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 AI Chatbot Startup Direqt Raises $4.5M with Investors Like Dan Marino and Todd Parker
Seattle startup Direqt raised $4.5 million to enhance its AI chatbot designed for publisher engagement and ad revenue, with investments from notable figures including NFL legend Dan Marino and former Google executive Todd Parker.
Seattle’s Neon Machine Raises $20M Series A to Develop Blockchain Web3 Shooter Game Shrapnel
Neon Machine, a Seattle startup developing the blockchain-based Web3 combat shooter Shrapnel, raised $20 million in a Series A funding round led by investors including Polychain Capital and Griffin Gaming Partners. The company plans to launch an early access paid version of Shrapnel in December and a free-to-play version next year.
Convoy Faces Class Action Lawsuit for WARN Act Violations Following Abrupt Layoff of 533 Employees
Trucking startup Convoy faces a proposed class action lawsuit alleging violation of the WARN Act by laying off 533 employees without 60 days' advance notice or severance after its abrupt shutdown. The lawsuit seeks 60 days of wages and benefits for affected workers.
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis Seeks Deal to Preserve Team and Tech After Shutdown and 533 Layoffs
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis is working on a deal that may retain some of the company’s technology and team following the shutdown and layoffs of 533 employees amid a freight recession and poor investor interest. The Seattle startup, once valued at $3.8 billion and having raised $260 million, could not finalize a strategic deal and has ceased operations.
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis Discloses Near-M&A Deals Before Trucking Startup's Shutdown Amid Freight Recession
Convoy CEO Dan Lewis revealed on LinkedIn that the company reached advanced stages of two potential M&A deals before shutting down amid a prolonged freight recession and declined investor interest. The Seattle-based trucking startup, which had about 500 employees before the shutdown, had raised $260 million at a $3.8 billion valuation 18 months earlier.
Seattle Trucking Startup Convoy Shutters After 8 Years Amid Freight Recession, Lenders Pull Funding
Convoy, a Seattle-based digital trucking marketplace co-founded by CEO Dan Lewis, abruptly shut down after eight years due to a freight recession and lack of funding, leading to layoffs without severance. Executives expressed shock and grief during a company-wide video call, explaining that they exhausted all options to save the company but lenders withdrew the final funds.
Seattle Cloud Firm Skytap Raises $18M from Vistara Growth to Expand Cloud Solutions
Seattle-based cloud company Skytap raised $18 million from Vistara Growth to enhance its cloud software offerings, serving clients with traditional applications like IBM Power. Founded 16 years ago and led by CEO Bradley Schick since 2019, Skytap counts investors including Goldman Sachs and Jeff Bezos among its backers.
University of Washington’s CoMotion Innovation Arm Moving to Condon Hall Near Startup Hall in 2023
The University of Washington's innovation arm, CoMotion, will relocate from the Blume building to Condon Hall near Startup Hall later this year, expanding its space and event capabilities. Startup Hall is part of the Portage Bay Crossing neighborhood, which aims to foster research, education, and entrepreneurship.
Seattle Trucking Marketplace Convoy Pauses Shipments and Considers Sale Amid Market Recession
Seattle-based trucking startup Convoy has paused shipments and is reportedly winding down operations amid a freight market recession and financial struggles, with layoffs and potential sale talks ongoing. The company, valued at $3.8 billion last year, faces stiff competition and market headwinds, and plans to share more details on its transition later this week.
Flexport Cuts 165 Jobs at Bellevue Office Amid 20% Company-Wide Layoffs to Restructure for Profitability
Logistics company Flexport is laying off 165 employees from its Bellevue office as part of a broader 20% company-wide workforce reduction announced last week, aiming to restructure for profitability. The Bellevue office remains operational and important for technology and product development despite recent leadership changes and past layoffs.
Seattle Startup Optimize Health Raises $18.6M Series A to Expand Remote Care Software
Seattle startup Optimize Health raised $18.6 million in a Series A funding round led by Foundry and Escalate Capital Partners to enhance its remote care software platform. Founded in 2015 and led by CEO Todd Haedrich, the company serves independent practices and hospital systems with remote patient monitoring and chronic care management solutions.
Seattle Tech Leaders Diverge on AI Hype Amid High Enterprise Adoption and Profitability Concerns
At Seattle's IA Summit, tech leaders had mixed views on AI hype: some see it as overhyped by business users but underhyped in potential, while others believe its transformative impact will unfold over decades. Recent reports show high adoption of generative AI at work, but concerns about a bubble and profitability linger.
GeekWire Launches 'Uncommon Thinkers' Awards Honoring Pacific Northwest Innovators with Gala on Dec. 6
GeekWire has launched 'Uncommon Thinkers,' an awards program recognizing up to six inventors, entrepreneurs, and technologists from the Pacific Northwest who are driving positive change. Nominations are open until October 20, with honorees announced at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle on December 6.
Pulumi Raises $41M Led by Madrona to Expand Infrastructure as Code Platform and AI Innovations
Seattle-based cloud startup Pulumi raised $41 million in a Series C round led by Madrona Venture Group to expand its infrastructure as code platform and develop new AI-powered products. Pulumi serves over 2,000 customers including half of the Fortune 50, with revenues doubling in the past year.
Seattle Logistics Unicorn Flexe Lays Off 131 Employees, Cutting 33% Amid Freight Market Slowdown
Seattle-based logistics startup Flexe, valued at $1 billion, laid off 33% of its workforce (131 employees) due to a freight industry slowdown. This follows a challenging market environment affecting several logistics startups despite previous pandemic-driven growth.
Seattle VC Firm Fuse Raises $250M Second Fund to Back 30-35 Pacific Northwest Startups
Seattle-based venture capital firm Fuse raised $250 million for its second fund to invest in early-stage enterprise software startups across the Pacific Northwest, aiming to back 30-35 companies despite a broader venture capital slowdown. Founded in 2020 with an initial $170 million fund, Fuse credits its growth to the strong local talent and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Seattle Marketing Executive Joanna Lord Becomes CMO at Spring Health Amid Outreach Resignation and Maveron CFO Hire
Joanna Lord, formerly a marketing leader in Seattle and New York, has joined New York-based Spring Health as chief marketing officer. Seattle's Outreach exec Amritansh Raghav resigned amid layoffs, and Maveron hired Nathan Apsel as CFO.
Seattle’s Oldest Angel Group Puget Sound Venture Club Merges with Alliance of Angels After Nearly 40 Years
Puget Sound Venture Club, Seattle's oldest angel group founded by Gary Ritner in 1985, is merging its membership with Alliance of Angels to create a larger impact on the Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem. The merger involves around 30 members, no financial transaction, and plans for Ritner to remain actively involved in the combined group.
Flyhomes to Acquire Home Sale Assured Brand, Founder Eric Meadow Joins as VP Amid Market Challenges
Seattle-based real estate startup Flyhomes announced plans to acquire Home Sale Assured’s brand and assets, with its founder Eric Meadow joining Flyhomes as VP of partnerships. This move complements Flyhomes' Buy Before You Sell product amid a slow market and follows their recent Loftium acquisition.
Annie Luchsinger Launches Seattle-Based Breakers Fund to Invest $250K in Early-Stage Startups
Annie Luchsinger, former Anthos Capital investor and co-founder of an end-of-life startup, has launched Breakers, a Seattle-based early-stage venture fund targeting pre-seed and seed-stage tech startups with $250,000 average investments. Breakers, part of the Melinda Gates-backed Recast Accelerate program, aims to support diverse founders across the U.S. and Canada, focusing on underrepresented markets beyond major hubs.
Hyperproof Raises $40 Million Led by Riverwood Capital to Expand Compliance Software for Clients Including Reddit and Motorola
Seattle-area startup Hyperproof raised $40 million led by Riverwood Capital to expand its risk and compliance software used by companies like Reddit and Motorola, after tripling its customer base and increasing revenue by 260%. Founded in 2018 and led by CEO Craig Unger, the company has raised $66.5 million to date.
Notch Therapeutics Shuts Vancouver Lab, Lays Off 25 to Focus on Toronto and Seattle Operations
Notch Therapeutics is closing its Vancouver lab and laying off about 25 employees, with some offered relocation, to focus on its Toronto and Seattle offices and streamline operations amid challenging times. The company, founded in 2018 and developing stem cell-derived cancer immunotherapies, plans to grow its Seattle team after raising $85 million in Series A funding in 2021.
Viome raises $86.5M Series C and partners with CVS to sell $179 at-home Full Body Intelligence gut test in 200 stores
Seattle-area health tech startup Viome Life Sciences raised an $86.5 million Series C and struck a deal to sell its $179 at-home Full Body Intelligence gut microbiome test in 200 CVS stores and online. Founded by Naveen Jain, Viome analyzes stool, saliva and blood samples and counts investors including Marc Benioff and Khosla Ventures, though some scientists question clinical utility of microbiome kits.
Former Tred Director John Whisenant Arrested for Embezzling Over $2 Million from Seattle Startup
John Whisenant, a former director at Seattle startup Tred, was arrested for allegedly embezzling over $2 million through fraudulent transactions between 2019 and 2021, using the funds to buy luxury vehicles and expensive airline tickets. The scheme was uncovered when an internal review raised suspicions, leading to federal charges and an upcoming court appearance in Seattle.
Seattle Startup Dropzone AI Raises $3.5M Seed Round to Develop Autonomous AI Security Agents
Seattle startup Dropzone AI raised $3.5 million in a seed round led by Decibel Partners to develop autonomous AI security agents that assist human analysts in cybersecurity tasks. Founded by Edward Wu, the company leverages large language models to improve event investigation amid rising security challenges from AI advancements.
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
