Taylor Soper
Taylor Soper is Director of Community and Programming at AI House and serves as a board member at the University of Washington, Board of Student Publications. He previously held editorial and reporting roles at GeekWire and Major League Baseball, with expertise in technology startups, programming, and community building.
Kestra Medical Technologies Raises $202M in IPO, Shares Price at $17 and Begin Trading at $22.95 on Nasdaq
Kestra Medical Technologies raised $202 million in its IPO by pricing shares at $17, above the expected range, with shares beginning trading at $22.95 on Nasdaq under ticker KMTS. The company, founded in 2014, produces wearable cardiac monitoring devices used in over 550 hospitals.
SpecterOps Raises $75M Series B Led by Insight Partners to Fight Identity-Based Cyber Threats
SpecterOps, a cybersecurity startup based in Alexandria, Va. with a Seattle office, raised $75 million in a Series B funding round led by Insight Partners and including Microsoft’s M12. Founded in 2016 by CEO David McGuire, the company specializes in defending against identity-based cyber threats and has about 200 employees.
Oleria Launches AI-Powered 'Copilot' to Manage Employee Access After $33.1M Series A Funding
Seattle-based security startup Oleria launched 'Oleria Copilot,' a conversational AI assistant that answers user queries about employee access and security. Founded in 2023, Oleria raised $33.1 million in Series A funding and serves clients like Vimeo and Aireon.
Seattle Venture Capitalists Say AI Boosts Startup Opportunities but Competition Is Fierce
Seattle-area venture capitalists highlight that AI advancements make now an excellent time to start startups due to lower capital needs and broad industry opportunities, but warn of intense competition as many similar ventures emerge rapidly. Founders are encouraged to develop unique advantages to stand out and attract investment amid a flood of new ideas and competitors.
Exia Labs Raises $2.5M to Develop AI Copilot ‘Blue’ for U.S. Military, Launches Political Game 'Mr. President'
Exia Labs, co-founded by veteran Jonathan Pan, raised $2.5 million to develop Blue, an AI-powered copilot for military operations that automates the U.S. Army's decision-making process and is currently being tested by military units. The startup also plans to launch the political simulation game 'Mr. President' in July to generate revenue and support its defense-focused AI development.
Seattle Startup Inspectify Acquires Real Estate Appraisal Firm Aloft, Expanding Services for 300+ Clients
Seattle startup Inspectify acquired real estate appraisal startup Aloft in an all-cash deal, expanding its offerings to include inspections, underwriting, and valuations for over 300 clients. Inspectify, which has raised $23 million and grown revenue 90% in 2024, will add 30 Aloft employees to reach 80 total staff.
Vancouver Startup Opal Raises $1.5M Pre-Seed to Automate Ad Agency Back-Office Tasks
Vancouver startup Opal raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Founders' Co-op and Exit North Ventures to automate back-office tasks for ad agencies. The company, founded in 2023 and led by Alex Steele, provides software for contracts, e-signatures, accounts receivable, ad spending, and offers merchant-specific credit cards.
Microsoft’s M12 Leads $15M Series A for Seattle Kubernetes and AI Security Startup Edera
Seattle startup Edera, founded in 2023, raised $15 million in a Series A led by Microsoft’s venture fund M12 to secure Kubernetes and AI workloads, with software that isolates containers and enhances GPU security. The 14-person company is led by CEO Emily Long and backed by investors including Mantis VC and In-Q-Tel.
Microsoft's quantum breakthrough; WA state targets Uber and Lyft; GeekWire 200; Bezos and Bond
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we discuss Microsoft's quantum computing breakthrough; a Washington state bill that targets Uber and Lyft surge pricing; the latest update to the GeekWire 200 ranking of Pacific Northwest startups; and Amazon's move to take creative control of the James Bond movie franchise. Related Links Microsoft quantum breakthrough promises to usher in the next era of computing in ‘years, not decades’ GeekWire 200 update: Here are the hot tech startups moving up our list for Q1 2025 Lawmakers take aim at Uber and Lyft with bill targeting surge pricing after big events Amazon MGM Studios…
Seattle Radar Startup Kapta Space Raises $5M Seed Round Led by MetaVC, Secures $1.8M DoD Grant
Kapta Space, a Seattle-based radar technology startup co-founded by Adam Bily and Milton Perque, raised $5 million in a seed round led by MetaVC Partners. The company develops low-cost, electronically-steered radar sensors for defense and commercial space missions and has secured a $1.8 million Department of Defense grant.
Seattle Startups Mvue, Saturday, Pansophy, and Privacy License Innovate in Fintech, Wellness, AI Knowledge, and Privacy
Four Seattle startups—Mvue, Saturday, Pansophy, and Privacy License—are innovating in fintech, endurance athlete wellness, AI-powered knowledge management, and privacy. Led by experienced founders from companies like Microsoft and Amazon, these companies use AI and personalized tech to solve industry-specific challenges.
Seattle Startup Overland AI Opens 22,000 Sq Ft Factory to Manufacture Autonomous Military Ground Vehicles, Employing 20 by Year-End
Seattle startup Overland AI opened a 22,000 sq ft factory to manufacture autonomous off-road ground vehicles, aiming to boost production and employ 20 people by year-end. The company, founded in 2022 and backed by $32 million in funding, develops technology for the U.S. military and works closely with the University of Washington and the Department of Defense.
GeekWire 200 Q1 2025: Highspot Leads as Helion Rises to No. 2 After $425M Funding; Truveta, Statsig, Protect AI Also Advance
The GeekWire 200 Q1 2025 update highlights rapidly growing Pacific Northwest tech startups, with Highspot retaining No. 1 and Helion rising to No. 2 after a $425 million funding round. Other notable movers include Truveta, Statsig, Protect AI, Carbon Robotics, and Stoke Space, reflecting dynamic shifts in the regional tech landscape.
Bill Gates-Backed Lumotive Raises $45M Series B to Advance Optical Semiconductor 3D Sensor Technology
Lumotive, a Bill Gates-backed semiconductor startup specializing in Light Control Metasurface chips for 3D sensing, raised $45 million in a Series B round to advance AI data center, aerospace, and defense applications. The startup aims to provide a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional LiDAR systems and has raised over $90 million to date.
Seattle Digital Assets Startup Strix Leviathan Acquired by New York Crypto Hedge Fund Parataxis
Seattle fintech startup Strix Leviathan, founded by Jesse Proudman and Sadie Raney in 2018, was acquired by New York-based crypto hedge fund Parataxis, with key leadership transitions following the deal.
Generative AI Poised to Boost Healthcare Efficiency but Slow Adoption and Sales Cycles Challenge Startups, Says Frazier’s Nader Naini
Generative AI and automation offer efficiency opportunities in the $4.5 trillion healthcare sector, but startups face challenges due to slow technology adoption and lengthy sales cycles. Venture funding in digital health exceeded $10 billion last year, with strong activity in Seattle-area startups and increased M&A.
Jessica Kamada’s Swizzle Ventures Raises $6.6M Fund to Invest in Women’s Health Startups in Seattle
Jessica Kamada, founder of Seattle-based Swizzle Ventures, raised $6.6 million for a new fund focused on investing in about 30 women’s health and wealth startups. Despite lacking a traditional VC background, she leveraged her experience in consumer tech growth and highlighted the significant economic potential in women’s health to attract investors.
Seattle's Foundations Launches Founder-in-Residence Program Without Equity Requirement for Early-Stage Startups
Seattle-based startup community Foundations has launched a new Founder-in-Residence program designed to support early-stage founders without requiring equity. The program offers mentorship, accepts companies at various development stages, and operates on a rolling basis with a typical six-month participation.
Freightmate, Founded by Former Flexport and Amazon Employees, Raises $5M Seed to Automate Freight Forwarding Documents
Freightmate, a Seattle-based startup founded by ex-Flexport and Amazon veterans, raised $5 million in seed funding led by Fuse to automate document and data processing for freight forwarders. Its product, Docmate, digitizes and validates shipment documents, helping freight forwarders reduce errors and save time.
Seattle Cybersecurity Startup Staris Raises $5.7M Seed to Build AI Virtual Security Engineers
Seattle-based startup Staris raised $5.7 million in seed funding led by Freestyle VC to develop AI-powered virtual security engineers that identify and fix application vulnerabilities. Founded in 2023 by cybersecurity veteran Adam Cecchetti and engineer Austin Fath, Staris aims to address the talent shortage in security by automating ongoing application protection.
Seattle Startups Duckpins, GovGoose, MediScan, and Identient Innovate in Legal, Permits, Medical Records, and Cybersecurity
Four Seattle startups—Duckpins, GovGoose, MediScan, and Identient—are leveraging AI and software to streamline estate planning, city permits, medical records, and cybersecurity. These companies are led by experienced founders and aim to simplify complex processes like electronic wills, permit automation, and cybersecurity management.
Madrona Raises $770M for Two New Funds to Back Early and Late-Stage Tech Startups Amid VC Slowdown
Madrona, the largest venture capital firm in the Pacific Northwest, raised $770 million for two new funds focusing on early-stage and more mature tech startups despite a challenging VC fundraising environment in 2024. The firm plans to invest in about 30 companies at early stages and 12 at later stages, maintaining its strong position amid a slowdown in the broader venture capital sector.
Fortive Leads $2M Pre-Seed Round for Seattle Startup Glue, Founded by Ex-Tektronix VP David Sulpy, to Automate Hardware Testing
Glue, a Seattle startup led by former Tektronix exec David Sulpy, raised $2 million in a pre-seed round led by Fortive to advance its AI-driven hardware test automation software. The company originated from a collaboration between Fortive and Pioneer Square Labs to accelerate product testing and market readiness.
AI2 Incubator Moves to Historic Pier 70 on Seattle Waterfront, Anchoring Tech Expansion with New AI House
The AI2 Incubator is relocating to Pier 70 on Seattle's waterfront, becoming the anchor tenant in a historic building once home to MTV’s 'Real World,' as part of efforts to attract more tech companies. The incubator, which spun off from the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in 2022 and recently raised $30 million, will also establish a new 'AI House' for AI events and collaboration.
Leafly to Be Delisted from Nasdaq on Jan 17, 2025, After Missing Net Income Requirements
Leafly, a cannabis resource company, will be delisted from Nasdaq on January 17, 2025, due to failing minimum net income requirements. The company, which went public in 2022, has faced declining revenue and will move trading to the OTC Pink Open Market.
Organizations
See all 15-
AI House Director of Community and Programming 2026–present · current
-
University of Washington, Board of Student Publications Board Member 2016–present · current
-
AI House Director of Community and Programming · current
Education
-
University of Washington Executive Development Program, Business Administration and Management, General · 2021–2022
-
University of Washington Bachelor, Business, Journalism · 2008–2012
-
Foster School of Business B.A., Business Administration · 2008–2012
