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.
Microsoft's new era unfolds
Microsoft is back in the smartphone business with the unveiling of its new Surface Duo dual-screen folding device this week. It's a fascinating story all on its own, as the company finally goes public with a concept it has been experimenting with behind-the-scenes for much of the past decade. Surprise twist: It runs Android. But combined with the larger Surface Neo dual-screen tablet/notebook, the story is much bigger. Microsoft is trying to take the lead in a new category of computing, while expanding its focus beyond Windows to focus on apps and experiences across a range of devices. We share…
Why millennials love Amazon
Amazon ousted Apple this year as the most loved brand among millennials, people age 19 through 39, according to a new study. What does this say about the future of the world? OK, that might be taking it too far, but some of our resident millennials offer their take on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast. And in news for slightly older generations, the startup HopSkipRide made its debut in Seattle this week, promising to safely shuttle your kids around town. We explain how it works and try to decide if we and our kids will use it. Plus, in…
Headphones, AI and the future of humanity
New wireless Bluetooth headphones from Seattle startup Human are getting mixed reviews based on their appearance, and their initial starting price of $399 (which the company quickly dropped to a promotional price of $259). But their unique design, which completely envelops both ears, reflects a vision of the future in which technology will be melded to our bodies, and potentially to our minds. Plus: Jeff Bezos' first Amazon job ad, 25 years later; A new Netflix documentary will go inside the mind of Bill Gates, and Alexa makes a "Jeopardy!" cameo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Amazon Launches Third Alexa Accelerator Cohort Featuring Nine Startups Innovating Voice Technology Applications
Amazon's Alexa Accelerator has launched its third cohort, featuring nine startups innovating with Alexa's voice technology across diverse applications like cooking and remote healthcare. The Alexa platform has rapidly grown, with over 90,000 skills and 100 million Alexa-enabled devices sold, reflecting the maturing voice tech market.
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…
Chris DeVore to Step Down as Techstars Seattle Managing Director on July 1 to Focus on Founders’ Co-op VC Firm
Chris DeVore is stepping down as managing director of Techstars Seattle on July 1 after nearly five years to focus on running Founders’ Co-op, which recently raised a $25 million fund. He will remain involved with Techstars and continue working from the University of Washington’s Startup Hall.
HRG Infrastructure Wins $25,000 at UW Dempsey Startup Competition for Drone-Based Bridge Inspection Tech
HRG Infrastructure, founded by Harsh Rathod from the University of Victoria, won the $25,000 first-place prize at the University of Washington’s 22nd Dempsey Startup Competition for its drone-based civil infrastructure monitoring technology that significantly speeds up bridge inspections. Rathod was inspired to start the company after witnessing a bridge collapse in India where his family members lived.
Seattle Energy Monitoring Company Buddy to Acquire Smart Light Startup LIFX for $51 Million
Seattle-based Buddy announced plans to acquire Silicon Valley smart light maker LIFX for $51 million in cash and stock, aiming to integrate its energy monitoring platform with LIFX's lighting products. LIFX will continue operating independently, while the deal expands commercial opportunities for both companies.
Livible Raises $16M Series A Led by Global Logistics Properties to Expand Nationwide On-Demand Storage Service
Seattle-based startup Livible raised $16 million in a Series A round led by Global Logistics Properties to expand its on-demand storage service nationwide, targeting urban customers with convenient pickup and delivery. The company operates in Seattle, Portland, and Boston, partners with WeWork, and offers tech-enabled, affordable storage solutions with additional personal packing services.
StormSensor Raises $1.2 Million to Expand Digital Stormwater Monitoring for Pollution and Flood Prevention
Seattle startup StormSensor raised $1.2 million to expand its wireless stormwater monitoring system that helps municipalities and agencies track pollution and prevent flooding. Founded in 2015, the company uses predictive algorithms to digitize stormwater quality reporting and has piloted its system in locations including Jersey City and the Port of Seattle.
San Francisco Startup Getaround Launches Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing in Seattle, Taking 40% Revenue Per Rental
Seattle’s Getaround, a peer-to-peer car-sharing service backed by a San Francisco startup, allows users to rent neighbors' cars via an app, keeping 40% of rental fees. After a rocky start, the service provided a smooth experience, exploring the feasibility of the Airbnb model applied to car rentals.
Epic week for startup funding
Seattle startups raked in hundreds of millions of dollars this week. What's behind the flurry of big-dollar deals? Plus, a new service that lets you rent your car out, Airbnb-style, and Seattle's iconic Space Needle gets a makeover See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Coinstar partners with doxo to offer cash bill-pay at 7,000 kiosks by end of 2018
Coinstar will add a cash bill-pay feature at up to 7,000 kiosks by the end of 2018 through a partnership with Seattle startup doxo, allowing customers to pay utilities, loans and other bills; doxo powers the service and connects to over 45,000 billers.
A tech renaissance
This week, the Week In Geek comes to you from GeekWire HQ2 in Pittsburgh. Amazon is pushing further Prime integration with Whole Foods and we dive into the tech renaissance happening in Pittsburgh and how the city is preparing for challenges that come along with a tech boom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Year In Geek
It's been a big year for the tech world. The industry endured repeated clashes with the Trump Administration and saw the rise of Amazon as the company made two of its biggest moves yet. We analyze the Year In Geek on this episode and also make some predictions about what's to come in 2018. Follow all our coverage and read more about this week's stories at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: Winshuttle (Winshuttle.com) Hughes Marino (hughesmarino.com) Kinects (kinectstower.com) And the University of Washington's Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (foster.uw.edu/msentre) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Would you rent used clothes?
The sharing economy has changed a lot of things, but could a company make renting specialized clothes a thing? Plus, we look back on Amazon’s HQ2 journey as its calls for proposals close and giggle about some rather unoriginal Silicon Valley “innovations.” Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: Winshuttle, the SAP data management experts — learn more at Winshuttle.com; Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle — learn more at hughesmarino.com; and Kinects, Seattle’s iconic new high-rise apartment tower — learn…
Visual Vocal Raises $3.6M Led by Eniac Ventures to Advance Virtual Reality Collaboration for Enterprises
Visual Vocal, a Seattle startup developing virtual 3D environment productivity tools for enterprises, has raised $3.6 million in a funding round led by Eniac Ventures. The company's cloud-based platform enables remote real-time collaboration using smartphone-viewable VR to improve design feedback in industries like architecture and aerospace.
Puppet Acquires Seattle Startup Distelli to Enhance Cloud Automation and Code Deployment
Puppet has acquired Seattle-based startup Distelli to enhance its cloud automation platform by integrating Distelli’s efficient code deployment tools. Distelli, founded in 2015 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz, will join Puppet’s Seattle office to help improve software development speed and visibility for Puppet’s 37,000 customers.
The Global Innovation Exchange
Two years ago, the University of Washington and China's premier tech school, Tsinghua University, announced a first-of-its kind project: The Global Innovation Exchange. It's an innovative new approach to teaching entrepreneurship and it's approaching its official launch. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, we speak with GIX Co-Director and UW's VP of innovation strategy Vikram Jandhyala about the new project and how it's setting out to disrupt the innovation economy. Follow all our coverage and learn more about GIX at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more…
Seattle Startup GawkBox Raises $3.7M to Boost Game Streamer Earnings Through Sponsored Tipping on Twitch and YouTube
Seattle startup GawkBox raised $3.7 million in Series A funding to help live game streamers earn 'sponsored tips' when viewers download and engage with games. This platform offers an alternative revenue stream by enabling tipping without direct payments, benefiting both streamers and app developers.
TalentWorks raises $2.4M from Lowercase, Founder’s Co-op and Felicis to guarantee job interviews for $10/week
TalentWorks, co-founded by Kushal Chakrabarti and Ajit Banerjee, emerged from stealth with $2.4M from investors including Lowercase Capital, Founder’s Co-op and Felicis to offer a $10/week AI-driven job-interview matching service that guarantees interviews or refunds fees after 60 days.
Can BMW beat Uber? Testing ReachNow's new ride sharing service
BMW car-sharing service Reach Now launched a new service this week: Ride, a ride-sharing service that's taking on Uber and Lyft. We tried it out and tell you all the juicy details on this episode of the Week In Geek. We also explain why Snapchat's parent company paid $200 million for a Seattle startup and why new engineering centers mean Seattle continues to reign supreme in cloud technology. On the Random Channel: Scathing reviews of some hot new tech ventures. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s…
The Week in Geek: Bezos, Rover, and Pokemon
It was a busy news week in Seattle. Rover announced it is acquiring its biggest competition; the Bezos family made a record-breaking donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and the University of Washington released a heartwarming study on the effects of Pokemon Go on family bonding. Catch it all on this episode of the Week in Geek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Microsoft and Nathan Myhrvold Lead $20.7M Investment in Atlas, Launching Digital Footprint Search Engine Atlas Recall
Microsoft, Nathan Myhrvold, and Aspect Ventures invested $20.7 million in Seattle-based Atlas Informatics, which launched Atlas Recall, a search engine for indexing users' entire digital footprint with an open beta release for Mac and iOS. The technology captures encrypted records of user activity across apps by integrating deeply with the operating system and supports search via Google and Mac Spotlight.
University of Washington Football to Test Vicis' $1,500 ZERO1 Helmet for Enhanced Brain Protection in 2016
The University of Washington football team will test Vicis' new high-tech ZERO1 helmet, designed to better protect against concussions and brain injuries, retailing at $1,500 each. Vicis, a Seattle startup spun out of UW, has garnered interest from numerous NFL and NCAA teams for the 2016 season.
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
