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.
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…
Syndio raises $7.5M to expand pay-equity software as CEO warns COVID-19 could widen gaps for women and minorities
Seattle HR-tech startup Syndio raised $7.5 million to expand software that analyzes and corrects pay disparities tied to gender, race, ethnicity, or age; CEO Maria Colacurcio warns COVID-19 risks widening pay gaps for women and minorities. Syndio serves 60+ customers including Nordstrom, Slack, Adobe and plans to grow despite the economic downturn, backed by investors including Emerson Collective and Voyager Capital.
Ex-Docker CFO Brian Camposano launches stealth Seattle fintech Stratify; Concur founder Steve Singh named chairman
Former Docker CFO Brian Camposano launched a stealth Seattle fintech called Stratify after spinning out from Madrona Venture Labs, with Concur co-founder Steve Singh serving as chairman. The early-stage company — currently one employee and no public website — aims to use machine learning and AI to modernize corporate finance and deliver real-time insights for CFOs and finance teams.
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.
PDM Automotive and Tribute each win $132,500 at first-ever virtual 17th Seattle Angel Conference
PDM Automotive and Tribute each won $132,500 at the 17th Seattle Angel Conference, the event's first held virtually; the five-month program ran on Zoom with 53 applicant companies and 44 participating investors.
HBO integrates Scener’s Chrome extension into HBO Now and HBO GO for 20-person virtual watch parties
HBO added a Scener-powered Chrome extension to HBO Now and HBO GO that lets subscribers hold virtual watch parties of up to 20 people with video, audio and text chat; Seattle startup Scener saw a 15× traffic surge after pivoting to co-watching. HBO and Scener built the integration over two months to enable social viewing during COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders.
SirionLabs raises $44M Series C to open Seattle tech hub, hires Cloudera and Google/Microsoft veterans
Contract-management startup SirionLabs raised $44 million in a Series C round to open a Seattle-area technology center and expand its U.S. presence, hiring senior leaders from Cloudera, Microsoft and Google. The eight-year-old company, which manages 3.5 million contracts for clients like BP and Vodafone, has grown customers 4X in 18 months and has raised $66 million total.
Magic Leap to Close Seattle Office, Laying Off 39 Workers Starting June 21
Magic Leap has closed its Seattle satellite office and will lay off 39 workers beginning June 21, according to a Washington state WARN notice; the AR startup previously cut about half its workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Seattle outpost, led by chief futurist Neal Stephenson and co-founder Brian Schowengerdt, housed R&D and developer-relations teams.
Survey: Over 50% of Seattle-area Startups Have Less Than Six Months Cash Runway; 23% Under Two Months
A Washington Technology Industry Association survey found more than half of Seattle-area startups have under six months of cash runway and 23% have under two months, with smaller firms faring worse and only 39% receiving PPP loans. About a quarter have cut at least 10% of staff, fewer than 25% have investor backstops, while some sectors like telemedicine and cloud computing continue hiring.
Kandela sues Porch and CEO Matt Ehrlichman for $11.5M, alleging fraud over earnout after April 2019 acquisition
Kandela, a Los Angeles moving-concierge startup acquired by Porch in April 2019, sued Porch and CEO Matt Ehrlichman in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging fraud and breach of contract aimed at denying Kandela its earnout, seeking $11.5 million plus punitive damages.
Glowforge and Lytics Turn Down ~$3.85M in Approved PPP Loans to Leave Aid for Smaller Businesses
Two venture-backed Pacific Northwest tech startups, Glowforge and Lytics, declined approved Paycheck Protection Program loans of about $1.85 million and $2 million respectively, choosing to leave funds for smaller businesses that lack access to capital after concluding they could avoid layoffs and survive the crisis.
OncoSenX extends oversubscribed SAFE, plans $30M Series A to fund Phase I for genetics-targeted cancer therapies
Seattle biotech OncoSenX extended an oversubscribed SAFE to raise more capital for its lipid nanoparticle gene-delivery cancer therapies and plans a $30 million Series A to fund a Phase I trial; the spinout has raised $4.1 million so far and has six employees.
Madrona Venture Labs spinout Simplata launches targeted encryption for sensitive cloud app data, plans seed raise
Madrona Venture Labs spinout Simplata, led by CEO Steve Banfield and CTO Bruce Roberts, is building a targeted encryption solution to protect sensitive data in cloud applications and plans to hire and raise a seed round later this year.
Ben Elowitz launches stealth Seattle startup Zeitworks, spun out of Madrona Venture Labs to optimize people and time
Veteran Seattle entrepreneur Ben Elowitz has launched a stealth startup called Zeitworks, spun out of Madrona Venture Labs, aiming to help organizations maximize people and time using data science and AI. The company is hiring, Elowitz is supporting the team, and further details remain confidential.
Docugami doubles to 20 after $10M funding and keeps hiring amid widespread tech layoffs
Docugami, a Kirkland, Washington document-engineering startup, doubled its staff to 20 after a $10 million funding round in early February and continues hiring despite widespread tech layoffs. CEO Jean Paoli and new head of operations Hartley Riedner have onboarded remotely, reflecting a flipped labor market where some startups can recruit while larger firms cut jobs.
Coinme raises $5.5M as transactions climb 40% and plans 50% hiring, led by Pantera Capital
Seattle cryptocurrency ATM startup Coinme raised $5.5 million as transaction volumes rose more than 40% since late February, aided by its Coinstar partnership and presence in essential retail locations. The company, led by CEO Neil Bergquist, plans 50% headcount growth, expansion into Latin America, and was led in funding by Pantera Capital.
Knock raises $12M Series B led by Madrona as COVID-19 drives surge in remote apartment-management tool usage
Seattle rental-software startup Knock raised $12 million in a Series B led by Madrona Venture Group as demand for its apartment management tools and remote leasing features surged during the COVID-19 crisis.
Madrona Venture Group Leads $8.5M Investment in Vendor Management Startup VNDLY; Steve Singh Joins Board
Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group led an $8.5 million investment round in VNDLY, a Cincinnati-based vendor management startup, with Steve Singh joining VNDLY's board. VNDLY, founded in 2017, has raised a total of $57.5 million to help companies manage and pay their non-employee workforce.
S!NG raises $265,000 debt round to build blockchain audit-trail tool for musicians and photographers
Seattle startup S!NG raised $265,000 in debt to develop blockchain-based software that creates audit trails for sharing song files and photos, aiming to simplify copyright collaboration for musicians and photographers. The founders say the tool provides a middle ground between NDAs and trust and will launch as a consumer SaaS, funded by angel investors in Seattle, Canada and elsewhere.
Outreach CEO Manny Medina Says Seattle Unicorn (550 Employees) Avoided Layoffs, Aids Customers Through COVID-19 After $114M Raise
Outreach CEO Manny Medina says the Seattle-based sales-engagement unicorn has avoided layoffs and continues serving customers through the COVID-19 crisis by helping them manage remote teams and pivot sales processes, after raising $114 million last year. The 550-employee company is seeing mixed demand as some clients like DoorDash and DocuSign surge while others cut spending.
Lighter Capital lays off 22% of staff to preserve runway, trims mainly sales and marketing roles
Seattle-based alternative VC Lighter Capital cut 22% of its roughly 80-person workforce, mainly in sales and marketing, to preserve runway amid the pandemic while continuing product development and pursuing growth plans.
Convoy leans on technology to navigate COVID-19 surge after $400M raise at $2.7B valuation
Seattle digital freight startup Convoy experienced record activity on its network as COVID-19 increased demand for essentials, and CEO Dan Lewis says the company’s efficiency-focused technology helps it navigate a volatile, recessionary period. Convoy remains a Seattle unicorn after raising $400 million at a $2.7 billion valuation in September and continues serving major shippers like Anheuser-Busch, Home Depot, and Procter & Gamble.
ExtraHop says April 22, 2020 layoffs cut staff back to end-of-2019 levels as COVID-19 hits revenue
Seattle-based security company ExtraHop carried out a reduction in force on April 22, 2020, cutting staff back to its end-of-2019 level amid COVID-19’s economic impact; the company had ended 2019 with more than 500 employees and $150 million in bookings.
Techstars Seattle’s 2020 cohort shifts programming online, prepares for virtual Demo Day May 6 as startups pivot amid COVID-19
Techstars Seattle's 11th accelerator cohort of 10 startups began in February and has adapted to COVID-19 by moving in-person programming online, pivoting business models, and accelerating product development where needed ahead of a virtual Demo Day on May 6, 2020.
Bateau raises $1.5M pre-seed led by Founder’s Co-op to scale safety and compliance software
Seattle startup Bateau raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Founder’s Co-op to sell safety and compliance software for multi-location businesses, with initial focus shifting to senior living during the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-founders Paul Jarvis (ex-Palantir) and Henry Hutcheson (ex-FullStory/Amperity) launched the year-old company in June and currently have one additional employee.
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
