhomes raised $150 million to expand its cash-offer homebuying model and integrated mortgage and selling services nationwide, positioning itself against iBuyers and Zillow. CEO Tushar Garg said the funding supports building an end-to-end home-buying experience that gives clients a competitive edge in a chaotic market.
Talking SPACapalooza with angel investor Spencer Rascoff
When we reached out to entrepreneur and angel investor Spencer Rascoff on Tuesday with notes about appearing on the GeekWire podcast — an appearance that was scheduled several weeks ago — we mentioned possible discussion topics around SPACs, real estate trends and any other big tech news events of the week. And then we made the age-old journalistic error, pointing out that it had been a "pretty slow news week so far, but I am sure something will pop in the next day or two that might make life interesting." Indeed it did. But we had no idea that this…
Pioneer Square Labs spins out 25 startups in five years; six launched during pandemic surge
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) spun out 25 startups in five years — six during a six-month pandemic stretch — by rapidly testing ideas, though it has yet to produce a breakout unicorn and faces criticism over founder dilution.
Former Zillow Leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong Raise $40M Seed for Tomo Networks to Build Tech-Driven Mortgage Platform
Former Zillow leaders Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong launched Tomo Networks, a fintech startup building a tech-driven mortgage and transaction platform, and raised a $40 million seed round led by prominent real estate investors. The company, founded a few months ago, is targeting agents and consumers while keeping specific business model details private.
Nine ex-Microsoft founders say Satya Nadella’s cultural shift helped turn Microsoft alumni into more successful startup builders
Former Microsoft employees once struggled to raise startup funding and adapt to startup life because of the company’s pace, bureaucracy and internal politics, but Satya Nadella’s post-2014 cultural changes have shifted perceptions. Today Microsoft veterans are increasingly prominent in Seattle startups, with their experience building platforms and brand recognition seen as both an advantage and a potential blind spot for new founders.
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launch TeamSense, a COVID-19 symptom‑tracking SaaS that reached paying customers in six weeks
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launched their first spinout, TeamSense, a SaaS platform that lets employers screen and communicate with hourly workers about COVID-19 symptoms via quick daily texts or emails. TeamSense moved from initial funding to paying customers in six weeks and provides dashboards, rosters, and 1-on-1 chat to support workplace health, planning and compliance.
Madrona Venture Labs spinout Weekdays and other startups build tech to help parents manage childcare gaps during COVID-19
Seattle startup studio Madrona Venture Labs and spinout Weekdays are among tech entrepreneurs building services to help working parents handle childcare challenges compounded by COVID-19 — from closed schools and canceled camps to safety worries and financial strain. Single parents like Maria Hess report daily struggles juggling work and parenting, driving increased demand for tech-enabled in-home caregiver matching and other solutions.
Uber, Grubhub and Seattle; Amazon's virus-killing robot; Surface Earbuds first take
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Word leaked out this week that Uber is considering buying food-delivery service Grubhub, and it turns out there are many Seattle connections behind the possible deal, including links to Expedia and several other companies. Food delivery is a tough market to make a buck in, for companies and their drivers, so what's in the deal for Uber? Uber Eats is #2 and Grubhub is #3 in food delivery services, behind leader DoorDash. DoorDash grew its market share 42% in March while Grubhub stayed flat. Uber Eats grew 20% (it…
Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive launch joint innovation studio to build spinout companies, starting with a COVID-19 workplace-safety concept
Seattle startup studio Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) has partnered with publicly traded industrial company Fortive to form a joint innovation studio that will build and spin out new companies and products, starting with a confidential workplace-safety concept prompted by COVID-19. PSL will apply its in-house startup studio model to create standalone venture-backed businesses or concepts Fortive may acquire, while Fortive aims to accelerate innovation and cultural change.
An extraordinary year in Seattle tech
From Amazon to Zillow, big successes to surprising failures, it was an extraordinary year for technology and innovation emerging from and impacting Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. That's the consensus from GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop, who independently compiled their own lists of the biggest stories of the year, then compared notes in this year-end GeekWire Podcast discussion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Secret Startup Ingredient: Microsoft
Would you have guessed that nearly 25 percent of the Seattle region's top tech startups are led by CEOs with backgrounds at Microsoft? That was the surprising result of our analysis of the GeekWire 200, our index of the top privately held tech companies in the Pacific Northwest. And fundings for the region's startups bucked the national trend, as reflected in data from our new startup deal tracker. Nintendo unveiled a new iteration of its Switch game console; former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer pulled off what might be his greatest deal ever; and an Amazon employee showed the potential of…
Rich Barton: Understanding Our Need for Autonomy
Zillow Group Co-Founder Rich Barton describes how the desire for direct access to information is the underlying reason why consumer-facing platforms like Expedia and the various real-estate sites in his group have succeeded. Regardless of industry, people want facts that will allow them to make their own decisions, especially in deeply personal areas like finance and leisure, Barton says. View more clips and share your comments at http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=5702
Organizations
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Sea 2 Sky Partners Partner 2025–present · current
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Zillow Co-founder and Co-Executive Chair 2024–present, CEO 2019–2024, Executive Chairman 2010–2019, CEO 2004–2010, Former CEO · current
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Netflix Board Director 2002–present · current
Education
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Stanford University B.S. General Engineering: Industrial Economics, ENGINEERING · 1985–1989
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New Canaan High School 1981–1985
