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.
Seattle Startup Karat Acquires Byteboard to Enhance Technical Talent Assessment Platform
Seattle-based technical talent platform Karat has acquired San Francisco startup Byteboard, known for its project-based engineering interview tool. This marks Karat's third acquisition in two years as it integrates Byteboard's AI-enabled assessments with its human-plus-technology approach to improve technical hiring.
SuperDial Acquires AI2 Incubator Spinout MajorBoost to Automate Healthcare Phone Calls
SuperDial, a San Francisco health tech startup founded in 2021, acquired Seattle-based MajorBoost, an AI2 Incubator spinout founded in 2020 that automates healthcare phone calls to insurance companies. The acquisition aims to reduce costly, time-consuming calls through AI voice agents, advancing automation for healthcare organizations.
Seattle Immunotherapy Startup Umoja Biopharma Raises $100M Series C to Advance In Vivo CAR T-Cell Cancer Therapies
Seattle-based Umoja Biopharma raised $100 million in a Series C funding round to advance its CAR T-cell immunotherapy treatments, including an in vivo cell-generating technology for cancer. The company, founded in 2019 and led by CEO Andy Scharenberg, has programs in preclinical and Phase 1 stages and previously raised $263 million.
Seattle Startup Overland AI Raises $32M Series A to Develop Off-Road Autonomous Tech for U.S. Military
Seattle startup Overland AI raised $32 million in a Series A funding round led by 8VC to advance its off-road autonomous driving technology for the U.S. military. The company, founded in 2022, has contracts with the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and DARPA to develop systems enabling robotic vehicles to operate in complex terrain without GPS or human drivers.
Seattle's Truveta Raises $320M to Launch Largest Genomic Database with 10 Million Exomes Sequenced
Seattle-based health data company Truveta secured $320 million from 17 health systems, Illumina, and Regeneron to launch the Truveta Genome Project, aiming to create the largest and most diverse genomic and phenotypic dataset ever assembled, greatly surpassing previous efforts. The project will sequence exomes of 10 million volunteers using biospecimens linked to anonymized medical records to advance genetic research and healthcare insights.
Seattle VCs, Including Pioneer Square Labs, Invest $8.5M in Denver Startup Kamiwaza to Boost Enterprise AI Adoption
Kamiwaza, a Denver-based startup founded in 2023, raised $8.5 million in a seed round led by S3 Ventures and Pioneer Square Labs to provide a software platform enabling enterprise AI adoption without major data migration. The company's tools support AI across cloud, on-premise, and edge infrastructure, serving Fortune 500 and government clients.
Pacific Northwest Tech Startups Raise $762M in Q4 2024 with Zap Energy and Auger Leading Funding Rounds
Venture capital funding for Pacific Northwest startups rose over 20% year-over-year in Q4 2024, totaling $762 million across 48 deals, driven by major rounds from Zap Energy and Auger. Despite being well below 2021 peaks, the region shows positive momentum amid a cautious but moderately optimistic U.S. VC market influenced by AI investment growth.
Kieran Snyder Finds In-Person Tech Teams Show Higher Engagement and Growth Than Remote Ones in 2024
Kieran Snyder analyzes data comparing remote and in-office work, finding that in-person teams have more constructive disagreement, higher participation especially among women, and better growth signals in startups. Despite the popular benefits of remote work, her data suggests in-person collaboration may yield stronger business outcomes.
Seattle VCs Forecast AI Dominance and Crypto Skepticism in 2025 Tech Landscape
Seattle venture capitalists predict AI will dominate tech trends in 2025, emphasizing its integration into consumer interactions and infrastructure. While AI is expected to advance, some also view crypto as the most overhyped technology.
Seattle Startups Aeone, JustCoach, Lifecrafting, and Summed AI Launch Innovative Solutions for Creators and Athletes
Four Seattle-area startups—Aeone, JustCoach, Lifecrafting, and Summed AI—are developing innovative products to support content creators, youth athletes, and community experiences, led by founders with strong industry backgrounds. These early-stage companies are addressing markets such as influencer media tools, personalized sports coaching, and organized play activities.
Seattle VC Flying Fish Raises $25M Opportunity Fund for AI Startup Follow-On Investments
Seattle venture capital firm Flying Fish is raising a new $25 million Opportunity Fund to support follow-on investments, complementing its existing funds focused on AI startups. Founded in 2017 and led by Heather Redman, Geoff Harris, and Frank Chang, the firm has expanded its investments geographically and across AI technologies.
Seattle Spinout Certivo, Led by Kunal Chopra, Uses AI to Cut Compliance Management Costs by 90%
Certivo, a new Seattle-based spinout led by tech veteran Kunal Chopra and backed by Pioneer Square Labs and Fortive, uses AI to automate and streamline compliance management for manufacturers. Its platform offers cost-effective, multi-agent AI-driven solutions that integrate with major systems and provide real-time regulatory monitoring and predictive analysis.
Seattle Cosmetic Review Platform RealSelf Lays Off Staff Amid Restructuring Under New CEO Minou Clark
Seattle-based cosmetic review platform RealSelf laid off several employees, including senior sales leaders, in a surprise restructuring announced last week. The company recently appointed Minou Clark as CEO and indicated plans for a brand refresh and platform enhancements.
Databricks Raises $10B at $62B Valuation and Expands Seattle Area Workforce to Nearly 400 Employees
Databricks is raising $10 billion at a $62 billion valuation to accelerate its AI efforts and plans to expand its Seattle-area offices, which have grown from 52 employees in 2021 to nearly 400 today. The company is actively hiring across engineering, product, and security roles to compete for AI talent alongside companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Perplexity Acquires Seattle Startup Carbon to Enhance Data Connectivity for Large Language Models
Perplexity, an OpenAI rival valued at $9 billion, acquired Seattle-based Carbon, a startup that enables developers to connect external data to large language models. Carbon, founded in 2022 with four employees, raised $1.3 million in seed funding and will integrate its technology into Perplexity’s AI search products.
Joylux Raises $4.5M to Expand Women's Sexual Health Products with Halle Berry Partnership
Seattle-based Joylux raised $4.5 million to expand its women's sexual health products, partnering with actress and investor Halle Berry. The company, which has raised $22 million to date, plans to grow through retail, health partners, and an international collaboration with Essity.
Modern Hydrogen Raises $25M to Expand Clean Hydrogen and Carbon Tech with Bill Gates Support
Seattle-area clean tech startup Modern Hydrogen raised $25 million to advance its methane pyrolysis technology producing clean hydrogen and solid carbon for industrial uses. Bill Gates, a key investor, supports the company, which has raised over $100 million and plans to expand into new markets with strategic partnerships.
OfferUp Cuts 22% of Staff Amid Profitability Drive, Expands Beyond Used Goods
OfferUp is cutting 22% of its nearly 500 employees to stay profitable amid challenging ad revenue and is expanding beyond used goods into local commerce areas like job postings and home services. Affected staff will receive severance, health benefits through February, and job placement support.
Seattle Startup Lumen Orbit Raises $11M Seed Round to Build Space-Based Data Centers for AI
Lumen Orbit, a Seattle-area startup founded in 2023, raised $11 million in seed funding to develop data centers in space for AI and technology services on Earth. The company, valued at $40 million, plans to launch a full-scale prototype in 2025 and is led by CEO Philip Johnston and co-founders with aerospace and space tech backgrounds.
Seattle Startup Tomorrow Unveils High-Tech Fridge to Extend Produce Freshness and Reduce Food Waste
Seattle startup Tomorrow is developing a high-tech refrigerator with patent-pending technology to extend the freshness of produce by reducing water loss and using computer vision to manage contents. Led by Andrew Kinzer, the company aims to reduce food waste significantly, entering a largely untapped market with plans to unveil its product soon.
Nobel Laureate David Baker Drives Protein Design Innovation and Startup Growth at University of Washington
David Baker, Nobel Prize winner and head of the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington, is focused on advancing protein design research and entrepreneurship, having helped spawn over 20 startups in Seattle's biotech hub. He plans to continue accelerating scientific innovation in the field, which develops new proteins for therapeutics, vaccines, and materials.
Seattle Fintech Startup Finagraph Merges with Milwaukee Accounting Software Firm LeaseCrunch
Seattle fintech startup Finagraph merged with Milwaukee-based LeaseCrunch to combine financial data analysis and accounting software, serving over 750 CPA firms. Finagraph, founded in 2010 by CEO James Walter, integrates data from systems like QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics.
Microsoft GM Nikesh Parekh Advises SaaS VP on Evaluating Stock Value and Career Priorities at Slow-Growth Company
Nikesh Parekh, a Microsoft general manager and former startup founder, advises a VP of engineering at a slow-growing SaaS company to assess the value of their stock and company exit potential before making career moves. He suggests prioritizing career goals like skill growth, title, or compensation while considering the risks involved.
Seattle’s Inflection Raises $7.6M to Advance B2B Marketing Automation Software
Seattle-based startup Inflection raised $7.6 million from existing investors to enhance its marketing automation software for B2B companies, bringing total funding to $14 million since its 2021 founding. CEO Aaron Bird highlighted that the company expects to be cash flow positive and is focused on growing its enterprise customer base.
Veeam Software Valued at $15 Billion After $2 Billion Secondary Share Sale Led by TPG, HQ Moved to Kirkland, WA
Veeam Software, a data protection leader, achieved a $15 billion valuation following a $2 billion secondary share sale led by TPG, expected to close in Q1 2025. The company relocated its headquarters to Kirkland, Washington, serves 77% of the Fortune 500, and reported $1.7 billion in annual recurring revenue as of September.
Organizations
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AI House Director of Community and Programming 2026–present · current
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University of Washington, Board of Student Publications Board Member 2016–present · current
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AI House Director of Community and Programming · current
Education
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University of Washington Executive Development Program, Business Administration and Management, General · 2021–2022
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University of Washington Bachelor, Business, Journalism · 2008–2012
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Foster School of Business B.A., Business Administration · 2008–2012
